Environmental Technologies To Treat Selenium Pollution

Selenium contamination of air, aquatic environments, soils and sediments is a serious environmental concern of increasing importance. Selenium has a paradoxical feature in bringing about health benefits under the prescribed level, but only a few fold increase in its concentration causes deleterious effects to flora and fauna, humans and the environment. Environmental Technologies to Treat Selenium Pollution: principles and engineering: - presents the fundamentals of the biogeochemical selenium cycle and which imbalances in this cycle result in pollution. - overviews chemical and biological technologies for successful treatment of selenium contaminated water, air, soils and sediments. - explores the recovery of value-added products from selenium laden waste streams, including biofortication and selenium based nanoparticles and quantum dots. This book may serve both as an advanced textbook for undergraduate and graduate students majoring in environmental sciences, technology or engineering as well as a handbook for tertiary educators, researchers, professionals and policy makers who conduct research and practices in selenium related fields. It is essential reading for consulting companies when dealing with selenium related environmental (bio)technologies.

The contamination of environment and water resources by Selenium (Se) and its oxyanions from various sources are emerging contaminants of significant health and environmental concern. The primary sources include agricultural drainage water, mine drainage, residues from fossil fuels, thermoelectric power plants, oil refineries, and metal ores. Various methods and technologies have been developed which focus on the treatment of selenium-containing waters and wastewater. High concentrations of selenium in water cause various adverse impact to human health, such as carcinogenic, genotoxic, and cytotoxic effects. But in the lower concentrations, it is a useful constituent of the biological system. The range between toxicity and deficiency of selenium is minimal (40 to 400 μg per day), due to its dual nature. Selenium Contamination in Water contains the latest status and information on selenium’s origin, its chemistry and its toxicity to humans. The book represents a comprehensive and advanced reference book for students, researchers, practitioners, and policymakers in working in the field of metalloids, in particular selenium. A special emphasis is given on its geological distribution, monitoring techniques, and remedial technologies. As such, the authors critically analyze the various techniques used for the monitoring and removal of selenium from water. Featuring chapters arranged according to the major themes of the latest research, with specific case-studies from industrial experiences of selenium detection and removal, Selenium Contamination in Water will be particularly valued by researchers, practitioners, and policymakers in working in the field of metalloids including selenium.

This book features the reduction and removal of selenium in wastewater via bioremediation. Arranged over five chapters, this book provides information regarding the interaction between micro-organisms and selenium, and it also explains the biogeochemistry of selenium in engineered ecosystems designed for wastewater treatment. The analytical approaches currently adopted by the scientific community are also described and discussed. Readers will find examples of the biological treatment of selenium contaminated wastewater, and discover a concise overview of selenium removal processes that are currently implemented at lab-scale as well as at industrial scale.

Environmental Technologies to Treat Sulfur Pollution: Principles and Engineering provides a definitive and detailed discussion of state-of-the-art environmental technologies to treat pollution by sulfurous compounds of wastewater, off-gases, solid waste, soils and sediments. Special attention is given to novel bioremediation techniques that have been developed over the last 10 years. Information density is unique owing to the many figures and graphs (150), tables (over 80) and over 1500 cited literature references. A detailed subject index helps the reader to find their way through the different technological applications, making it the perfect reference work for professionals and consultants dealing with sulfur-related environmental (bio)-technologies. Contents Part I - The sulfur cycle Part II - Technologies to Desulfurise Resources Part III - Treatment of Waters Polluted by Sulfurous Compounds Part IV - Treatment of Gases Polluted by Sulfurous Compounds Part V - Treatment of Soils and Sediments Polluted by Sulfurous Compounds Part VI - Other Applications of Sulfur Cycle: Bioconversions in Environmental Engineering Part VII - Problems Related to Sulfur Cycle: Bioconversions

Selenium is arguably the naturally occurring trace element of greatest concern worldwide. In excessive amounts it can lead to toxicosis and teratogenesis in animals, while the impact of selenium deficiency can be even more significant. Contributors from 22 countries explored the connections and inter-relationships between selenium in the environment, agriculture, human and animal health, and molecular and biochemistry processes to complete this book containing 90 peer-reviewed extended abstracts. The text represents glimpses of the presentations that were delivered at the 3rd International Conference on Selenium in the Environment and Human Health in 2013 in Hefei, China. We are indebted to the international authors representing a multitude of disciplines from academic, industry, and governments for sharing their extraordinary new knowledge on selenium research.

In order to analyse the challenges posed by the quest for sustainability, Green Technologies for Wastewater treatment: Energy Recovery and Emerging Compounds Removal evaluates water management together with energy use. The strong effects that the release of emerging pollutants such as endocrine disruptors (EDCs), pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) have in wastewater reuse applications are examined, as well as the need to optimize the energy consumption in wastewater treatment. More specifically, this volume focuses on: - Presenting the advantages linked to the application of chemically assisted primary sedimentation (CAPS) that enables energy optimization of wastewater treatment plants and points to the possibility of wastewater as a possible resource; - Discussing the analytical problems related to the analytical detection of emerging pollutants and of their transformation products; - Comparing the efficiency of MBR plants for removing trace pollutants with conventional systems; - Evaluating the application of Wet Oxidation (WO) for the treatment of aqueous effluents to remove trace pollutants; - Reviewing the application of Photo-Fenton process and complementary treatment systems (H2O2/UV-C and Fenton’s reagent) for the degradation of two industrial pollutant categories with significant endocrine disrupting properties: alkyl phenols (nonyl and octyl phenols) and bisphenol A. Green Technologies for Wastewater treatment: Energy Recovery and Emerging Compounds Removal will be of great interest to students, technicians, and academics alike who are interested in evaluating and selecting the technologies that lead to better and more sustainable treatment of these huge classes of pollutants.

Advances in Remediation Techniques for Polluted Soils and Groundwater focuses on the thematic areas for assessment, mitigation, and management of polluted sites. This book covers advances in modelling approaches, including Machine Learning (ML)/ Artificial Intelligence (AI) applications; GIS and remote sensing; sensors; impacts of climate change on geogenic contaminants; and socio-economic impacts in the poor rural and urban areas, which are lacking in a more comprehensive manner in the previous titles. This book encompasses updated information as well as future directions for researchers working in the field of management and remediation of polluted sites. Introduces fate and transport of multi-pollutants under varying subsurface conditions Details underlying mechanisms of biodegradation and biodetoxification of geogenic, industrial and emerging pollutants Presents recent advances and challenges in assessment, water quality modeling, uncertainty, and water supply management Provides authoritative contributions on the diverse aspects of management and remediation from leading experts around the world

Emerging contaminants are chemical and biological agents for which there is growing concern about their potential health and environmental effects. The threat lies in the fact that the sources, fate and toxicology of most of these compounds have not yet been studied. Emerging contaminants, therefore, include a large number of both recently discovered and well-known compounds such as rare earth elements, viruses, bacteria, nanomaterials, microplastics, pharmaceuticals, endocrine disruptors, hormones, personal care products, cosmetics, pesticides, surfactants and industrial chemicals. Emerging contaminants have been found in many daily products, and some of them accumulate in the food chain. Correlations have been observed between aquatic pollution by emerging contaminants and discharges from wastewater treatment plants. Most actual remediation methods are not effective at removing emerging contaminants. This second volume presents comprehensive knowledge on emerging contaminants with a focus on remediation.