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In recent years, the presence of Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs) in wastewater discharges from agricultural and industrial sources, fresh- and estuarine-waters, as well as soils, has been reported in the literature. Studies of adverse changes in wildlife, linked to environmental exposure to these substances, and the suggestion that humans could also be at similar risk of adverse health effects, have raised concern for urgent action to understand and reduce such risks. 3,4-Dichloroaniline (3,4-DCA) has been recognized as an EDC, with regards to endocrine disruption data for both wildlife populations and human health. 3,4-DCA is present in the environment as a product of the biodegradation of phenylurea and phenylcarbamate pesticides ; furthermore, it can be introduced from industrial and municipal wastewater that is insufficiently purified, or via accidental spills. Increasing concentrations of 3,4-DCA in soil and water are the result of its high persistence and accumulation, as well as its low biodegradability. Hence, remediation techniques require in-depth study, especially when considering the low removal achieved by traditional activated sludge treatments, and the generation of carcinogenic trihalomethanes as a consequence of the chlorine oxidation methods frequently used in drinking water plants. Fe/HO systems, photodegradation using doped TiO, and the use of dielectric barrier discharge reactors, seem to be the most promising techniques for the removal of 3,4-DCA from water.

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The PARSIFAL project (Prandtlplane ARchitecture for the Sustainable Improvement of Future AirpLanes) aims to promote an innovative box-wing aircraft: the PrandtlPlane. Aircraft developed adopting this configuration are expected to achieve a payload capability higher than common single aisle analogues (e.g., Airbus 320 and Boeing 737 families), without any increase in the overall dimensions. We estimated the exhaust emissions from the PrandtlPlane and compared the corresponding impacts to those of a conventional reference aircraft, in terms of Global Warming Potential (GWP) and Global Temperature Potential (GTP), on two time-horizons and accounted for regional sensitivity. We considered carbon dioxide, carbonaceous and sulphate aerosols, nitrogen oxides and related ozone production, methane degradation and nitrate aerosols formation, contrails, and contrail cirrus. Overall, the introduction of the PrandtlPlane is expected to bring a considerable reduction of climate change in all the source regions considered, on both the time-horizons examined. Moreover, fuel consumption is expected to be reduced by 20%, as confirmed through high-fidelity Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations. Sensitivity of data, models, and metrics are detailed. Impact reduction and mitigation strategies are discussed, as well as the gaps to be addressed in order to develop a comprehensive Life Cycle Assessment on aircraft emissions.