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Water quality is paramount for human and all living organism’s development. The chemical industry, accelerated industrialization and economic development have led to higher consumption of natural resources and environmental pollution. Detergents are a highly produced pollutant with environmental problems like foam generation and toxic effects in biota. Nonylphenol ethoxylate (NPE) is an efficient, economic, and versatile surfactant, used in detergents due to its detergency capacity. However, in environmental conditions, NPE biodegrades transforming into the metabolite nonylphenol (NP) classified as an endocrine disruptor. Regulations in developed countries, like United States and the European Union, have prohibited or limited NPE use due to the related adverse effects. However, in developing countries there are no regulations in this regard; therefore, the substitution of NPE as a surfactant in detergents is recommended. Alkyl polyglucoside (APG) are sugar-based surfactants that were assessed as a substitute. The feasibility of this substitution was demonstrated according to physical and chemical properties, cleaning performance, and antimicrobial properties. NPE substitution in detergents is proposed as a strategy to minimize exposure risks in humans and the environment.

The concept of sustainability is usually broad; it refers to the ability of the system to meet the current demand for livestock products without compromising the use of resources by future generations. Therefore, this study has been conducted to provide an overview of rotational, intensive, and regenerative livestock models to evaluate and measure their level of sustainability in the environmental, social, and economic dimensions to guide livestock guilds, professionals and stakeholders to transform their agricultural systems by adopting the concept of sustainability. The results show that the regenerative livestock system has a high association with the economic dimension in the Almost Good category, in the environmental dimension in the Moderate category, and in the social dimension in the Almost Good and Very Good categories. On the other hand, the rotational livestock system and the intensive livestock system have an association with the environmental dimension categorized as good; however, the association of the intensive livestock system is not as strong as that of the rotational livestock system.

Greenhouse gases emissions resulting from the combustion of fossil fuels are worsening air quality and affecting the climate system. While climate change impacts on meteorological variables affects air quality by altering the concentration and distribution of pollutants, air pollution significantly influences the climate, leading to negative impacts on human health. Due to the combination of high temperatures, air pollution, and high population density, cities are particularly vulnerable to climate change impacts. The planning and design of public spaces aimed at climate change mitigation and adaptation can result in multiple co-benefits for human health, while reducing social inequalities. To address the major research gaps in the communication between health and planning experts, and the lack of capacity among public sectors and policy makers, it is necessary to promote capacity building and knowledge sharing between the planning and health sectors. The purpose of this article is to develop preliminary recommendations for a process that allows a comprehensive assessment of the interlinkages between climate and health, social, environmental, and economic vulnerabilities, and the quality of the urban spaces, to support local governments, policymakers, and education institutions in making informed decisions for public spaces. The methods applied were a literature review and interviews with experts.

Fil: Aguilar, Lorena. Universitat Politécnica de Catalunya; España Fil: Aguilar, Lorena. UNESCO Chair on Sustainability; Francia Fil: Pérez, Leonardo Martín. Pontificia Universidad Católica Argentina. Facultad de Química e Ingeniería; Argentina Fil: Pérez, Leonardo Martín. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina Fil: Pérez, Leonardo Martín. Universitat Politécnica de Catalunya; España Fil: Gallegos, Ángel. Universitat Politécnica de Catalunya; España Fil: Gallegos, Ángel. UNESCO Chair on Sustainability; Francia Fil: Forés, Eva. Universitat Politécnica de Catalunya; España Fil: Forés, Eva. UNESCO Chair on Sustainability; Francia Fil: Arias, Carlos A. University of Aarhus. Department of Biological Sciences; Dinamarca Fil: Arias, Carlos A. Aarhus University. Centre for Water Technology; Dinamarca Fil: Bosch, Carme. Fundació CTM Centre Tecnològic; España Fil: Verdum, Maria. University of Aarhus. Department of Biological Sciences; Dinamarca Fil: Jove, Patricia. Catalan Cork Institute; España Fil: de Pablo, Joan. Universitat Politécnica de Catalunya. Resource Recovery and Environmental Management; España Fil: Morató, Jordi. Universitat Politécnica de Catalunya; España Fil: Morató, Jordi. UNESCO Chair on Sustainability; Francia Abstract: The wine industry produces large quantities of wastewater that often contains high levels of organic matter and nutrients, like nitrogen and phosphorous. In particular, nitrogen pollution can be harmful, even at low levels, since infants are vulnerable to nitrates in drinking water, and excess nitrogen can harm the health of soils and waterways. Herein, an innovative compact, modular, and mobile treatment wetland (TW) using cork by product as the only granular media was used to treat the final effluents from the Codorniu winery (Sant Sadurní d'Anoia, Spain). The TW was operated during two 5-month periods with or without intermittent induced aeration (40 min cycles, 90 L/min air flow rate). Nitrate (N-NO3) and total nitrogen (TN) removal were higher (52.8% and 46.8%, respectively, p < 0.05) during TW operation under aerated-condition. Additionally, qPCR analysis of 16S rRNA, nirS and nosZ genes revealed that intermittent induced aeration facilitates N-NO3 reduction by the stimulation of denitrifying bacteria in the TW biofilm (11.4% increase in nirS copies number/g cork sample, p < 0.05) as well as increasing the number of heterotrophic bacteria adhered to cork (25.5% increase in 16S rRNA copies number/g cork sample, p < 0.05). Moreover, SEM images demonstrated the suitability of cork as a resistant filter media for TW after long-term system operation (1.5 years). In conclusion, our results suggest that aeration improved nitrogen compounds removal compared to the non-aerated period, without affecting phosphorous elimination. Additionally, residual cork is presented here in a circular bioeconomy view, as a suitable filling media to treat winery wastewater that can provide additional carbon source to increase C/N rate stimulating denitrification, as well as a reliable organic substrate for biomass growth.

Special Issue Water and Human Settlements of the Future.-- 16 pages, 4 figures, 4 tables, supplementary materials https://www.mdpi.com/article/ 10.3390/w13192731/s1, Cork matrices biofunctionalized with Moringa oleifera seed extracts (MoSe) have potential for use as a biofilter with antibacterial properties to reduce waterborne pathogens. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of cork biofunctionalized with active antimicrobial compounds of MoSe (f-cork) on the inhibition of Escherichia coli (InhEc). The LacZ gene from a strain of E. coli was used as the target sequence using viability quantification Polymerase Chain Reaction (qPCR) and differentiation of viable and dead bacteria through selective cell viability PMA staining. To perform this, a 27−4 fractional factorial design and a biofiltration system were used to evaluate the effect of the active protein in MoSe immobilized in granulated cork on InhEc. We found that the potential for antimicrobial activity increased with f-cork for an effective maximal bacterial reduction (99.99%; p < 0.05). The effect of f-cork functionalized with MoSe on E. coli viability was of 0.024% and 0.005% for the cells exposed to PMA, respectively, being the relevant conditions in treatment 2: (0 L/min) without aeration, (5%) MoSe and (5 mm) cork particle. In conclusion, the f-cork functionalized with MoSe presented biosorbent and antibacterial properties that effectively reduced the E. coli growth, This research was funded by Mexico-CONACYT, grant number 3006060 and grant by the UNESCO Chair on Sustainability of the Polytechnic University of Catalonia (Spain), With the institutional support of the ‘Severo OchoaCentre of Excellence’ accreditation (CEX2019-000928-S).

This study investigated the spatial distribution of clogging matter in a full-scale horizontal subsurface flow treatment wetland (HSSF TW) based on an electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) method, comparing the performance of two different electrode configurations (i.e., Schlumberger and Wenner arrays). The results indicated that during the draining phase, the substrate apparent resistivities of the full-scale HSSF TWs were negatively correlated with the clogging matter fraction (v/v), and a functional relationship between the two parameters was established using a first-order k-C* model. The detected clogging matter fraction (v/v) based on the Schlumberger array showed higher accuracy (linear slope = 0.900, R-squared = 0.902) than the Wenner array (linear slope = 0.685, R-squared = 0.685). Most of the severe substrate clogging in the full-scale HSSF TW occurred within a 10-m flow distance, and the distribution of the clogging matter showed different characteristics at different substrate depths. From a cross section positioned 1 m from the inlet, the average clogging matter fraction (v/v) at a 0–0.30 m depth (23.1 ± 14.9%) was significantly higher than that at a 0.30–0.80 m depth (5.0 ± 2.1%). The clogging matter at a 5-m flow distance was evenly distributed at different substrate depths. Only a few localized clogging zones were observed in the cross section at a 10-m flow distance. This study provided an accurate and feasible method for investigating the volume fraction of clogging matters containing different organic contents and demonstrates the spatial heterogeneity of clogging matter in HSSF TWs. This research was funded by the Shandong Province Key Research and Development Program , China (Major Scientific and Technologica lInnovation Project) (No. 2020CXGC011406 & No . 2019JZZY010411), National Science Foundation of China (Nos . 51878388 , 52170043 & 42107230), Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province (No. ZR2020YQ42), and Future Plan for Young Scholar of Shandong University .

Providing clean drinking water is a great challenge worldwide, especially for low-income countries where the access to safe water is limited. During the last decade, new biotechnological approaches have been explored to improve water management. Among them, the use of antimicrobial nanoparticles for designing innovative centralized and decentralized (point-of-use) water treatment systems for microbial decontamination has received considerable attention. Herein, antimicrobial lignin capped silver nanoparticles (AgLNP) were embedded on residual cork pieces using highintensity ultrasound coupled with laccase-mediated grafting to obtain biofunctionalized nanomaterial. The developed AgLNP-coated cork proved to be highly efficient to drastically reduce the number of viable Gram-negative Escherichia coli and Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus in liquid medium. Additionally, the coated-cork was characterized using FTIR-ATR spectroscopy and SEM imaging, and further used as a filter bed in a point-of-use device for water disinfection. The constructed water filtering system significantly reduced the amount of viable E. coli and resistant Bacillus cereus spores from filtered water operating at increasing residence times of 1, 4, 6, 16, 24, and 48 h. Therefore, the presented results prove that the obtained cork-based antimicrobial nanocomposite material could be used as a filtering medium for the development of water filtration system to control pathogen dissemination. Fil: Bermeo, Lizeth. Unesco Chair on Sustainability. Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya. Escola Superior d'Enginyeries Industrial, Aeroespacial i Audiovisual de Terrassa (ESEIAAT); Spain. Fil: Pérez, Leonardo Martín. Unesco Chair on Sustainability. Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya. Escola Superior d'Enginyeries Industrial, Aeroespacial i Audiovisual de Terrassa (ESEIAAT); Spain. Fil: Forés, Eva. Unesco Chair on Sustainability. Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya. Escola Superior d'Enginyeries Industrial, Aeroespacial i Audiovisual de Terrassa (ESEIAAT); Spain. Fil: Morató, Jordi. Unesco Chair on Sustainability. Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya. Escola Superior d'Enginyeries Industrial, Aeroespacial i Audiovisual de Terrassa (ESEIAAT); Spain. Fil: Bermeo, Lizeth. Universidad Del Cauca. Facultad de Ingeniería Civil. Departamento de Ingeniería Ambiental. Grupo de Investigación Ciencia e Ingeniería en Sistemas Ambientales (GCISA); Colombia. Fil: Casas Zapata, Juan C. Universidad Del Cauca. Facultad de Ingeniería Civil. Departamento de Ingeniería Ambiental. Grupo de Investigación Ciencia e Ingeniería en Sistemas Ambientales (GCISA); Colombia. Fil: Ivanova, Kristina. Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya. Departament d’Enginyeria Química. Grup de Biotecnologia Molecular i Industrial; Spain. Fil: Pérez Rafael, Silvia. Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya. Departament d’Enginyeria Química. Grup de Biotecnologia Molecular i Industrial; Spain. Fil: Tzanov, Tzanko. Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya. Departament d’Enginyeria Química. Grup de Biotecnologia Molecular i Industrial; Spain. Fil: Pérez, Leonardo Martín. Pontificia Universidad Católica Argentina. Facultad de Química e Ingeniería del Rosario. Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Ambiental, Química y Biotecnología Aplicada (INGEBIO); Argentina. Fil: Pérez, Leonardo Martín. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET); Argentina.

In this study, the removal of cadmium (Cd) by free-living Oscillatoria sp. was studied. Our results showed that maximal Cd removal efficiency (~60%) by the cyanobacterial culture was achieved within 12-24 h in the presence of 5.0 or 25.0 mg/L of Cd. The mechanisms underlying this phenomenon were explored by elemental analysis and FTIR-ATR spectroscopy. It was found that metal adsorption by negatively charged functional groups in the cyanobacterial biomass was the main mechanism used by Oscillatoria sp. to remove metal from the aqueous medium, followed by Cd bioaccumulation into living cells. Additionally, Cd-exposed microalgae showed increased oxidative stress (MDA formation), a decreased dehydrogenase activity, a higher amount of soluble carbohydrates and a decreased total carotenoid concentration, as compared to the control cells. These results suggest that Oscillatoria sp. improved its antioxidative defense system under stressful conditions, through carotenoid-mediated ROS quenching and induction of carbohydrate catabolism, in order to counteract the oxidative damage and preserve the photosynthetic machinery and cellular energetics. In fact, no significant reduction in Oscillatoria sp. cell density, total protein amount, and chlorophyll a content was observed after 24-h Cd exposure, even at the highest metal concentration tested (i.e., 25.0 mg/L). Hence, the presented results are the first to describe some new insights about the metabolic and physiological behavior of living Oscillatoria sp. during Cd remediation, and open up the possibility of finding an equilibrium that maximizes metal removal performance with an active cyanobacterial metabolism, to achieve a rewarding and sustainable management of industrial metal-polluted wastewater. Fil: Carralero Bon, Iván. Pontificia Universidad Católica Argentina "Santa María de los Buenos Aires". Facultad de Química e Ingeniería del Rosario. Departamento de Investigación Institucional; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario; Argentina Fil: Salvatierra, Lucas Matías. Pontificia Universidad Católica Argentina "Santa María de los Buenos Aires". Facultad de Química e Ingeniería del Rosario. Departamento de Investigación Institucional; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario; Argentina Fil: Lario, Luciana Daniela. Pontificia Universidad Católica Argentina "Santa María de los Buenos Aires". Facultad de Química e Ingeniería del Rosario. Departamento de Investigación Institucional; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario; Argentina Fil: Morató Farreras, Jordi. Universidad Politecnica de Catalunya. Escuela Superior de Ingenierías Industrial, Aeroespacial y Audiovisual de Terrassa. Cátedra Unesco de Sostenibilidad.; España Fil: Perez, Leonardo Martin. Pontificia Universidad Católica Argentina "Santa María de los Buenos Aires". Facultad de Química e Ingeniería del Rosario. Departamento de Investigación Institucional; Argentina. Universidad Politecnica de Catalunya. Escuela Superior de Ingenierías Industrial, Aeroespacial y Audiovisual de Terrassa. Cátedra Unesco de Sostenibilidad.; España. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario; Argentina

Fil: Aguilara, Lorena. Universitat Politécnica de Catalunya; España Fil: Aguilara, Lorena. UNESCO Chair on Sustainability; Francia Fil: Gallegos, Ángel. UNESCO Chair on Sustainability; Francia Fil: Gallegos, Ángel. Universitat Politécnica de Catalunya; España Fil: Pérez, Leonardo Martín. Pontificia Universidad Católica Argentina. Facultad de Química e Ingeniería del Rosario. Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Ambiental, Química y Biotecnología Aplicada; Argentina Fil: Pérez, Leonardo Martín. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentinas Fil: Pérez, Leonardo Martín. Politécnica ecnica de Catalunya; España Fil: Pérez, Leonardo Martín. NESCO Chair on Sustainability; Francia Fil: Arias, Carlos A. University of Aarhus. Department of Biological Sciences; Dinamarca Fil: Arias, Carlos A. Aarhus University. Centre for Water Technology; Dinamarca Fil: Rubio, Raquel. Universitat Politécnica de Catalunya; España Fil: Rubio, Raquel. UNESCO Chair on Sustainability; Francia Fil: Haulani, Leila. Universitat Politécnica de Catalunya; España Fil: Haulani, Leila. UNESCO Chair on Sustainability; Francia Fil: Garciá Raurich, Josep. Universitat Politécnica de Catalunya. Centro de Investigación en Seguridad y Control Alimentario; España Fil: Pallarés, Marc. Grupo de Desarrollo Empresarial; España Fil: de Pablo, Joan. Universitat Politécnica de Catalunya. Resource Recovery and Environmental Management; España Fil: Morató, Jordi. Universitat Politécnica de Catalunya; España Fil: Morató, Jordi. UNESCO Chair on Sustainability; Francia Abstract: In this work, we have evaluated the impact of intermittent induced aeration in total nitrogen (TN), ammonia (NH4-N) and nitrate-nitrogen (NO3-N) removal in four pilot-scale vertical flow constructed wetlands (VFCW) (two aerated two non-aerated) using cork by-product or gravel as the filter material and planted with Phragmites australis. Both aerated and non-aerated systems achieved high COD and BOD5 elimination rates ( 90%) at the end of the 5-month test period. However, the aerated systems presented maximal COD and BOD5 removal from the third month of operation onwards since air supply favored the oxidative bioprocesses occurring within the wetlands. Cork and gravel aerated VFCW also proved to be more efficient (p

Environmental flow determination is important for the management of rivers and reservoirs. This parameter allows us to calculate the water supply of basins and minimize environmental impacts associated with water harvesting. In the past, research has been performed to determine environmental flows in rivers of Antioquia. However, the results did not include annual weather variation. Mean environmental flows, evapotranspiration and infiltration in the area have been calculated with the rainfall data registered in the Olaya station during 20 years and the basin morphometric parameters. The collected data were used to build a mathematical model in MATLAB and determine the environmental flows with the Range of Variability Approach (RVA) method for each month of the year and ENSO periods. The model can be used to determine environmental flows in similar basins using new rainfall data and morphometric parameters. RESUMEN La determinación de los caudales ecológicos en fuentes es de gran importancia para el manejo de ríos y embalses, pues se puede determinar la oferta hídrica de las fuentes y ver si son aptas para los diferentes aprovechamientos antrópicos que se quieran realizar. Aunque se han adelantado algunos estudios para determinar los caudales ecológicos en cuencas de la región, los resultados obtenidos no tienen en cuenta la variabilidad hidrológica que se presenta durante el año. A partir de series de lluvia medidas por la estación Olaya durante un periodo de 20 años y parámetros geomorfológicos de la cuenca, se estimó la evapotranspiración, infiltración y escorrentías. Luego se realizó un balance hidrológico para establecer series de caudales medios. Con las series estimadas se construyó un modelo, con el fin de determinar los caudales ecológicos, mediante el método de Rango de Variabilidad Aproximado (RVA), para años de regímenes climáticos normales y con fenómenos del Niño y La Niña. El modelo puede ser replicado para otras cuencas que presenten condiciones similares, al introducir nuevos datos de precipitación y caudal.

It is known that grey water reused for non-potable purposes, provides a sustainable solution of water management by reduction of fresh water extraction and can contribute to water status improvement. Although reused grey water is not intended for potable use, the potential for certain contamination and pollution rate still exist and the treatment efficiency represents a key concern for grey water system utilization. Therefore, this paper explores and focuses on treatment efficiency of treatment technology specifically on submerged membrane bioreactor, what is considered as a successfully used technique of grey water treatment. The main aim was to evaluate the pollution removal in variously polluted grey water and consider a treatability of purposed technology, while changing the grey water retention time in bioreactor.

A series of ionic complexes with a comb-like architecture and a nearly stoichiometric composition were prepared from bacterial poly(gamma,dl-glutamic acid) (PGGA) and alkyltrimethyl phosphonium bromides (nATMP·Br) bearing long linear alkyl chains with even numbers of carbon atoms (n) ranging from 12 to 22. The nATMP·PGGA complexes were non-water soluble but readily soluble in organic solvents, and they displayed a high thermal stability. Combined DSC and XRD studies revealed that these complexes adopted an amphiphilic layered structure with the polypeptide chain and the alkyl chain separated in two differentiated phases with a nanoperiodicity that increased steadily with the length of the alkyl chain. The paraffinic phase was found to be partially crystallized in an extent that decreased with n, so that complexes with n = 12 and 14 did not show any sign of crystallinity whereas those with n from 16 to 22 showed crystalline melting in the ~30–70 °C range. The structural transitions taking place by temperature effects were characterized by simultaneous SAXS/WAXS using synchrotron radiation at real time. In all cases, a shortening of the layer periodicity occurred upon heating with recovering of the initial structure after cooling. nATMP·PGGA with n = 16 showed strong antimicrobial activity against both E. coli and S. aureus, a property that could be related to the weak dissociation of the complexes happening upon incubation in water. The structure and properties of these complexes where comparatively discussed taking as reference their analog complexes made from PGGA and alkyltrimethylammonium bromides already studied by us.

The scientific community strongly recommends the adoption of indicators for the evaluation and monitoring of progress towards sustainable development. Furthermore, international organizations consider that indicators are powerful decision-making tools. Nevertheless, the quality and reliability of the indicators depends on the application of adequate and appropriate criteria to assess them. The general objective of this study was to evaluate how indicators related to water use and management perform against a set of sustainability criteria. Our research identified 170 indicators related to water use and management. These indicators were assessed by an international panel of experts that evaluated whether they fulfil the four sustainability criteria: social, economic, environmental, and institutional. We employed an evaluation matrix that classified all indicators according to the DPSIR (Driving Forces, Pressures, States, Impacts and Responses) framework. A pilot study served to test and approve the research methodology before carrying out the full implementation. The findings of the study show that 24 indicators comply with the majority of the sustainability criteria; 59 indicators are bi-dimensional (meaning that they comply with two sustainability criteria); 86 are one-dimensional indicators (fulfilling just one of the four sustainability criteria) and one indicator do not fulfil any of the sustainability criteria.

Phosphorus (P) is a limited resource and can promote eutrophication of water streams and acidification of oceans when discharged. Crushed autoclaved aerated concrete (CAAC), a by-product from demolition, has shown great potential for recovering P. The potential of CAAC to be used in nature-based solutions as a P-reactive filter medium was evaluated by performing preliminary batch essays. Here, we evaluated the interactions and main effects of the initial concentration of P (Pi, 5, 10 or 20 mg L&minus, 1), particle size (PS, 4 or 5 mm) and contact time (CT, 60, 180, 360, 720 and 1440 min) upon the removal. We performed physical and chemical characterization to understand the removal processes. Data collected were fitted in adsorption kinetic models. The statistical analysis showed a significant interaction between CT and Pi, with the combination of its main effects stronger on P removal than each one separately. Intriguingly, we noticed that the higher the concentration of Pi, the faster and higher the removal of P. Contrary to expectations, PS 5 mm showed higher removal rates than PS 4 mm, indicating that besides adsorption, other unidentified chemical processes are in place. Further studies using columns/pilots with real wastewater are recommended for a future follow-up.

A promising approach for addressing sustainabilityproblems is to recognize the unique conditions of aparticular place, such as problem features and solutioncapabilities, and adopt and adapt solutions developed atother places around the world. Therefore, research andteaching in international networks becomes critical, as itallows for accelerating learning by sharing problemunderstandings, successful solutions, and important contextualconsiderations. This article identifies eight distincttypes of research and teaching collaborations in internationalnetworks that can support such accelerated learning.The four research types are, with increasing intensity ofcollaboration: (1) solution adoption; (2) solution consultation;(3) joint research on different problems; and (4) jointresearch on similar problems. The four teaching types are,with increasing intensity of collaboration: (1) adoptedcourse; (2) course with visiting faculty; (3) joint coursewith traveling faculty; and (4) joint course with travelingstudents. The typology is illustrated by extending existingresearch and teaching projects on urban sustainability inthe International Network of Programs in Sustainability,with partner universities from Europe, North America,Asia, and Africa. The article concludes with challenges andstrategies for extending individual projects into collaborationsin international networks.

Land-cover degradation affects the ability of forests to provide water ecosystem services (ESw). This study explores the forest-water nexus and provides an overview of the water management related to potential hydrological impacts of land-use and land-cover change in the Rio Grande de Comitan-Lagos de Montebello watershed in southeastern Mexico. A combination of methods recommended by the Toolkit for Ecosystem Service Site-based Assessment (TESSA), as well as scenario modelling based on an ecological index of riparian quality, were used to assess how alternative reforestation or deforestation scenarios can affect water provision and water quality at different scales. The results indicate that water quality is positively related to forest cover. The effects of terrain and forest-cover conditions on fog inputs and actual evapotranspiration were relevant to increase the water yield under reforestation scenarios. However, strategies for improving the efficient consumption of both green and blue water resources must be considered at a local scale. Deteriorated ESw are also related to inadequate management of water resources in the study area, so water security for local populations requires land-use policies that should consider forest-based solutions, sustainable agricultural practices, and the development of efficient distribution networks for water.

9 pages, The main goal of the present study was to enhance the rhizobacterium potential in a horizontal subsurface flow constructed wetland system planted with Phragmites australis, through environmentally friendly biological approaches. The bioinoculation of antagonist bacteria has been used to promote higher rhizosphere competence and improve pathogenic bacteria removal from wastewater. The experiment was performed both with single and sequential bioinoculation. The results showed that strain PFH1 played an active role in pathogenic bacteria removal, remarkably improving inactivation kinetics of the pathogenic tested bacterium Salmonella typhi in the plant rhizosphere. The single bioinoculation of selected bacteria into the rhizosphere of P. australis improved the kinetics of S. typhi inactivation by approximately 1 U-Log10 (N/N0) (N is the number of viable cultured bacteria at time t, N0 is the number of viable and cultivable bacteria at time t0) compared to the control. By a series of multi-bioinoculations, the enhancement of pathogenic bacteria reduction compared to the inhibition rate in the pilot-scale control was of 2 U-Log10(N/N0). These findings suggested that this strain represents a promising candidate to enhance water purification in constructed wetlands

Ethyl alpha-N-lauroyl L-arginate hydrochloride (LAE) was coupled with hyaluronic acid (HyA) 2 to form ionic complexes with LAE to HyA ratios of 1:1 and 1:2. The complexes were extensively 3 characterized by FTIR and NMR spectroscopies and their thermal properties evaluated by 4 thermogravimetry and calorimetry. Thin films prepared from these complexes by casting 5 displayed a smectic-like structure based on an ordered arrangement of LAE and HyA layers 6 with a nanometric periodicity of 3.8-3.9 nm. Films immersed in water at pH 7.4 and 5.5 7 dissociated to deliver free LAE to the environment and reaching the equilibrium in few hours. 8 The biocide activity of these films against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria was 9 preliminary assessed by the liquid medium method, and shown to be notable in both cases. The 10 antibacterial property of the complexes was found to increase with the content of LAE and to be 11 particularly efficient against Gram-negative S. enterica bacteria.

In recent years, constructed wetlands have been widely used for the purification of wastewater, representing an alternative method that offers multiple advantages when compared to other treatment systems. The present study assessed the efficiency of six horizontal subsurface flow constructed wetlands (HSSFCW) at pilot scale for the removal of organic matter (COD), nutrients (N-NO3-, P-PO43-) and lead (Pb2+). The study also looked at the operating time on hydraulic conductivity (Ks) to treat leachate from the “El Ojito” Sanitary Landfill in the municipality of Popayán, Cauca. Three wetlands were planted with Heliconia psittacorum (HSSFCW-H. p), and three with Cyperus haspan (HSSFCW-C. h). The support medium used was gravel. They were operated at a flow of 0.012m3/day, and a hydraulic retention time of 4 days. The units received effluent from the oxidation pond. The results showed mean removals of COD (51.67 and 64.00%), N-NO3- (45.33 and 48.17%), P-PO43- (53.67 and 62.67%) and Pb+2 (5.74 and 14.75%) for HSSFCW-H. p and HSSFCW-C. h respectively. Hydraulic conductivity values were between 700 and 1000m/day. The wetland system proved to be efficient for the secondary treatment of leachate from mature landfills, obtaining removal efficiencies significantly higher in HSSFCW-C. h. Los humedales construidos en los últimos años han sido ampliamente usados en la depuración de una gran variedad de aguas residuales, por ser una alternativa que ofrece múltiples ventajas, en comparación con otros sistemas de tratamiento. Este estudio evaluó la eficiencia de seis sistemas de humedales, construidos de flujo subsuperficial horizontal (HCFSSH), a escala piloto, para la remoción de materia orgánica (DQO), nutrientes (N-NO3-, P-PO43-) y plomo (Pb+2), además de la incidencia del tiempo de operación sobre la conductividad hidráulica (Ks) para tratar lixiviados del Relleno Sanitario “El Ojito”, del municipio de Popayán, Cauca. Tres humedales fueron plantados con Heliconia psittacorum (HCFSSH-H. p) y tres con Cyperus haspan (HCFSSH-C. h); el medio de soporte utilizado fue grava, operados con un caudal de 0.012m3/día y un tiempo de retención hidráulico de 4 días; las unidades recibieron efluente de una laguna de oxidación. Los resultados mostraron remociones medias de: DQO (51,67 y 64,00%), N-NO3- (45,33 y 48,17%), P-PO43- (53,67 y 62,67%) y Pb+2 (5,74 y 14,75%) para los HCFSSH-H. p y HCFSSH-C. h, respectivamente y valores de conductividad hidráulica, entre 700 y 1000m/día. El sistema de humedales mostró ser eficiente para el tratamiento secundario de lixiviado de rellenos sanitarios maduros, obteniendo eficiencias de remoción, significativamente mayores, en los HCFSSH-C. h. Incluye referencias bibliográficas

This paper presents two approaches to interpreting urban system dynamics: (i) the complex systems approach and (ii) the resilient city’s approach. It begins with the consideration of cities as a complex and dynamic social system - far from equilibrium and open to their environment - that is composed of elements and actors, that is, endogenous resources, both natural as artificial - elaborated by human societies - that put in value the territorial resources. These are related and are part of other territorial systems of higher order (municipal, state, regional), which, in turn, are within a national system connected to the global scale.

Reusing by-products is an important strategy to ensure the preservation of natural capital and climate change mitigation. This study aimed at evaluating the potential of cork granulates, a by-product of winery industry, as an organic carbon (OC) source for the treatment of hydroponic wastewaters. First, chemical characterization was performed and discussed. Secondly, batch studies were performed using synthetic hydroponic wastewater to understand the role of particle size (PS), pH and contact time (CT) on the release of OC. The suberin is the major compound, representing >50%. It was noticed that a variance on the content of suberin across species, within the same species and depending on the extraction part (belly, cork and back) could be expected. >60% of the sample is composed by carbon while

12 pages, 14 figures, 3 tables, supplementary data https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.10.426, Agricultural practices have raised the level of nutrients reaching aquifers. In Europe, nitrate pollution is considered as one of the main threats for the quality of groundwater in agricultural areas. Treatment wetlands (TWs), also known as Constructed Wetlands, are used for groundwater treatment in areas with an important concentration of nitrogen compounds; total nitrogen removal depends on the type and operation scheme. Cork by-product from the industry has shown clear adsorbent properties to remove organic pollutants. The work is focused on the characterization of microbial communities involved in the nitrate‑nitrogen removal process in groundwater polluted from agricultural activities. The experimental design allowed the comparison of nitrate removal efficiency depending on the filter media material, cork by-product or gravel, used in two hybrid TWs (a vertical flow cell followed by a horizontal subsurface flow cell), installed in areas close to two irrigated agricultural plots at the Lleida plain area (Spain). Both physicochemical and microbial results were consistent and confirm the nitrate removal efficiency using cork as a filter media. A significant (p = 0.0025) higher removal in Bellvís TW using cork compared with the Vilanova de la Barca gravel system was observed, achieving a removal rate from 80 to 99% compared to the 5–46%, respectively. Regarding the community composition of the two different TWs, microorganisms were mainly related to the phylum Proteobacteria, and included members found to be key players in the nitrogen cycle, such as ammonia and nitrite oxidizers, as well as denitrifiers. Also, the group Bacteroidetes turns to be another abundant phylum from our bacterial dataset, whose members are suggested to be strongly involved in denitrification processes. Some groups showed to prevail depending on the type of media (cork or gravel); Firmicutes and Delta and Epsilonproteobacteria had a significant higher abundance in the TW with cork, while Acidobacteria and Planctomyces were prevalent in gravel. Therefore, cork could be an alternative material used by treatment wetlands to minimize the impact in the environment caused by nitrogen pollution in groundwater bodies, To LIFE Programme, the EU's financial instrument supporting environmental, nature conservation and climate action projects throughout the EU, that supports REAGRITECH LIFE 11 ENV/ES/579

Amphiphilic ionic complexes of hyaluronic acid and alkyltrimethylphosphonium soaps with alkyl chains containing even numbers of carbons from 12 to 22 have been produced. The complexes have a nearly stoichiometric composition, are non-water soluble, and are stable to heat up to temperatures above 200 °C. These complexes are amphiphilic and able to adopt a biphasic structure with the paraffinic and polysaccharide phases ordered arranged with a periodicity ranging between 3 and 5 nm depending on n. The paraffinic phase in complexes with n ≥ 18 was crystallized and showed melting at temperatures between 58 and 70 °C depending on the n value. The complexes decomposed upon incubation in water under physiological conditions, and undergone extensive biodegradation by the action of hyaluronidases. Biocide assays carried out in both solid and liquid media demonstrated a high antimicrobial activity of the complexes against Gram-positive S. aureus but moderate against Gram-negative E. coli and C. albicans fungi.

During the post 1950 period, the farms yields increased dramatically. In order to sustain the increasing yields and productivity, farmers used large quantities of chemical fertilizers and pesticides (Novotny in Water Sci Technol 39, 1999).

Plant-based systems for the treatment of contaminated environments (phytoremediation) have been proved to be highly efficient in removing pollutants, especially heavy metals. However, in strictly aquatic and high-flow treatment systems, the use of free floating plants could be more adequate. For a treatment system based on phytoremediation strategies to be feasible and sustainable, it is essential that the plants used are not only efficient in pollutants removal, but also abundant in the region, easily accessible, and do not require special culture conditions. In this work, we evaluate the capacity of four different autochthonous macrophytes obtained from the Paraná river (Argentina) to adapt and reproduce without any additional nutrient supply or temperature special conditions (laboratory «indoor» environment). Only those specimens that doubled their biomass in a two-week period without any visual signs of deterioration (loss of turgor, chlorosis and/or necrosis of leaves) were considered for further analysis. From different pre-selected species, only Salvinia biloba Raddi showed a wide capacity to adapt and reproduce under these conditions. Moreover, the ability to remove lead (Pb2+) by S. bilobawas evaluated in water samples contaminated with three metal concentrations (4.8 ± 0.3, 9.1 ± 0.4 and 19.6 ± 0.5 mg/L) at different exposure times (0–24 h), showing a high efficiency in the pollutant elimination. A compartmentalization analysis indicates that surface adsorption was the predominant mechanism for Pb2+ removal at the first 24 h. Finally, the bioconcentration factor (BCF) was calculated at the end of the exposure time,reflecting both hyperaccumulation capacity and high metal tolerance by this plant. Our results suggest that incorporation of S. biloba in wastewater treatment systems could be a successful strategy to efficiently remove heavy metals by bioremediation processes. Fil: Zevallos, Wilfredo Tello. Pontificia Universidad Católica Argentina "Santa María de los Buenos Aires". Facultad de Química e Ingeniería-Rosario; Argentina Fil: Salvatierra, Lucas Matías. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Fisicoquímicas Teóricas y Aplicadas. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Instituto de Investigaciones Fisicoquímicas Teóricas y Aplicadas; Argentina. Pontificia Universidad Católica Argentina "Santa María de los Buenos Aires". Facultad de Química e Ingeniería-Rosario; Argentina Fil: Loureiro, Dana Belén. Pontificia Universidad Católica Argentina "Santa María de los Buenos Aires". Facultad de Química e Ingeniería-Rosario; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario. Instituto de Química Rosario. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas. Instituto de Química Rosario; Argentina Fil: Morató Farreras, Jordi. Universidad Politécnica de Catalunya; España Fil: Pérez, Leonardo Martín. Universidad Politécnica de Catalunya; España. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario. Instituto de Química Rosario. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas. Instituto de Química Rosario; Argentina. Pontificia Universidad Católica Argentina "Santa María de los Buenos Aires". Facultad de Química e Ingeniería-Rosario; Argentina

Rising temperatures, increasing food demand and scarcity of water and land resources highlight the importance of promoting the sustainable expansion of agriculture to our urban environment, while preserving water resources. Treating urban wastewaters, such as greywater and hydroponic wastewater, may represent a strategic point for the implementation of urban farming, ensuring food security, reducing pressures on water resources and promoting climate change mitigation. The WETWALL design concept proposes a unique ecotechnology for secondary wastewater treatment at an urban scale, which brings the novelty of a modular living wall hybrid flow. This concept is based on the integration of two established nature-based solutions/ecomimetic designs: constructed wetlands and a modular living walls. First presented is an overview about the state of the art in the scope of living walls treating wastewater, in order to identify the main design aspects related to the performance of such systems, which mainly concerns the removal of nitrates and phosphates. Second, the WETWALL design concept is presented. A scheme regarding the selection of the main components, such as plants and substrate, is proposed, and potential structure developments and operation strategies are discussed. In addition, considering the scope of integrating the circular economy with the design process, potential interactions between this technology and the urban environment are discussed. The main goal of this article is to substantiate the potential of the WETWALL design concept as an innovative wastewater treatment at an urban scale. Biggest thanks to the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development – Brazil (CNPQ), for their financial support (doctoral fellowship). The authors also would like to thank the UNESCO Chair on Sustainability of the Polytechnic University of Catalonia (Spain), the Aarhus University (Denmark) and the research groups GREA (2014 SGR 123), DIOPMA (2014 SGR 1543) and GICITED (2014 SGR 1298).

© 2017 by the author. The biocide agent LAE (ethyl aN-lauroyl l-arginate chloride) was coupled with poly(y-glutamic acid) (PGGA) to form stable ionic complexes with LAE:PGGA ratios of 1 and 0.5. The nanostructure adopted by these complexes and its response to thermal changes were examined in detail by Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) using synchrotron radiation in real time. A layered biphasic structure with LAE filling the space between the polypeptidic sheets was adopted in these complexes. The complexes were stable up to above 250 °C, non-water soluble, and were able to form consistent transparent films. The release of LAE from the complexes upon incubation in aqueous buffer was examined and found to depend on both pH and complex composition. The antibacterial activity of films made of these complexes against Gram-positive (L. monocytogenes and S. aureus) and Gram-negative (E. coli and S. enterica) bacteria was preliminary evaluated and was found to be very high against the formers and only moderate against the later. The bactericide activity displayed by the LAE·PGGA complexes was directly related with the amount of LAE that was released from the film to the environment

The change in nitrogen balance causes many environmental and socioeconomic impacts. In relation to food production and nitrogen release in wastewater systems, wastewater and sludge discharge and mineral fertilizer use intensify nitrogen imbalance of a region. The replacement of mineral fertilizer by nitrogen from treated wastewater, biosolids, and treated urine is a promising alternative. This work presents a model to support decision taking for the management of reactive nitrogen flows in wastewater systems based on system dynamics. Six scenarios were simulated for nitrogen flows in wastewater systems and related components.

Living walls are nowadays becoming an essential part of building indoor or outdoor architecture. Through their ability of managing water, living walls are offering a considerable potential in waste water treatment technologies, also suitable for grey water. Integration of living walls into grey water system is relatively new concept. Design of functional grey water system using living wall, requires individual system parts specification, considering the treatment ability and options in addition to add this system only as a secondary treatment or focus on the characteristics improvement and apply only living walls treatment. According to the wide range of factors influencing the design of this technology, we focused on the system layout and variables affecting the system design.

Water shortages in arid and semi-arid areas such as the Mediterranean have prompted a need for wastewater treatment and subsequent reuse. Reclamation can be achieved through conventional intensive systems or natural, ecologically engineered treatments such as horizontal subsurface flow (HSSF) constructed wetlands. Depending on wastewater type, some pathogenic microorganisms may be present and, therefore, wastewater reclamation processes with disinfection could be required (Asano and Levine, 1998). Thus, research into sewage treatment is needed in order to reduce risks associated with improper sanitation, particularly in terms of wastewater reuse for crop irrigation.

The synthesis, characterization and comparative evaluation of properties of two series of cationic PBS copolyesters bearing respectively ammonium and tributylphosphonium side groups, are reported. The copolyesters with contents in ionic units up to 50 mole-% as well as the fully ionic homopolyesters were prepared by polycondensation in the melt catalyzed by CALB or TBT. Their Mn ranged between 20,000 and 5000 g mol-1 depending of composition and the type of ionic group that is involved. All the copolyesters were non-water soluble and showed good thermal stability. They were semicrystalline with melting temperatures and enthalpies decreasing with the ionic contents. The interactions interplayed by the ionic groups restricted largely the molecular mobility and caused a significant increase in the melt viscosity and glass transition temperature of PBS and a decrease in crystallization rate. Both ammonium and phosphonium containing PBS copolyesters were able to be coupled with sulfonated PBS to generate ionic polymer blends with modified crystallizability. The presence of both ammoniums and phosphoniums provided PBS with remarkable antimicrobial activity against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria.

Waddlia chondrophila is an emerging pathogen considered as a potential agent of abortion in humans and bovines, and is related with human respiratory disease. Despite these findings, the infection source and transmission pathways have not been identified. The evidence of growth into amoeba suggests water as a possible environmental source. The presence of Waddlia chondrophila was determined in drinking and well water samples (n=70) by quantitative PCR (Q-PCR). Positive results were observed in 10 (25%) of the 40 well samples analyzed; therefore, well water could be a potential reservoir and possible infection source of Waddlia chondrophila in animals and humans.

Culture-based methods for fecal indicator microorganisms are the standard protocol to assess potential health risk from drinking water systems. However, these traditional fecal indicators are inappropriate surrogates for disinfection-resistant fecal pathogens and the indigenous pathogens that grow in drinking water systems. There is now a range of molecular-based methods, such as quantitative PCR, which allow detection of a variety of pathogens and alternative indicators. Hence, in addition to targeting total Escherichia coli (i.e., dead and alive) for the detection of fecal pollution, various amoebae may be suitable to indicate the potential presence of pathogenic amoeba-resisting microorganisms, such as Legionellae. Therefore, monitoring amoeba levels by quantitative PCR could be a useful tool for directly and indirectly evaluating health risk and could also be a complementary approach to current microbial quality control strategies for drinking water systems. Fil: Codony, Francesc. Universidad Politécnica de Catalunya; España Fil: Perez, Leonardo Martin. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario. Instituto de Química Rosario. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas. Instituto de Química Rosario; Argentina Fil: Adrados, Bárbara. Universidad Politécnica de Catalunya; España Fil: Agustí, Gemma. Universidad Politécnica de Catalunya; España Fil: Fittipaldi, Mariana. Universidad Politécnica de Catalunya; España Fil: Morató Farreras, Jordi. Universidad Politécnica de Catalunya; España