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Grey water treatment in upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor

Das Projekt "Grey water treatment in upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Technische Universität Hamburg-Harburg, Institut für Abwasserwirtschaft und Gewässerschutz B-2 durchgeführt. In ecological sanitation, the wastewater is considered not only as a pollutant, but also as a resource for fertiliser, water and energy and for closing water and nutrients cycles (Otterpohl et. al., 1999; Otterpohl et. al., 2003; Elmitwalli et al. 2005). The ecological sanitation based on separation between grey and black water (and even between faeces and urine), is considered a visible future solution for wastewater collection and treatment. Grey water, which symbolises the wastewater generated in the household excluding toilet wastewater (black water), represents the major volume of the domestic wastewater (60- 75 percent) with low content of nutrients and pathogens (Otterpohl et. al., 1999; Jefferson et al., 1999; Eriksson et al., 2002). Most of grey-water treatment plants include one or two-step septic-tank for pre-treatment (Otterpohl et al., 2003). The grey-water treatment needs both physical and biological processes for removal of particles, dissolved organic-matters and pathogens (Jefferson et al., 1999). Recently, many researchers have studied the grey-water treatment either by application of high-rate aerobic systems, like rotating biological contactor (Nolde, 1999), fluidised bed (Nolde, 1999), aerobic filter (Jefferson et al., 2000), membrane bioreactor (Jefferson et al., 2000), or by application of low-rate systems, like slow sand filter (Jefferson et al., 1999), vertical flow wetlands (Otterpohl et. al., 2003). Although high-rate anaerobic systems, which are low-cost systems, have both physical and biological removal, no research has been done until now on grey water in these systems. The grey water contains a significant amount (41 percent) of chemical oxygen demand (COD) in the domestic wastewater (Otterpohl et al., 2003) and this amount can be removed by the highrate anaerobic systems. Although high-rate anaerobic systems have been successfully operated in tropical regions for domestic wastewater treatment, the process up till now is not applied in lowtemperature regions. The COD removal is limited for domestic wastewater treatment in high-rate anaerobic systems at low temperatures and, therefore, a long HRT is needed for providing sufficient hydrolysis of particulate organic (Zeeman and Lettinga, 1999; Elmitwalli et al. 2002). The grey water has a relatively higher temperature (18-38 degree C), as compared to the domestic wastewater (Eriksson et al. 2002), because the grey water originates from hot water sources, like shower (29 degree C), kitchen (27-38 degree C) and laundry (28-32 degree C). Therefore, high-rate anaerobic systems might run efficiently for on-site grey water treatment, even in low-temperature regions. The upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor is the most applied system for anaerobic domestic waster treatment. Accordingly, the aim of this research is to study the feasibility of application of UASB reactor for the treatment of grey water at low and controlled (30 degree C) temperatures.

Formation of brine channels in sea ice

Das Projekt "Formation of brine channels in sea ice" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Fachhochschule Münster, Fachbereich Physikalische Technik durchgeführt. Within this interdisciplinary project the formation of brine channels in sea ice will be explored. The microscopic properties of sea ice, especially the permeability plays an important role for the energy exchange between ocean and atmosphere and is determined by the brine channel volume. The brine channel structure will be measured by computer tomography and image analysis. We intend to describe the channel structure by two phenomenological models, a morphogenesis approach of Alan Turing in connection with the phase transition theory of Ginzburg and Landau, and the phase field method with respect to the Cahn-Hilliard equation. We solve these nonlinear evolution equations in two and three dimensions and compare the size and texture of the brine channels with the measurements. In addition to the phenomenological equations we support our studies with molecular dynamics simulations and the density functional theory in order to obtain deeper insights at the molecular scale. Comparative first-principles studies will then enhance the trust in the extracted parameters and will lead to classical density functional for the two phases. We will discuss the phase transitions in terms of a phenomenological theory based on microscopic parameters and try to extract the underlying mechanism for the formation of water-ice boundaries. Specifically, we want to explore three theoretical questions: (i) How are ice-water melting fronts moving, (ii) How are brine channels formed and (iii) How do surface properties influence the structure formation of brine channels. The project is based on the experiences of three fields, the theoretical biological physics, chemical physics and the many-body theory. The final aim of the project is to provide input parameters for global climate models.

SIRRO: Siberian River Run-Off

Das Projekt "SIRRO: Siberian River Run-Off" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Universität Hamburg, Zentrum für Meeres- und Klimaforschung, Institut für Meereskunde (IfM) durchgeführt. SIRRO is a bilateral German-Russian project funded by the BMBF and russian authorities. The project investigates the nature and the impact of Siberian river runoff from Ob and Yenisei into the Kara Sea. In SIRRO, the Institute for Oceanography, Hamburg, is responsible for the high-resolution circulation modelling of the Ob and Yenisei estuaries and surrounding areas of the Kara Sea. The simulated flow fields will be used for transport and dispersion modelling of dissolved and particulate bio-geochemical tracers such as dO18, C13, nutrients, suspended matter or DOC.

Characterization of manure and manure derived dissolved organic matter and its influence on the transport of antibiotics in soil

Das Projekt "Characterization of manure and manure derived dissolved organic matter and its influence on the transport of antibiotics in soil" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Universität Trier, Fach Bodenkunde durchgeführt. Antibiotika gelangen mit kontaminierter Gülle in Böden. Vorliegende Studien deuten an, dass Gülle und v.a. güllebürtige gelöste organische Substanzen (DOM) den Transport und die Sorption von Antibiotika in Böden beeinflussen. Der Kenntnisstand zur Zusammensetzung von Gülle - über den Nährstoffstatus hinaus - ist jedoch gering. Daher zielt das Projekt auf die Charakterisierung des Einflusses von Gülle und güllebürtigen DOM auf die Mobilität von Antibiotika in Böden. Spezifische Ziele sind die Bestimmung 1) der relevanten physikochemischen Eigenschaften und Varia­bilität von Gülle und güllebürtigen DOM durch physikalische, chemische und analytische Methoden; 2) der residualen Antibiotikabelastung von Feld-Gülle; 3) der Wirkung von Gülle und güllebürtigen DOM auf die Retention von Antibiotika in Boden-Säulen. Dazu werden die Fraktionierung und Analyse von Gülle, güllebürtigen DOM, Bodeneluaten und & 8209;segmenten, um die chemischen Mechanismen des güllebeeinflussten Transportes zu ermitteln, sowie physikalische Modellierungen der Transportprozesse kombiniert. 4) Der Einfluss der physikochemischen Eigenschaften der Sorbate auf die Retention im Boden wird anhand fünf ausgewählter Sulfonamid-Antibiotika als Modell-Substanzen untersucht.

Austritt und Transport von Methan und Wasserstoff am mittelatlantischen Rücken

Das Projekt "Austritt und Transport von Methan und Wasserstoff am mittelatlantischen Rücken" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von IFM-GEOMAR Leibniz-Institut für Meereswissenschaften durchgeführt. Unsere Zielsetzung in der dritten Antragsphase des SPPs besteht darin, den Transport von Methan, Wasserstoff und 3-Helium in den Plumes zu bestimmen, die den hydrothermalen Austrittstellen am Logatchev-Feld (Mittelatlantischer Rücken) zugeordnet werden. Wir (IFM-GEOMAR und IOW) beabsichtigen Tow-yo CTD Untersuchungen dieser gelösten Gase innerhalb einer Distanz von wenigen Kilometern zu diesen hydrothermalen Austrittstellen vorzunehmen. Die hierbei gewonnen Informationen werden mit Langzeit-Strömungsmessungen verknüpft, die von den Herren Fischer und Visbek (IFM-GEOMAR) durchgeführt werden. Die genannten Tow-yo CTD Untersuchungen werden zu Beginn und Ende der Langzeit-Strömungsmessungen erfolgen, d.h. auf der F/S MERIAN Fahrt 06/2 und 10/3. Diese Beprobungsstrategie ermöglicht es, die Ergebnisse der Kurzzeitaufnahmen aus der Ermittlung der Gasverteilung mit denen der Zeitreihenaufzeichnungen der Stömungsmessungen zu verknüpfen. Des Weiteren werden über eine Strecke von 100 km mit dem CTD-Rosettensystem Wasserproben entlang der Rückenachse genommen, welche an der Bruchzone bei 15 Grad 20N einsetzt. Durch diese Untersuchung soll das Inventar dieser Gase in diesem Rückensegment abgeschätzt werden. Methan und Wasserstoff werden bereits während der beiden Expeditionen an Bord gemessen. Die Heliumisotopen-Analysen werden jeweils nach den Expeditionen an der Universität Bremen durchgeführt. Ein weiteres in Beziehung stehendes Ziel besteht in der Konzentrationsbestimmung des gelösten Methans und Wasserstoffs in Fluiden, die an den hydrothermalen Austrittsstellen während der Expeditionen genommen werden. Über diese Ziele hinaus werden wir mit M. Perner an kinetischen Inkubationsexperimenten arbeiten, um die Raten der Wasserstoffzehrung in Fluiden zu bestimmen, die sich aus der mikrobiellen Aktivität in hydrothermalen Lösungen ableitet.

Establishment of Teak plantations for high-value timber production in Ghana

Das Projekt "Establishment of Teak plantations for high-value timber production in Ghana" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Universität Hamburg, Arbeitsbereich für Weltforstwirtschaft und Institut für Weltforstwirtschaft des Friedrich-Löffler-Institut, Bundesforschungsinstitut für Tiergesundheit durchgeführt. Background and Objectives: The project area is located in the Ashanti Region of Ghana / West Africa in the transition zone of the moist semideciduous forest and tropical savannah zone. Main land use in this region is subsistence agriculture with large fallow areas. As an alternative land-use, forest plantations are under development by the Ghanaian wood processing company DuPaul Wood Treatment Ltd. Labourers from the surrounding villages are employed as permanent or casual plantation workers. Within three forest plantation projects of approximately 6,000 ha, DuPaul offers an area of 164 ha (referred to as Papasi Plantation) - which is mainly planted with Teak (Tectona grandis) - for research purposes. In return, the company expects consultations to improve the management for sustainable timber and pole production with exotic and native tree species. Results: In a first research approach, the Papasi Plantation was assessed in terms of vegetation classification, timber resources (in qualitative and quantitative terms) and soil and site conditions. A permanent sampling plot system was established to enable long-term monitoring of stand dynamics including observation of stand response to silvicultural treatments. Site conditions are ideally suited for Teak and some stands show exceptionally good growth performances. However, poor weed management and a lack of fire control and silvicultural management led to high mortality and poor growth performance of some stands, resulting in relative low overall growth averages. In a second step, a social baseline study was carried out in the surrounding villages and identified landowner conflicts between some villagers and DuPaul, which could be one reason for the fire damages. However, the study also revealed a general interest for collaboration in agroforestry on DuPaul land on both sides. Thirdly, a silvicultural management concept was elaborated and an improved integration of the rural population into DuPaul's forest plantation projects is already initiated. If landowner conflicts can be solved, the development of forest plantations can contribute significantly to the economic income of rural households while environmental benefits provide long-term opportunities for sustainable development of the region. Funding: GTZ supported PPP-Measure, Foundation

Die Abbaubarkeit hormonell aktiver Substanzen in Abhängigkeit vom Gehalt löslichen organischen Materials (DOM) im Abwasser

Das Projekt "Die Abbaubarkeit hormonell aktiver Substanzen in Abhängigkeit vom Gehalt löslichen organischen Materials (DOM) im Abwasser" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von RWTH Aachen University, Institut für Umweltforschung, Biologie V, Lehrstuhl für Umweltbiologie und -chemodynamik durchgeführt. Organische Fremdstoffe werden in Wasser durch eine Reihe biologischer und abiotischer Prozesse umgewandelt. Durch Sorption oder Bindung der Fremdstoffe an in natürlichen Gewässern stets vorhandenes lösliches organisches Material (dissolved organic matter, DOM) wird deren Verfügbarkeit für Mikroorganismen und deren physikochemisches Verhalten beeinflußt. Ein Ziel der Untersuchungen ist es, Zusammenhänge zwischen den Bindungsformen hormonaktiver Substanzen wie Bisphenol A oder Alkylphenolen an DOM und deren Abbaurate bzw. -mechanismus in Wasser zu erkennen. Nichtkovalente Wechselwirkungen organischer Kontaminanten mit DOM in Wasser wurden für eine Reihe von Verbindungen beschrieben, z.B. Acenaphthenon, TNT oder Atrazin. Durch chromatographische Auftrennung und spektroskopische Untersuchungen der DOM-Komplexe sollen die Bindungsart der Fremdstoffe und deren Abbauwege charakterisiert werden. Es ist vorgesehen, die Versuche zunächst in wässrigen, DOM-haltigen Laborsystemen durchzuführen und anschließend auf Abwasser auszudehnen. Dabei sollen die im Institut für Ökologie, Ökotoxikologie und Ökochemie gewonnenen Erkenntnisse bei der Arbeit an Modellkläranlagen verwertet werden. Abwasserproben, die sowohl synthetische als auch natürliche hormonell aktive Substanzen enthalten, sollen anschließend analytisch und bezüglich des Einflusses von DOM auf ihren Verbleib im Abwasser untersucht werden. Die Erfahrung des Instituts für Hygiene und Umweltmedizin in der Analytik natürlicher Östrogene und Kontrazeptiva fließt in die entsprechenden Beprobungen und Untersuchungen ein, die zusammen mit dem Institut für Siedlungswasserwirtschaft durchgeführt werden. Die Verwendung 14C-markierter Substanzen soll es ermöglichen, den Abbau der Schadstoffe in aquatischen Modellökosystemen und Kläranlagenmodellen unter aeroben und anaeroben Bedingungen bilanzierend zu untersuchen. Für NMR-Strukturuntersuchungen der Abbauprodukte ist zusätzlich die 13C-Markierung der Fremdstoffe vorgesehen. Weitere Charakterisierungen erfolgen mit massenspektroskopischen Methoden.

Conflict Resolution, Management and Problem Solving for Sustainable Resource Utilization (COMPROMISE)

Das Projekt "Conflict Resolution, Management and Problem Solving for Sustainable Resource Utilization (COMPROMISE)" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Potsdam-Institut für Klimafolgenforschung e.V. durchgeführt. Renewable natural resources (e.g. fish stocks and forests) are threatened worldwide due to non-sustainable exploitation and global environmental change, making depending industries and regions vulnerable. Over-exploitation is typically characterized by over-capitalization and destructive competition between small-scale and regionally/globally acting enterprises. In COMPROMISE the complex interactions between natural, social and institutional systems related to this will be investigated with an integrative approach. It is a key feature of such system that they characterised by low levels of knowledge. This holds for the dynamics of stocks, the economic characteristics of firms, strategies of the fishing industry, as well as for the impact of policy frameworks. Thus, in order to provide further knowledge qualitative methods are needed. The encompassing analysis starts with case studies of some fisheries in developing countries under stakeholder involvement. Typical factors and agents, patterns and conflicts will be characterized by drawing from expertise from system analysts, social and natural scientists, combined with modern modelling methods. The aim is to identify success factors for a sustainable management of renewable resources.

Parameterisation of meso-scale mixing in the ocean

Das Projekt "Parameterisation of meso-scale mixing in the ocean" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Universität Hamburg, Zentrum für Meeres- und Klimaforschung, Institut für Meereskunde (IfM) durchgeführt. Ocean models which do not resolve the energetic meso-scale eddy field have to parameterise its effects on the large-scale circulation. This effect is for instance important in western boundary currents, where meso-scale eddies balances the planetary vorticity change, and in the Southern Ocean where they control both the zonal ow and the meridional overturning circulation. Further, meso-scale eddies are important for the ventilation of the interior ocean with dissolved gases. In current ocean climate models, a constant lateral diffusivity K appropriate to the Gent and McWilliams (1990) parameterisation is used. However, a constant diffusivity K is inadequate for climate change simulations and decadal climate predictions, since K does vary both in time and in space. We propose to advance the current meso-scale eddy parameterisation in ocean climate models by applying and improving a mixing length approach for K, based on an eddy kinetic energy (EKE) budget, an eddy length scale and a vertical structure function. The parameters in the EKE budget and the structure function will be estimated using a global ocean model and its adjoint constraining the model and the closure to observational estimates.

Sustainable sanitation system for low-income densely populated urban areas in Indonesia (Case study: Kali Rungkut Sub-District, Surabaya, East Java)

Das Projekt "Sustainable sanitation system for low-income densely populated urban areas in Indonesia (Case study: Kali Rungkut Sub-District, Surabaya, East Java)" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Technische Universität Hamburg-Harburg, Institut für Abwasserwirtschaft und Gewässerschutz B-2 durchgeführt. Waterborne sewage system has proven to be inappropriate to solve sanitation needs in developing countries. Approximately 90 percentt of city sewage in developing countries today is discharged untreated, polluting rivers, lakes and coastal areas (Winblad, 1997). With increasing population density and the resultant groundwater pollution, conventional decentralized disposal systems such as latrines and seepage pits are not viable alternatives either. Many cities are short of water and subject to critical environmental degradation (Niemczynowicz, 1996). Conventional sanitation technologies based on flush toilets, sewers, treatment and discharge cannot solve the problems in urban areas anymore. A sustainable sanitation and wastewater management system is urgently needed in order to address these issues. Ecological sanitation (Ecosan) is proposed as an alternative system to solve the following problems: lack of sanitation and water body contamination by pathogens from human waste. Ecosan does not only provide sanitation facilities for the people, but also seeks to protect public health, prevents water pollution and at the same time returns valuable nutrients to the soil so that it also helps to ensure food security and contributes to the objectives of sustainable development. The objective of this research is to search for a sustainable sanitation and human waste management system that is appropriate to be applied in poor income people living in densely populated urban areas in Indonesia. As Ecological Sanitation has not been applied in Indonesia before, this dissertation also aims to investigate its effectiveness and community acceptance in Indonesia. Two other existing systems are also studied as the comparison, which are the conventional septic tank system and the decentralized wastewater system (Dewats). All of these sanitation systems are assessed based on three sustainability criteria: economical, environmental and social.

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