Tag Archives: water pollution

659-671 R.M. Lozano-Reátegui, V. Asencios-Tarazona, I.O. Ruiz-Yance, M.R. Guerrero-Ochoa, W. Pinedo-Chambi and M.M. Mendoza-Carlos
Adsorbent potential of cocoa pod husk activated charcoal to remove metals from the Ucayali River
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Adsorbent potential of cocoa pod husk activated charcoal to remove metals from the Ucayali River

R.M. Lozano-Reátegui¹*, V. Asencios-Tarazona¹, I.O. Ruiz-Yance¹, M.R. Guerrero-Ochoa¹, W. Pinedo-Chambi¹ and M.M. Mendoza-Carlos²

¹National Intercultural University of the Amazon, Faculty of Engineering and Environmental Sciences, Academic Department of Agro Industrial Engineering, Pucallpa, 25000 Ucayali, Peru
²National Intercultural University of the Amazon, Faculty of Engineering and Environmental Sciences, Academic Department of Basic Sciences, Pucallpa, 25000 Ucayali, Peru
*Correspondence: rlozanor@unia.edu.pe

Abstract:

The problem of river water contamination due to the presence of dangerous metals for ichthyological flora and fauna and human health has motivated the search for innovative and feasible solutions. Therefore, the production of activated carbon from cocoa pod husks was investigated to eliminate metals present in the Ucayali River. Response surface methodology was used to optimize the manufacturing of the adsorbent and test its effectiveness in removing metals from water using a factorial design of 3³ and 3², with three replicates each. The optimal amount of activated carbon (18.41 g) was obtained from 200 g of fresh cocoa pod husks. It was converted into activated carbon under the following conditions: thermal modification at 100, 150, and 200 °C; activation time of 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0 h; and pyrolysis and activation at 400, 500, and 600 °C. This allowed the elimination by efficient adsorption of 56.8% Fe²⁺, 68.4% Al³⁺, 65.9% Cu²⁺, and 55.5% Zn²⁺ from Ucayali River, thus demonstrating its adsorbent power. The results will make it possible to manufacture filters to decontaminate water containing heavy metals, thus guaranteeing its consumption.

Key words:

adsorption, heavy metals, pyrolysis, thermal modification, water pollution

1374-1387 M. Ušča, L. Ieviņa and P. Lakovskis
Spatial disparity and environmental issues of organic agriculture
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Spatial disparity and environmental issues of organic agriculture

M. Ušča*, L. Ieviņa and P. Lakovskis

Institute of Agricultural Resources and Economics, Struktoru street 14, LV-1039 Riga, Latvia
*Correspondence: maija.usca@arei.lv

Abstract:

Food systems are major drivers of such global environmental problems as a decrease in biodiversity, degradation and fragmentation of habitats, use of fertilizers and pesticides, and water pollution. To deal with the environmental issues caused by agriculture at the European level, agri-environmental measures, including organic agriculture, through Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) are introduced to alleviate the detrimental impacts of agriculture. As it is still not clear whether agri-environmental measures, including organic agriculture, contribute unambiguously to the goals set by the CAP and the impact of organic agriculture on water quality is of high uncertainty, this study aims to analyse the spatial disparity of organic land and its impact on the environment by probing into the connection between the location of organic lands and water quality. The paper is based on a study of spatial analyses of organically managed land, its structure, and its relation to water bodies with a significant load of dispersed pollution from agriculture as well as the statistical analysis of the relationship between organic agriculture and water quality. The research was carried out in Latvia and done on a national level. This paper highlights the necessity for a more goal-oriented approach to the implementation of specific CAP measures as well as gives a deeper understanding of a specific CAP measure – organic agriculture. The statistical analysis of the data confirms that the management of arable land with organic farming methods has the potential to contribute to improving and preserving surface water quality.

Key words:

common agricultural policy (CAP), Eastern Europe, environment, Latvia, organic agriculture, spatial disparity, water pollution

121-129 Jacek Jaszczyński
Groundwater quality against a background of human activities and impact of peatland area
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Groundwater quality against a background of human activities and impact of peatland area

Jacek Jaszczyński¹

¹Experimental Station for Land Reclamation and Grassland Farming in Biebrza19-200 Grajewo, Poland, e-mail: j.jaszczynski@op.pl

Abstract:

The main objective of the study was an analysis of groundwater quality in a well on an extensive agricultural farm located near in the vicinity of peatlands. The influence of peatland and human activities on water quality was analysed. Thirty-six series of water samples were collected for the period from May 2000 to November 2005 from the well located at the farm and from wells located in the transect on the peatland area. In the collected water samples of pH and concentration of N-NO3, N-NH4, P, DOC, Na, K, Fe and Cl were determined. Meanvalues of N-NO3, K, Na and Cl concentrations in water from the farm well were higher thanconcentrations recorded in the control wells from the transect located on the peatland area. Higher N-NH4 and DOC concentrations were observed in water from the peatland. The resultsof these investigations showed that human activities on the farm area have a larger impact on groundwater quality than the peatland located near the farm.

Key words:

farm well, groundwater, peat soils, water pollution