Benchmarking produced water treatment strategies for non-toxic effluents: Integrating thermal distillation with granular activated carbon and zeolite post-treatment.

The management of produced water (PW) generated during oil and gas operations requires effective treatment and comprehensive chemical and toxicological assessment to reduce the environmental risks associated with reuse or discharge. This study evaluated a treatment train that included a low-temperature thermal distillation pilot system followed by granular activated carbon (GAC) and zeolite post-treatment for processing hypersaline Permian Basin PW. Our study provides a unique and comprehensive assessment of the treatment efficiency considering a targeted chemical scheme together with whole effluent toxicity (WET) tests across four trophic levels regarding aquatic critical receptors of concern (ROC): Raphidocelis subcapitata, Vibrio fischeri, Ceriodaphnia dubia, and Danio rerio. The distillate from the thermal distillation process met various numeric discharge standards for salinity and major ions. However, it did not meet toxicity requirements established by the United States National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System program. Subsequent post-treatment using GAC and zeolite reduced the concentration of potential stressors, including volatile organics, NH3, Cd, Cr, Zn, and Mn in the final effluent to below detection limits. This resulted in a consistent toxicity reduction across all WET tests, with no observable adverse effects for R. subcapitata, C. dubia, and D. rerio (no observed effect concentration >100%), and V. fischeri effects reduced to 19%. This study realizes the feasibility of treating PW to non-toxic levels and meeting reuse and discharge requirements. It underscores the importance of implementing integrated treatment trains to remove the contaminants of concern and provides a systematic decision framework to predict and monitor environmental risks associated with PW reuse.

El olvido de una buena educación [Editorial] / Forgetting a good education [Editorial]

No sorprende que en instituciones de educación superior como las universidades,y particularmente aquellas reconocidas como las más destacadas alma máter anivel mundial, el olvido de una buena educación haya llegado a las aulas de clase.Tampoco asombra que entre sus principales propósitos se encuentre la formaciónde personas con los más altos niveles éticos, culturales, políticos y profesionales,herramientas de gran valor, a las cuales se suman las cualidades humanas,capacidades de sus empleados y la excelencia académica de sus profesores.Indiscutiblemente se cuenta con un exquisito cuerpo docente, hombres y mujeresDEPARTAMENTO DE POSIBILIDADES EDITORIALESREVISTA MÉDICAS UISaltamente calificados y con experiencia, en ocasiones superior a la requerida,para ilustrar a la comunidad aprendiz con el contenido de determinadosprogramas. Dado que actualmente se cuenta con acceso rápido a la información yal conocimiento, los estándares para la selección de profesores y alumnos incluyeun alto grado de competencias, habilidades, conceptos y destrezas que desplazanel dominio y capacidad para transmitir el conocimiento aprendido por parte de losdocentes y el interés de los estudiantes por aprender determinada profesión,quienes enfrentan situaciones difíciles por la falta de oportunidades...

No wonder that in higher education institutions such as universities, particularlythose recognized as the leading worldwide alma mater, forgetfulness of goodeducation has come to the classroom. Nor wonder that its main purpose thetraining of people with the highest ethical, cultural, political and professional,valuable tools, to which human qualities, abilities of its employees and academicexcellence add be their teachers. Unquestionably it has an exquisite faculty, menand highly qualified and experienced women, sometimes greater than thatrequired to illustrate the learner community with the content of certain programs.Since it now has quick access to information and knowledge, standards for theselection of teachers and students includes a high degree of competence, skills,concepts and skills that move the domain and the ability to transmit knowledgelearned by teachers and student interest in learning particular profession, who facedifficult situations due to lack of opportunities...