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The treatment of a pharmaceutical wastewater resulting from the production of an antibacterial drug (nalidixic acid) was investigated employing a membrane bioreactor (MBR) integrated with either ozonation or UV/H(2)O(2) process. This was achieved by placing chemical oxidation in the recirculation stream of the MBR. A conventional configuration with chemical oxidation as polishing for the MBR effluent was also tested as a reference. The synergistic effect of MBR when integrated with chemical oxidation was assessed by monitoring (i) the main wastewater characteristics, (ii) the concentration of nalidixic acid, (iii) the 48 organics identified in the raw wastewater and (iv) the 55 degradation products identified during wastewater treatment. Results showed that MBR integration with ozonation or UV/H(2)O(2) did not cause relevant drawbacks to both biological and filtration processes, with COD removal rates in the range 85-95%. Nalidixic acid passed undegraded through the MBR and was completely removed in the chemical oxidation step. Although the polishing configuration appeared to give better performances than the integrated system in removing 15 out of 48 secondary organics while similar removals were obtained for 19 other compounds. The benefit of the integrated system was however evident for the removal of the degradation products. Indeed, the integrated system allowed higher removals for 34 out of 55 degradation products while for only 4 compounds the polishing configuration gave better performance. Overall, results showed the effectiveness of the integrated treatment with both ozone and UV/H(2)O(2).

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BackgroundGround waters are an important resource of water supply for human health and activities. Groundwater uses and applications are often related to its composition, which is increasingly influenced by human activities.In fact the water quality of groundwater is affected by many factors including precipitation, surface runoff, groundwater flow, and the characteristics of the catchment area. During the years 2004-2007 the Agricultural and Food Authority of Apulia Region has implemented the project “Expansion of regional agro-meteorological network” in order to assess, monitor and manage of regional groundwater quality. The total wells monitored during this activity amounted to 473, and the water samples analyzed were 1021. This resulted in a huge and complex data matrix comprised of a large number of physical-chemical parameters, which are often difficult to interpret and draw meaningful conclusions. The application of different multivariate statistical techniques such as Cluster Analysis (CA), Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Absolute Principal Component Scores (APCS) for interpretation of the complex databases offers a better understanding of water quality in the study region.ResultsForm results obtained by Principal Component and Cluster Analysis applied to data set of Foggia province it’s evident that some sampling sites investigated show dissimilarities, mostly due to the location of the site, the land use and management techniques and groundwater overuse. By APCS method it’s been possible to identify three pollutant sources: Agricultural pollution 1 due to fertilizer applications, Agricultural pollution 2 due to microelements for agriculture and groundwater overuse and a third source that can be identified as soil run off and rock tracer mining.ConclusionsMultivariate statistical methods represent a valid tool to understand complex nature of groundwater quality issues, determine priorities in the use of ground waters as irrigation water and suggest interactions between land use and irrigation water quality.

There is a need for a reliable sustainable option to effectively manage the landfill leachate generation. This study presents a simple procedure for the revegetation of the walls of closed landfills, employing the leachate as a fertirrigant. The native plants Lepidium sativum, Lactuca sativa, and Atriplex halimus, which suit the local climate, were chosen for this study in Southern Italy. The methodology was structured into three phases (i) early stage toxicity assessment phase (apical root length and germination tests), (ii) adult plant resistance assessment phase, and (iii) soil properties verification phase. The rationale of the proposed approach was first to look at the distinctive qualities and the potential toxicity in landfill leachates for fertigation purposes. Afterwards, through specific tests, the plants used were ranked in terms of resistance to the aqueous solution that contained leachate. Finally, after long-term irrigation, any possible worsening of soil properties was evaluated. The results demonstrated the real possibility of using blended leachate as a fertigant for the revegetation of the walls of closed landfills. In particular, the plants maintained good health when leachate was blended at concentrations of lower than 25 and 5%, respectively for A. halimus and Lepidium sativum. Irrigation tests showed good resistance of the plants, even at dosages of 112 and 133.5 mm m(-2), at maximum concentrations of 25 and 5%, respectively, for A. halimus and Lepidium sativum. The analysis of the total chlorophyll content and of aerial parts dried weight confirmed the results reported above.

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