Suchergebnisse

[EN] This study focused on the effect of salinity on the performance of a pilot-scale nanofiltration (NF) for preconcentration of microcontaminants (MCs) in combination with solar photo-Fenton or photo-Fenton-like treatment for their elimination from NF permeate and concentrate streams. Photo-Fenton was carried out in a solar simulator at pH of 3 and at natural pH using Ethylenediamine-N, N'-disuccinic acid (EDDS) as an iron complexing agent Degradation efficacy was tested with MCs commonly found in urban wastewater treatment plant effluents (caffeine, imidacloprid, thiacloprid, carbamazepine and diclofenac). Hydrogen peroxide and persulfate were compared in solar processes. Increase in salinity and pressure had a negligible influence on MC permeability order and NF selectivity. Solar photo-Fenton was able to degrade MCs present in the concentrated stream, and rapidly eliminate any residual MCs that might finally be present in permeate streams. Persulfate used instead of hydrogen peroxide was shown to be inefficient for the selected MCs. Fe(Ill):EDDS at circumneutral pH was able to remove MCs as quickly as classical photo-Fenton at acid pH, or even faster. This effect supports use of Fe(III):EDDS at natural pH for treating NF concentrates or polishing NF permeates when NF membranes are operated under extreme conditions of salinity. ; This paper is part of a project that received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme under Marie Sklodowska-Curie Grant Agreement No 765860. Dennis Deemter would like to thank the staff at the Plataforma Solar de Almeria. The authors wish to thank the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities (MCIU), AEI and FEDER for funding under the CalypSol Project (Reference: RTI2018-097997-B-C32 and RTI2018097997-B-C31). ; Deemter, D.; Oller, I.; Amat Payá, AM.; Malato, S. (2021). Effect of salinity on preconcentration of contaminants of emerging concern by nanofiltration: Application of solar photo-Fenton as a tertiary treatment. ...

En el diseño del currículo de Educación Infantil la metodología, concretamente la organización espacial y material resulta fundamental en el proceso de enseñanza aprendizaje de los niños y niñas, ya que éstos pueden favorecer (si se realiza de manera adecuada) o dificultar dicho proceso de adquisición de conocimientos, habilidades y actitudes para el desarrollo personal del alumnado. Es por ello, por lo que éste artículo va dirigido a los docentes como guía, orientación y reflexión sobre éste aspecto en la planificación de su práctica docente en una aula de Educación Infantil, siguiendo las orientaciones marcadas en el marco legislativo actual. ; In designing the curriculum of Primary Education methodology, specifically the spatial organization and equipment it is essential in the process of learning of children, since they may favor (if done properly) or hinder the process of acquisition knowledge, skills and attitudes for personal development of students. That is why, so this article is intended as a guide for teachers, guidance and reflection on this aspect in planning their teaching in a kindergarten classroom, following the guidelines marked in the current legislative framework.

At the end of the 20th century a new banking model, the so-called ethical banking, emerged becoming the maximum exponent of a socially responsible investment. The financial crisis in 2008 led to a distrust of the conventional financial system and consequently investors began to look with interest this new banking, which only invests in ethical activities and products, with social and environmental criteria, total transparency and a democratic management. The aim of this article is to analyze the economic structure of ethical banking, compared to that of conventional banking, by paying attention to its liquidity, coverage and solvency. Specifically, We compare the financial statements of Triodos Bank, the main European ethical bank belonging to the Global Alliance for Banking on Values, with two of the main conventional banks of each of the five countries in Europe in which it operates. To do this, we apply a financial and economic analysis to the period from 2015 to 2018, the means difference test and analysis of variance on an array of financial ratios and, finally, probit regressions. The results reveal that ethical banking is growing more than conventional banking and it presents greater liquidity and solvency, although, in general terms, its profitability is not higher. In conclusion, both savers and investors have guarantees that their savings are invested not only in a responsible but also in a confident way in ethical banking.

AbstractGender policies concerning the composition of board of directors are included in the legislation of many countries, especially promoted by the European Commission to reach gender equality in the processes of decision making. On the other hand, in the last decades, sustainable development problems caused by economic progress have enhanced the interest in environmental policies. Using the data from top Spanish listed companies, from 2003 to 2017, we test if the higher number of women on their board influences corporate social responsibility (CSR), through the disclosure of reports following the Global Reporting Initiative guidelines and the inclusion in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index. By using probit models and instrumental variable estimation to address endogeneity and reverse causality problems, we find that the female presence in management positions is positively linked to a voluntary disclosure of CSR reports and the inclusion in a sustainability index, which supports gender legislation.

AbstractThe increasing occurrence of micropollutants in natural water bodies has medium to long-term effects on both aquatic life and human health. The aim of this study is to optimize the degradation of two pharmaceutical pollutants of emerging concern: amoxicillin and acetaminophen in aqueous solution at laboratory and pilot scale, by solar photo-Fenton process carried out at neutral pH using ethylenediamine-N,N′-disuccinic acid (EDDS) as a complexing agent to maintain iron in solution. The initial concentration of each compound was set at 1 mg/L dissolved in a simulated effluent from a municipal wastewater treatment plant (MWTP). A factorial experimental design and its surface response analysis were used to optimize the operating parameters to achieve the highest initial degradation rate of each target. The evolution of the degradation process was measured by ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC/UV), obtaining elimination rates above 90% for both contaminants. Statistical study showed the optimum concentrations of Fe(III) at 3 mg/L at an Fe-EDDS ratio of 1:2 and 2.75 mg/L H2O2 for the almost complete removal of the target compounds by solar photo-Fenton process. Validation of the experimental design was successfully carried out with actual MWTP effluent spiked with 100 μg/L of amoxicillin and acetaminophen, each at pilot plant scale.

[EN] The degradation of enrofloxacin (ENR) by direct photolysis, Fenton and solar photo-Fenton processes has been studied in different water matrices, such as ultra-pure water (MQ), tap water (TW) and highly saline water (SW). Reactions have been conducted at initial pH 2.8 and 5.0. At pH = 2.8, HPLC analyses showed a fast removal of ENR by (solar photo)-Fenton treatments in all studied water matrices, whereas a 40% removal was observed after 120 min of photolysis. However, TOC measurements showed that only solar photo-Fenton was able to produce significant mineralization (80% after 120 min of treatment); differences between ENR removal and mineralization can be attributed to the release of important amounts of reaction by-products. Excitation-emission matrices (EEMs) combined with parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC) were employed to gain further insight into the nature of these by-products and their time-course profile, obtaining a 5-component model. EEM-PARAFAC results indicated that photolysis is not able to produce important changes in the fluoroquinolone structure, in sharp contrast with (solar photo)-Fenton, where decrease of the components associated with fluoroquinolone core was observed. Agar diffusion tests employing E. toll and S. aureus showed that the antibiotic activity decreased in parallel with the destruction of the fluoroquinolone core. ; This paper is part of a project that has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 - Research and Innovation Framework Programme under the H2020 Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions grant agreement No 765860. The paper reflects only the authors' view and the Agency is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information it contains. ; Sciscenko, I.; García-Ballesteros, S.; Sabater Marco, C.; Castillo López, M.; Escudero-Oñate, C.; Oller, I.; Arqués Sanz, A. (2020). Monitoring photolysis and (solar photo)-Fenton of enrofloxacin by a methodology involving EEM-PARAFAC and bioassays: Role of pH and water matrix. Science of The Total Environment. ...