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Municipal and industrial wastewater discharge is a longstanding environmental problem that pollutes water bodies, affecting both the landscape and human health. In the department of Sucre, Colombia, nearby urban sewage is discharged into the Arroyo Grande de la Sabana, and only Sincelejo city has a treatment system in place. Therefore, it is critical to identify effective treatment methods for removing contaminants from water. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficiency of a constructed wetland (CW) with horizontal subsurface flow (HSSF) planted with Thalia geniculata for treating wastewater from the Arroyo Grande de la Sabana in Sucre, Colombia. The study investigated the effectiveness of a constructed wetland planted with Thalia geniculata for treating wastewater from the Arroyo Grande de la Sabana in Sucre, Colombia. Two different hydraulic retention times (HRTs) of 3 and 5 days were tested, and the plant population density was analyzed to determine the better adaptation of plants to the constructed wetlands. The results showed that on the fifth day of treatment, nitrate concentrations decreased by 33.22%, nitrite by 93.04%, and phosphate by 95.66%. Additionally, the biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) values decreased by 97.27% and 80.27%, respectively. On the third day of retention, turbidity, and total suspended solids (TSS) in the water decreased by 90.13% and 83.08%, respectively. The study concluded that the 5-day HRT was most effective in removing contaminants such as nitrites, nitrates, and phosphates, while the 3-day HRT was more efficient for TSS, turbidity, total coliforms (TCs), and fecal coliforms (FCs). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Tequendama Falls is perhaps the most striking example of Colombia's diverse natural environment. Created by the Bogotá River, it is a majestic waterfall of 130 meters located in a wooded area of the municipality of Soacha, 32 kilometers southwest of Bogotá. Until the mid-twentieth century it was a popular attraction for both Colombians and foreigners, but after the 1960s, the diversion of the river to generate electricity, as well as its use as a landfill for industrial waste, contaminated the waterfall and devastated its surrounding cloud forest. The object of this work is fivefold: Beginning with a brief review of the development of environmental history of Colombia, it traces the history of the Salto from pre-conquest times to the mid-20th century. It outlines the reasons for its decline; and evaluates the efforts that are being made to restore the site to its former glory. It concludes by placing these efforts within the context of the development of tourism in 21st Colombia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Bistua: Revista de la Facultad de Ciencias Básicas is the property of Facultad de Ciencias Basicas de la Universidad de Pamplona and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

One of the current challenges is to add value to agro-industrial wastes, and the cocoa industry generates about 10 tons of cocoa pod husks in Colombia for each ton of cocoa beans, which are incinerated and cause environmental damage. This study characterized the Colombian cocoa pod husk (CPH) and to isolate and characterize cellulose microfibers (tCPH) extracted via chemical treatment and pressure. Chemical and physical analyses of CPH were performed, and a pretreatment method for CPH fibers was developed, which is followed by a hydrolysis method involving high pressure in an autoclave machine with an alkaline medium (6% NaOH), and finally, bleaching of the fiber to obtain tCPH. The tCPH cellulose microfibers were also chemically and physically analyzed and characterized by infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA). Chemical and physical characterization showed a decrease in lignin content in tCPH. FTIR analysis showed the absence of some peaks in tCPH with respect to the CPH spectrum; XRD results showed an increase in crystallinity for tCPH compared to CPH, due to a higher presence of crystalline cellulose in tCPH. SEM images included a control fiber treated without high pressure (tCPHnpe), and agglomerated fibers were observed, whereas cellulose microfibers with a mean diameter of 10 ± 2.742 μm were observed in tCPH. Finally, with TGA and DTGA it was confirmed that in tCPH, the hemicellulose and lignin were removed more successfully than in the control fiber (tCPHnpe), showing that the treatment with pressure was effective at isolating the cellulose microfibers from cocoa pod husk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are an alternative to conventional wastewater treatments that allow for the removal of organic matter and cogeneration of electrical energy, taking advantage of the oxidation–reduction metabolism of organic compounds conducted by microorganisms. In this study, the electrogenic potential and the capacity for the reduction of the organic matter of native microbial communities in wastewater from the wet processing of coffee were evaluated using open-cathode MFCs. To determine the electrogenic potential, a factorial experimental design was proposed in which the origin of the residual water and the source of the inoculum were evaluated as factors. The MFCs operated for 21 days in both open-circuit and closed-circuit operation modes. Voltage records, current determinations, and chemical oxygen demand (COD) analyses were used to establish the power reached in the electrochemical system and the degree of the decontamination of the wastewater. During the MFC operation, voltages from 200–400 mV and power and current densities from 300–900 mW·m−2 and 10–22 mA·m−2, respectively, were reached. The inoculum used, with a statistical significance of α < 0.05, influenced the electrogenic performance of the microbial fuel cell. The previous process of adaptation to the operational conditions of the MFCs of the native microbial community positively influenced the current generation in the system. The degradation rates reached 500–600 mg·L−1·day−1, indicating the metabolic capacity of the microbial community in the MFCs to achieve the decontamination of wastewater from the coffee agroindustry. It was shown the implementation of bioelectrochemical systems constituted a viable option for the treatment of agricultural waste in Colombia. In addition, it was observed the capacity to cogenerate electrical energy from the biotransformation of the polluting organic matter in the effluents of the coffee industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Porce II and Porce III reservoirs are located northeastern of the department of Antioquia, have poor water quality due to the entry of chemical and biological contaminants from domestic and industrial wastewater discharge from ten municipalities that are part of the Aburrá Valley. Artisanal fisheries have been reported in the reservoirs with low safety standards for self-consumption and commercialization. Food safety is fundamental for the assurance of public health. Colombian regulations for the consumption of fishery products focus on risk prevention and warn of improper handling and/or contamination of the fishery product (NTC1443:2016 and Resolution:776/2008, modified by Resolution:122/2012). This project sought to determine the bacterial microbiological quality of Oreochromis niloticus and Coptodon rendalli muscle from Porce II and Porce III reservoirs by analyzing the indicators total coliforms, thermo-tolerant Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella spp. in eight samplings between March 2018 and October 2019, 480 specimens were purchased from local fishermen. Total length, standard length, and weight of each fish was determined, and microbiological indicators were analyzed following Colombian standards (NTC4458, NTC4779, NTC4574). Under these criteria, more than 80% of the samples showed non-compliance because they exceeded the permitted limits for microbial load. The health risk for human and wild communities that feed on these contaminated fish is inferred. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contextualization: The textile industry makes use of large quantities of water and various chemicals that are part of the different stages of the cloth processing, including painting and finishing. As a result of the use of these chemicals, wastewater from the textile industry has high concentrations of chemical oxygen demand (COD), total organic carbon (TOC), total dissolved solids (TDS) and low biodegradability. Knowledge gap: Currently, the different industries in Colombia have failures in the final disposal of wastewater, since it has been identified that some industries do not comply the regulations that establish the maximum permissible values of some pollutants in their discharges. Specifically, the textile industry consumes large volumes of water and contributes considerably to the pollutant loads in the water bodies, which is why searching for alternatives to improve the treatment of this type of effluent is a matter of particular interest. On the other hand, current techniques for the treatment of these waters require the use of different chemical inputs, so the evaluation of electrocoagulation with graphite electrodes and UV radiation represents an alternative that allows reducing the consumption of inputs and reducing the concentration of pollutants present in these effluents. Purpose: This research aims to evaluate the electrocoagulation process in water treatment, using graphite electrodes and intensified by UV radiation, to determine the percentage of removal of COD, TOC, and TDS in the wastewater of the textile industry. Methodology: Experimental research was carried out to evaluate the technique of electrocoagulation, intensified by radiation from a submersible UV lamp. For methodological development, some physical and chemical parameters were measured before and after each test. A factorial-type experimental design was carried out, with two factors in three levels 32), specifically 9 trials; all of which were performed in triplicate for a total of 27 experiments. The factors or variables selected were the initial pH of the wastewater (6, 7 and 8) and the electric current intensity applied (0.5 A, 1 A, and 1.5 A). The response variables selected were the percentage of removal of COD, TOC, and TDS. After all the trials, the results were evaluated by analysis of variance to determine the effect or influence of each factor on each of the response variables. Results and conclusions: The tests determined that the most favorable experimental conditions for the electrocoagulation process were pH 8 at a electric current intensity of 0.5 amperes. The process has high efficiency in the percentage of removal of COD, TOC, and TDS for each of the tests, which is consistent with the use of inert electrodes that have greater chemical resistance than other electrodes, which facilitates the oxidation and reduction process in conjunction. Besides, the use of UV radiation intensifies the process by giving rise to the formation of ozone and OH* radicals in water, specially having an alkaline pH. These factors combined allow that higher values can be achieved in the removal of various contaminants present in the wastewater of the textile industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the technical and economic feasibility of using microalgae and cyanobacteria has been explored for the removal and exploitation of domestic, agricultural and industrial residual effluents with high C, N and P compounds content. To contribute to the understanding of the process and its technical viability for microalgae growth, the article discusses monitoring, flow determination, and physicochemical characteristics of two types of effluents generated in an experimental farm located in the east of Colombia, before (R1) and after biological treatment (R2). In general, the results showed the reduction of different parameters, such as total dissolved solids (TDS), hardness, salinity and phosphates after treatment with activated sludge. However, the conductivity value obtained in R1 and R2 showed the presence of a pollutant load. These findings can be attributed to the highest concentration of fats and oils in the water during early hours of the day. Finally, although the concentration of nitrates increased from 46.63 to 225.21 mg·dm-3 and phosphate decreased slightly from 9.65 to 6.21 mg·dm-3, no inhibition was generated in the microalgae, as evidenced in the growth of the microalgal biomass in effluents after nitrate and phosphate removal above 80%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The production of biofuels using wastewater as a microalgae culture medium is a little explored technology, but with potential for success. In order to contribute to the knowledge of these technologies and their technical feasibility for microalgae growth, in this work the Chlorella sp. strain was cultivated in two types of effluents generated in an experimental farm located in eastern Colombia, before and after a biological treatment process. The consumption of the main nutrients that regulate growth and lipid production was evaluated, in order to extract, quantify, characterize and convert them into biodiesel. The results showed that Chlorella sp. growth and lipid production is more favourable in R2 medium of treated water than in R1 medium of raw water, mainly due to phosphorus limitation and higher N-NO3 concentration in R2 compared to R1. In the R2 medium culture, a percentage of 42.54% of long-chain fatty acids was found, which is necessary to obtain a high quality biodiesel. Finally, the best transesterification experiment allowed reaching a fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) percentage of 90.1 ± 2.7%. In general, the results demonstrated the potential viability of using the wastewater generated in the San Pablo farm to produce biomass with lipid content to obtain biodiesel, finding that where the concentration of nutrients, mainly nitrogen, has a great influence on the microalgal metabolism for lipid accumulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Colombia is a leading country in the production of palm oil, being the fourth in the world and the first in Latin America. However, large quantities of agro-industrial waste are produced from this industry, such as rachis, palm kernel shells, palm kernel cake, oily sludge, and sewage. Through this research, the aim is to find the most efficient route for obtaining bioethanol by taking advantage of a well-known, but not widely used, agro-industrial waste from the production of palm oil: palm kernel shells. This route must be convenient according to technical, economic, social, and environmental criteria of sustainability, for which the synthesis of routes of exploitation of the rachis based on optimization of superstructures will be implemented. In this work, a superstructure empathizing pretreatment stage was constructed with intermittent layers of chemical species required or obtained, and another of technologies for separation or transformation of said chemical species. Organosolv pretreatment (ethanol-acid) and thermochemical pretreatment (pyrolysis) were obtained as results: both routes were evaluated from the break-even point analysis to define which of them to choose as the most promising, giving as a final result the pyrolysis pretreatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The evaluation of the technical and economic separation of the monoterpenes α‐pinene and d‐limonene from essential oils, carried out by computational simulation of the vacuum fractional distillation in continuous and batch mode from samples of turpentine and citrus oils, was developed using Aspen Plus® software combined with estimations of operational expenses (OPEX) and capital expenses (CAPEX) based on the Guthrie method. The production of d‐limonene and α‐pinene with high purity from the essential oils is a technically feasible process. From the economic point of view and based on the average annual import costs of turpentine and orange oils in Colombia, it was found that the selling prices of α‐pinene and d‐limonene obtained from the distillation module cost analysis depend on the daily production and can be minimized if essential oils are preliminary extracted from local industrial wastes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Colombian industrial sector is moving toward alternative forms of treatment of industrial waste, considering that the waste can be a source of raw material in the production chain. Thus, aiming at the decrease in mineral fertilizer use, and maintaining or even raising the crop yield, the sugarcane industry has recently advanced in the composting of the industrial waste and application in the field, both of them being potentially sustainable practices. This manuscript reports the economic benefits and the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions related to the sugarcane production system in Colombia that has been simulated in this study to evaluate the beneficial effects of reusing industrial waste from ethanol production. This study was performed using the Virtual Sugarcane Biorefinery (VSB) modeling software for the simulation of agricultural and industrial parameters on integrated alternatives for the sugarcane industry. Colombian sugarcane sector was modeled using three scenarios representing agricultural systems that do not use composted industrial waste vs a paired scenario for each condition where composted waste is utilized. Regarding compost and vinasse use as fertilizer and soil conditioner, GHG emissions from the biogenic origin are not included as a reported item in the matrix of GHG emissions of the sugarcane sector. Inputs for the economic and environmental assessment models are based on actual operational data from two mill sites, one located in the traditional sugarcane production region of Cauca River Valley and the other one, on the agricultural expansion region of Llanos Orientales. Here, we have found that the reuse of composted industrial waste is beneficial and provides an economic cost savings of 2–6% per year. However, it also results in an annual increase of 10–20% in the GHG emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Thermal co-processing for the final disposal of the waste reduced the mass in 45 wt.%. • Syngas of 5.0 MJ/Nm3 is a value-added alternative to sustainable management of waste. • Co-pelletizing produced a homogeneous synergistic biofuel from heterogeneous waste. The primary sludge produced by the wastewater treatment plant of a pulp and paper mill has high physicochemical heterogeneity, which limits the efficiency of thermochemical methodologies for the final disposal of this residue. As a solution, co-pelletization of the Primary Sludge (PS) with two other principal Industrial Solid Residues (ISRs) of the plant, Coal Boiler Ashes (CBA) and Wood Waste chips (WW), was proposed as a way to valorize the PS for energy use, while reducing dewatering costs. The energy potential was evaluated through a series of thermal co-processing tests of disaggregated and pelletized mixtures. Due to their differing fixed-carbon-to-volatile-material ratios, combining the ISRs resulted in a reduction of up to 45% of the mass of the ISR generated, improving the disposal conditions and achieving a minimum thermal power of 5.0 MJ/Nm3 through gasification. Finally, the environmental implications of the thermal co-processing of the wastes were assessed, finding very low impacts due to pollutant emissions, in accordance with the legal environmental regulations in force in Colombia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Lecturas de Economia is the property of Universidad de Antioquia, Facultad de Ciencias Economicas and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

[Display omitted] • A ferric oxide from steel industry is used as precursor material. • Hematite submicron particles were prepared through wet synthesis method. • Structural and optical study was carried out by spectroscopy characterization techniques. • The magnetic characteristic in the samples were carried out using SQUID. Hematite submicron particles were synthesized using oil-contaminated ferric oxide precursor obtained from the hot-rolled steel industry in Colombia. The samples received are difficult to recycle for the steel industry, which, due to their poor disposal, causes irreparable environmental damage. Here we propose a synthetic route to obtain functional magnetic particles with this residue. First, a series of washes with solvent and alcohols were proposed, thus achieving the total removal of the oil. X-ray diffraction and Mössbauer spectroscopy show that the as received sample consists of different iron phases, with wüstite being the majority phase. After the synthesis process, the hematite phase was present as the majority phase with ∼92 wt%. FTIR, UV–Vis, and SQUID measurements was carried out to study the structural, optical and magnetic properties of the samples. This methodology is a viable alternative to give added value to this waste to improve the management of this by-product. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, sixteen contaminants of emerging concern (CECs), present in the effluent of the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) "Salitre" (Bogotá – Colombia), were subjected to several electrochemical advanced oxidation processes (EAOPs). Thus, the elimination of the pharmaceuticals diclofenac, carbamazepine, venlafaxine, Irbesartan, losartan, metronidazole, sulfamethoxazole, trimethoprim, clindamycin, norfloxacin, ciprofloxacin, clarithromycin, erythromycin, and azithromycin, the illicit drug cocaine, and its major metabolite benzoylecgonine was assessed by electro-Fenton (EF), photo-electro-Fenton (PEF), and photo-electro-Fenton in the presence of added oxalic acid (PEFox). A boron-doped diamond and a gas diffusion electrode were used as anode and cathode. After 1 h of treatment, the total concentration of CECs decreased by 36% when PEFox was applied. In the case of EF and PEF, the degradation percentages were lower (29% and 19%, respectively). The highest degradation by using PEFox was due to the enhanced availability of soluble iron ions by forming Fe(III)-oxalate complexes at near-neutral pH values. This allows the Fenton reaction to yield additional HO• radicals. Finally, the effect of EAOPs to reduce the environmental risk associated with the CECs in the WWTP was evaluated. The best system, PEFox, lowered by more than ten times the environmental hazard of the tested CECs in the effluent. This work shows the high potential of PEFox, as tertiary treatment, to eliminate emerging pollutants and reduce their risk in effluents from WWTP. In this system, the added oxalic acid, which has a biodegradable character, could be eliminated in a subsequent biological step. [Display omitted] • The Photo-electro-Fenton process led to high removal of emerging pollutants present in the wastewater of Bogotá–Colombia. • UV light action increased the concentration of some pollutants. • Presence of oxalic acid considerably enhanced the degradation efficiency. • Photo-electro-Fenton with oxalic acid lowered by more than ten times the environmental hazard of the tested pollutants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Ciencia e Ingenieria Neogranadina is the property of Ciencia e Ingenieria Neogranadina and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In Colombia, the acceptance of resource recovery is demonstrated through the high number of municipalities which have introduced this alternative in their integrated solid waste management plans, together with the increasing number of solid waste management facilities (SWMFs) that have been established. This situation also highlights the need for a comprehensive evaluation of the existing experiences as well as research and development around this topic. In this paper, the performance of five SWMFs located in municipalities in northern Valle del Cauca is analyzed. The analysis shows that, despite the fact that SWMFs have operational deficiencies, features such as markets for their products, employment generation and avoided costs in waste disposal in landfills show sufficient grounds for their continuity. Key elements to strengthen SWMFs performance are long-term awareness of service users, adaptation of technologies to the context, enhancement of managerial capacity and better support to resource recovery within the national political framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Some anaerobic filters with bed stone built in the department of Cauca (Colombia), are presenting problems of obstruction. If the stone is replaced by vertical parallel plates, it eliminates the problem of obstruction. This paper presents the development and results of a study performed in laboratory scale that evaluated the potential of anaerobic reactors of vertical parallel plates in acrylic to remove pollutants (organic matter and suspended solids). The anaerobic reactor of parallel plates in acrylic served as secondary treatment; was fed with wastewater effluent of an Imhoff Tank with average concentrations of 156 ± 14 mg/L BOD5, 438 ± 32 mg/L of COD and 98 ± 22 mg/L of total suspended solids. The reductions of COD and BOD in the reactor are over 50% and the reduction of suspended solids exceeded 60% for time of detention for 24 hours. The ease in operating the reactor makes it viable as anaerobic biological treatment of wastewater previously decanted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Bacterial cellulose microfibrils from non-conventional sources were produced by Gluconacetobacter swingsii sp. Agroindustrial residues such as pineapple peel juice and sugar cane juice were used as culture media. Hestrin and Schramm''s medium was used as a reference. The production of bacterial cellulose from pineapple peel juice (2.8g/L) was higher than that produced from Hestrin and Schramm''s medium (2.1g/L). The carbon and nitrogen resources in pineapple peel and sugar cane juice were sufficient for the microorganism development. Ribbon-like microfibrils with a width of 20–70nm were observed in all media. Changes in crystallinity and mass fraction of the Iα allomorph were observed. The aggregation of cellulose chains into microfibrils was slightly hindered by other polysaccharides in the agroindustrial waste that adhered to the surface of the subfibrils. In conclusion, agroindustrial residues can be used as a culture medium to produce bacterial cellulose with low cost for large-scale industrial production. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Copyright of Revista Colombiana de Biotecnología is the property of Universidad Nacional de Colombia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This article reviews the results obtained from stack emissions analysis during the co-firing process of municipal solid waste (MSW) from the municipality of Tabio, Colombia, in a Hoffmann-type brick kiln. MSW (2 tonne) was incinerated and about 18.5 tonnes of clay were processed into brick using one and four kiln chambers, respectively. During the process, the following emissions were investigated: particulate emissions, emissions of SO2, SO3, NOX, metals (Sb, As, Cd, Co, Sn, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Hg), hydrofluoric and hydrochloric acid, hydrocarbons (such as methane) and emission of polychlorinated dioxins and furans. Also, CO emissions were monitored during each test to evaluate the influence of MSW co-firing on that parameter. The observed emissions concentrations proved to be below the threshold values issued by MAVDT, the environmental authority in Colombia, indicating that the emissions were under control during the proposed process. In addition, statistical analysis showed that the emissions were 10-40% below the regulation limit with a confidence of 95%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Tobago’s fringing coral reefs (FR) and Buccoo Reef Complex (BRC) can be affected locally by wastewater and stormwater, and regionally by the Orinoco River. In 2001, seasonal effects of these inputs on water-column nutrients and phytoplankton (Chl a), macroalgal C:N:P and δ 15N values, and biocover at FR and BRC sites were examined. Dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN, particularly ammonium) increased and soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) decreased from the dry to wet season. Wet season satellite and Chl a data showed that Orinoco runoff reaching Tobago contained chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) but little Chl a, suggesting minimal riverine nutrient transport to Tobago. C:N ratios were lower (16 vs. 21) and macroalgal δ 15N values higher (6.6‰ vs. 5.5‰) in the BRC vs. FR, indicating relatively more wastewater N in the BRC. High macroalgae and low coral cover in the BRC further indicated that better wastewater treatment could improve the health of Tobago’s coral reefs. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Water availability, use and quality in a rural watershed of the Colombian Andes were investigated through participatory research involving local youth. Research included the quantification of disaggregated water use at the household level; comparison of water use with availability; monitoring water quality of streams, community water intakes and household faucets; and the determination of land use – water quality interactions. Youth were involved in all aspects of the research from design to implementation, dissemination of results and remediation options. Quantification of domestic and on-farm water use, and water availability indicated that water availability was sufficient during the study period, but that only an 8% decrease in dry season supply would result in shortages. Elevated conductivity levels in the headwaters were related to “natural” bank erosion, while downstream high conductivity and coliform levels were associated with discharges from livestock stalls and poorly maintained septic tanks in the stream buffer zone. Through the involvement of youth as co-investigators, the knowledge generated by the research was appropriated at the local level. Community workshops led by local youth promoted water conservation and water quality protection practices based on research, and resulted in broader community participation in water management. The approach involving youth in research stimulated improved management of both land and water resources, and could be applied in small rural watersheds in developed or developing countries. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The work introduces the necessity to include the ethanol production from lignocellulosic wastes like raw material into industrial process. It is based on the possibilities of obtaining the agroindustrial residues of sugar production in Colombia, doing an evaluation of technology using ASPEN PLUS simulation software, and offering recommendations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Rudarsko-Geolosko-Naftni Zbornik is the property of Faculty of Mining, Geology & Petroleum Engineering and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The depletion of the ozone layer, as a product of industrial activities and the use of certain substances in commercial and domestic matters, is the first great environmental problem mankind has had to acknowledge as the consequence of the technological and economical development of our society. International agreements intended to recover and protect the ozone layer -the Viena Agreement and the Montreal Protocol- must be seen as a triumph of international diplomacy, because they were able to achieve a consensus covering the interests of producers, industries, developed countries, underdeveloped countries and consumers, in general. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Colombia is facing a growing contamination of its water resources, since many rivers (near which more than 90% of the total population is settled) are polluted by raw wastewater discharges. Currently, the average coverage of wastewater treatment in the country is around 12%. There is some research work showing that anaerobic systems followed by natural systems are a good technological combination for small municipalities and rural areas. A performance evaluation of the system septic tank (ST) + Anaerobic filter (AF) + Sub-surface Constructed Wetland (SSW) was carried out in the towns of Ginebra and La Voragine, Valle del Cauca region, Colombia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The compostation made from organic remains produced by municipals, can be a liability and cause damage when used as soil conditioners, because of the excess of inert materials, stinking emissions, high salinity levels, toxicity due to organic contaminants or heavy metals, immaturity of the process and the presence of pathogenic organisms. Given all this factors, it is necessary to evaluate all of the physical, chemical and microbiological parameters of the process, keeping in mind the corresponding Colombian laws on the subject, which regulates the organic materials used as fertilizers and soil conditioners in Colombia: Colombian Technical norm 5167 and the resolution 00150 of January 21st of 2003, made by the Colombian Agro-Cultural Institute, ICA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Mill scale can be used as pigment in fired bricks. • The addition of mill scale to clay bricks is a way to reuse an industrial by-product. • The bricks with added mill scale comply water absorption and porosity. • Flexural resistance for bricks with added mill scale comply with minimum standards. The addition of mill scale, an important steel making byproduct, as pigment to fired clay bricks was investigated, as well as its effects on the physical, mechanical and microstructural properties. For this purpose, bricks were manufactured using clay from the Cundiboyacense highlands -a geographic region of Colombia- with the addition of mill scale at 0, 5, 10 and 15%. Once the bricks had been sintered, their density, porosity, water absorption, compressive and flexural resistance were measured. In addition, microstructural analysis using X-ray diffraction, as well as thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry analyses, were carried out on the four types of bricks, to facilitate comparison between them. Variations in hue between the four types of bricks, from dull orange to grayish red, an average decrease in flexural strength of 33% and an increase in average porosity of 4% compared to traditional bricks were observed. Furthermore, it was found that the added mill scale does not react chemically with the clay, being a stable addition. Additionally, mill scale oxidizes to hematite during the firing of the bricks, ultimately becoming a good pigment that changes its hue depending on the added quantity. Therefore, it was concluded that the addition of mill scale to bricks enables the reuse of this industrial by-product and reduces the consumption of clay (which is a non-renewable resource), while complying with minimum standards of compressive strength, flexural strength and porosity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work reports the level and ecotoxicity impact of metals in the sediments of the Mallorquín swamp, a protected coastal lagoon in the Caribbean coast of Colombia. The distribution of metals was in the following decreasing order: Zn > Cu > Pb > Cd > Hg, showing statistically significant differences among sites. The average Pb and Cd concentrations in sediments were about 17 and 5 times higher, respectively, compared to those in background values. Several contamination indices suggested moderate contamination of Hg, Cu, and Zn, and strong pollution due to Cd and Pb. Multivariate analysis revealed spatial variations for metals and its anthropogenic origin, such as municipal and industrial wastewater discharges (Pb, Zn, and Hg) and agricultural activities (Cd and Cu). These findings showed the negative impact of human activities and the need to apply protective management strategies. [Display omitted] • Sources and levels of metals in a protected coastal lagoon were studied in Colombia. • Several contamination indexes shown a strong pollution by Cd and Pb in sediments. • Cu & Hg exceeded the TEL and ERL values, indicating an ecotoxicological risk. • Pollution mainly originates from anthropogenic industrial & agricultural activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intestinal pathogenic microorganisms are introduced into the water by means of faecal contamination, thus creating a threat to public health and to the environment. Detecting these contaminants has been difficult due to such an analysis being costly and time-intensive; as an alternative, microbiological indicators have been used for this purpose, although they cannot differentiate between human or animal sources of contamination because these indicators are part of the digestive tracts of both. To identify the sources of faecal pollution, the use of chemical, microbiological and molecular markers has been proposed. Currently available markers present some geographical specificity. The aim of this study was to select microbial and molecular markers that could be used to differentiate the sources of faecal pollution in the Bogotá River and to use them as tools for the evaluation and identification of the origin of discharges and for quality control of the water. In addition to existing microbial source markers, a phage host strain (PZ8) that differentiates porcine contamination was isolated from porcine intestinal content. The strain was identified biochemically and genotypically as Bacteroides. The use of this strain as a microbial source tracking indicator was evaluated in bovine and porcine slaughterhouse wastewaters, raw municipal wastewaters and the Bogotá River. The results obtained indicate that the selected microbial and molecular markers enable the determination of the source of faecal contamination in the Bogotá River by using different algorithms to develop prediction models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developments in the field of materials science are contributing to providing solutions for the recycling of industrial residues to develop new materials. Such approaches generate new products and provide optimal alternatives to the final disposal of different types of industrial wastes. This research focused on identifying and characterizing slag, fly ash, and glass cullet from the Boyacá region in Colombia as raw materials for producing glass-ceramics, with the innovative aspect of the use of these three residues without the addition of nucleating agents to produce the glass-ceramics. To characterize the starting materials, X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) techniques were used. The results were used to evaluate the best conditions to produce mixtures of the three waste components and to determine the specific compositions of glass-ceramics to achieve products with attractive technical properties for potential industrial applications. The proposed mixtures were based on three compositions: Mixture 1, 2, and 3. The materials were obtained through thermal treatment at 1200 °C in a tubular furnace in accordance with the results of a comprehensive characterization using thermal analysis. The microstructure, thermal stability, and structural characteristics of the samples were examined through SEM, differential thermal analysis (DTA), and XRD analyses, which showed that the main crystalline phases were diopside and anorthite, with a small amount of enstatite and gehlenite. The obtained glass-ceramics showed properties of technical significance for structural applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fique fibers, native to Colombia, are traditionally used for ropes and bags. In the extraction of long fibers for these purposes, the same amount of short fibers is generated; the short fibers are then discarded in the soil or in landfills. This agro-industrial waste is cellulose-rich and can be potentially developed into new biobased products. As an alternative use for these fibers, viscose regenerated fibers with potential applications in the textile industry were developed. Fique waste fibers were pulped (to produce fique cellulose pulp, FCP) using a 3³ design of experiment (DOE) to adjust the variables of the whitening treatment, and DOE analysis showed that time and hydrogen peroxide concentration do not have a significant effect on non-cellulosic remotion, unlike temperature. The behavior of this pulp in the production of viscose was compared against that of commercially available wood cellulose pulp (WCP). FCP showed a suitable cellulose content with a high degree of polymerization, which makes it a viable pulp for producing discontinuous viscose rayon filaments. Both pulps showed the same performance in the production of the viscose dope and the same chemical, thermal, and mechanical behavior after being regenerated.

The food industry produce a great amount of organic residues, in most cases this residues increase of environmental pollution in the regions. Shells, seeds, pulp and vegetables that do not meet quality standards contribute significantly to this waste. However, the organic residues have received considerable attention because still contain nutrients and properties that can contribute to development and innovation of products both food and non-food in Colombia [1]. Many of these wastes are high in vitamins, minerals and fiber, food components that today are valued for their contribution to the functionality of them also have been rescued shells with large-fiber for the manufacture of components craft, seeds for extraction of essential oils, pectins, among others. In this line, the collection of dietary fibers from waste citrus processing and marketing of bananas, which when incorporated in foods traditionally used for subsistence, such as bakery products or corn, can reach more people with all the benefits associated with the consumption of dietary fiber, and be incorporated as components in fortifying the normal diet [5]. This proposed work focuses on addressing the potential of other plant material, until now considered waste from the country as an alternative source of low cost fiber, and the influence they have on all the steps related to preparation, production and consumption of bread and corn products which are included. Partial results of the investigation have revealed that products such as biscuits and corn cake, produced up to a 30% substitution of wheat flour and corn meal with wheth orange bagaza (HAN) and green banana peel with rejection (HBVCC ), respectively, provide masses manageable end products but not accepted by consumers reached through hedonic test, to establish acceptability of the products with a meal replacement of conventional flour with green banana peel up to 15 % and for the replacement meal albedo acceptability was achieved by 10% substitution for corn cake and 5% for the biscuits. The products are widely accepted measurement of dietary fiber and bromatological analysis simple, these resulted in the level of dietary fiber is higher in products with both meal replacement (HBVCC and HAN) analyzed for patterns that also a lower moisture content that would enhance the shelf life of foods developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]