Bibliometric analysis of Advanced Oxidation Processes studies with a focus on Life Cycle Assessment and Costs.

Advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) are wastewater treatment technologies that stand out for their ability to degrade Contaminants of Emerging Concern (CECs). The literature has extensively investigated these removal processes for different aqueous matrices. Once technically mature, some of these systems have become accredited to be applied on a large scale, and therefore, their systemic performances in the environmental and cost spheres have also become essential requirements. This study proposed corroborating this trend, analyzing the available literature on the subject to verify how experts in the AOP area investigated this integration during 2015-2023. For this purpose, a sample of publications was treated by applying the Systematic Review (SR) methodology. This resulted in an extract of 83 studies that adopted life-cycle logic to estimate environmental impacts and process costs or evaluated them as complementary to the technical dimension of each treatment technology. This analysis found that both dimensions can be used for selecting or sizing AOPs at the design scale. However, the appropriate choice of the impact categories for the environmental assessment and establishing a methodology for cost analysis can make the approach still more effective. In addition, a staggering number of processes would broaden the reality and applicability of the estimates, and adopting multicriteria analysis methodologies could address essential aspects of decision-making processes during the design of the arrangements. By meeting the original purposes, the study broadened the requirements for designing AOPs and disseminating their use in mitigating the discharge of CECs.

An eco-efficiency analysis of refinery effluent pretreatments for water reuse under a Zero Liquid Discharge regime.

This paper presents an eco-efficiency analysis of five scenarios for treating a petrochemical unit effluent defined sequentially to increase the water reuse rate to the limit condition of Zero Liquid Discharge perspective. The base process, consisting of reverse osmosis, an evaporator and crystallizer, displayed pretreatment alternatives the addition of antifouling agents, desupersaturation of barium ions and coprecipitation of low solubility salts to increase osmosis efficiency. The eco-efficiency analysis applied the life cycle approach to verify environmental and energy performances and determined the costs of the treatment unit installation and operation for a time horizon of 9.5 years. The pretreatment increased water recovery during osmosis from 84% to over 97%. The environmental-energetic analysis indicated a strong influence of electric energy, consumed mainly during the thermal stages of the treatment, and of the chlorine-derived compounds used in the pretreatment. Also due to pre-treatment, it was possible to reduce impacts in terms of Global Warming Potential by up to 59%, and in Primary Energy Demand by 64% for the best scenario. The economic analysis depicted a significant influence of operating costs, and the electricity consumed in the processes is responsible for the largest share of expenses. The reuse water presented a cost ranging between US$ 1.08/m3 and US$ 1.80/m3. The systems with pretreatment by coprecipitation with Ca(OH)2 and CaCO3 and monoacids to adjust the pH of the final effluent showed to be more eco-efficient than the other options under analysis.

Evaluation of the environmental performance of alternatives for polystyrene production in Brazil.

The global demand for polystyrene is supposed to reach an overall baseline of 23.5 million tons by 2020. The market has experienced the effects of such growth, especially regarding the environmental performance of the production processes. In Brazil, renewable assets have been used to overcome the adverse consequences of this expansion. This study evaluates this issue for the production of Brazilian polystyrene resins, general-purpose polystyrene (GPPS) and high-impact polystyrene (HIPS). The effects of replacing fossil ethylene with a biobased alternative are also investigated. Life Cycle Assessment is applied for ten scenarios, with different technological approaches for renewable ethylene production and an alternative for obtaining bioethanol, which considers the export of electricity. The fossil GPPS and HIPS show a better performance than the partially renewable sources in terms of Climate Change (CC), Terrestrial Acidification (TA), Photochemical Oxidant Formation (POF), and Water Depletion (WD). The exception is Fossil Depletion (FD), a somewhat predictable result. The main environmental loads associated with the renewable options are related to the sugarcane production. Polybutadiene fails to provide greater additional impact to HIPS when compared to GPPS. With regard to obtaining ethylene from ethanol, Adiabatic Dehydration (AD) technology consumes less sugarcane than Adiabatic Dehydration at High Pressure (ADHP), which leads to gains in TA and POF. In contrast, ADHP was more eco-friendly for WD because of its lower water losses and in terms of CC because of the advantageous balance of fossil CO2(eq) at the agricultural stage and the lower consumption of natural gas in ethylene production. The electricity export is an auspicious environmental opportunity because it can counterbalance some of the negative impacts associated with the renewable route. According to a "cradle-to-grave" perspective, the partially renewable resins show a more favorable balance of carbon. This difference increases when sequestration and biogenic carbon emissions are considered.

Audição e exposição ao tolueno - uma contribuição para o tema / Audition and exhibition to toluene - a contribution for the theme

Introdução: Com os avanços tecnológicos e as mudanças nos processos produtivos, os trabalhadores estão expostos a diferentes agentes físicos e químicos em seu ambiente laboral. O tolueno é um solvente orgânico presente em colas, tintas, óleos, dentre outros. Objetivo: Comparar os achados literários que evidenciam que trabalhadores expostos simultaneamente a ruído e solventes têm maior probabilidade de desenvolverem uma perda auditiva de origem periférica. Método: Revisão de literatura a respeito da perda auditiva ocupacional em trabalhadores expostos a ruído e tolueno. Resultados: A exposição isolada ao tolueno também pode desencadear uma alteração dos limiares auditivos. Estes achados audiométricos, por ototoxicidade a exposição ao tolueno, apresentam audiogramas semelhantes ao por exposição ao ruído, o que torna dificultoso diferenciar um resultado audiométrico de exposição combinada - ruído e tolueno - e exposição apenas ao ruído. Conclusão: A maioria dos estudos foi projetado para gerar hipóteses e deveria ser considerado como passos preliminares de uma pesquisa adicional. Até hoje os agentes no ambiente de trabalho e seus efeitos têm sido estudados de maneira isolada e os limites de tolerância destes, não consideram as exposições combinadas. Considerando que os trabalhadores estão expostos a múltiplos agentes e que a perda auditiva é irreversível, os testes implementados devem ser mais completos e todos os trabalhadores devem fazer parte do programa de prevenção auditiva, mesmo expostos a baixas doses do limite de exposição recomendado...

Introduction: With the technological advances and the changes in the productive processes, the workers are displayed the different physical and chemical agents in its labor environment. The toluene is solvent an organic gift in glues, inks, oils, amongst others. Objective: To compare solvent the literary findings that evidence that diligent displayed simultaneously the noise and they have greater probability to develop an auditory loss of peripheral origin. Method: Revision of literature regarding the occupational auditory loss in displayed workers the noise and toluene. Results: The isolated exposition to the toluene also can unchain an alteration of the auditory thresholds. These audiometric findings, for ototoxicity the exposition to the toluene, present similar audiograms to the one for exposition to the noise, what it becomes difficult to differentiate a audiometric result of agreed exposition - noise and toluene - and exposition only to the noise. Conclusion: The majority of the studies was projected to generate hypotheses and would have to be considered as preliminary steps of an additional research. Until today the agents in the environment of work and its effect they have been studied in isolated way and the limits of tolerance of these, do not consider the agreed expositions. Considering that the workers are displayed the multiples agent and that the auditory loss is irreversible, the implemented tests must be more complete and all the workers must be part of the program of auditory prevention exactly displayed the low doses of the recommended limit of exposition...

Audition and exhibition to toluene - a contribution for the theme.

INTRODUCTION: With the technological advances and the changes in the productive processes, the workers are displayed the different physical and chemical agents in its labor environment. The toluene is solvent an organic gift in glues, inks, oils, amongst others. OBJECTIVE: To compare solvent the literary findings that evidence that diligent displayed simultaneously the noise and they have greater probability to develop an auditory loss of peripheral origin. METHOD: Revision of literature regarding the occupational auditory loss in displayed workers the noise and toluene. RESULTS: The isolated exposition to the toluene also can unchain an alteration of the auditory thresholds. These audiometric findings, for ototoxicity the exposition to the toluene, present similar audiograms to the one for exposition to the noise, what it becomes difficult to differentiate a audiometric result of agreed exposition - noise and toluene - and exposition only to the noise. CONCLUSION: The majority of the studies was projected to generate hypotheses and would have to be considered as preliminary steps of an additional research. Until today the agents in the environment of work and its effect they have been studied in isolated way and the limits of tolerance of these, do not consider the agreed expositions. Considering that the workers are displayed the multiples agent and that the auditory loss is irreversible, the implemented tests must be more complete and all the workers must be part of the program of auditory prevention exactly displayed the low doses of the recommended limit of exposition.

Acupuncture for dyspepsia in pregnancy: a prospective, randomised, controlled study.

OBJECTIVES: This study was undertaken to describe under real-life conditions the effects of acupuncture on symptomatic dyspepsia during pregnancy and to compare this with a group of patients undergoing conventional treatment alone. METHODS: A total of 42 conventionally treated pregnant women were allocated by chance into two groups to be treated, or not, by acupuncture. They reported the severity of symptoms and the disability these were causing in daily aspects of life such as sleeping and eating, using a numerical rating scale. The study also observed the use of medications. RESULTS: Six women dropped out (one in the acupuncture group and five in the control group). Significant improvements in symptoms were found in the study group. This group also used less medication and had a greater improvement in their disabilities when compared with the control group. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that acupuncture may alleviate dyspepsia during pregnancy.

Effects of chronic stavudine exposure on liver, pancreas and kidneys of pregnant rats and their fetuses: morphological and biochemical aspects.

OBJECTIVE: To study the morphological and biochemical effects on liver, pancreas and kidney of pregnant rats and their fetuses subjected to stavudine treatment. METHODS: Forty animals were distributed in four groups E1, E2, E3, and C (control) and received by gavage once a day 1, 3 or 9 mg/kg of stavudine in 2 mL distilled water, from days 1 to 20 of pregnancy. After this period, the animals were sacrificed; blood samples were collected for further determinations of AST, ALT, creatinine, urea, glucose and amylase. Samples of liver, kidneys and pancreas of every rat and of the corresponding fetuses were taken and examined under light microscopy. RESULTS: The maternal livers of groups E1, E2 and E3 displayed progressive morphological alterations without corresponding changes in serum AST and ALT activity. Maternal kidney histology and function were similar in all groups. Maternal pancreas of groups E2 and E3 evidenced moderate and progressive signs of tissue damage without functional repercussion. All fetal livers, kidneys and pancreas presented normal morphology. CONCLUSIONS: High doses of stavudine produced signs of mild to moderate maternal hepatic and pancreatic toxicity at the morphological level. This was not followed by changes in biochemical parameters, most conceivably due to the functional reserve of these organs.

A bovine protocol for training professionals in preimplantation genetic diagnosis using polymerase chain reaction.

OBJECTIVE: To develop a bovine protocol for training in preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) using PCR. DESIGN: Randomized study. SETTING: Human reproduction PCR laboratory. PATIENT(S): Cow ovaries obtained from slaughterhouses. INTERVENTION(S): The ovaries were punctured and the oocytes were matured and submitted to in vitro fertilization. On the third day after fertilization, the embryos were biopsied and 1-2 blastomeres removed. A blastomere and the rest of the embryo were submitted to PCR for sex determination. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Establishment of a possible training protocol. RESULT(S): A total of 50 embryos and 50 biopsied blastomeres were submitted to DNA amplification for sexing. Of the 50 embryos, 41 (82%) achieved successful DNA amplification and 9 (18%) did not. Of the 50 biopsies, 31 (62%) amplified and 19 (38%) did not. In 27 (65.9%) of the 41 embryos with DNA amplification, sex was identified as female and in 14 (34.1%) as male. In 40 cases (80%) amplification and sex determination were successful in both embryos and blastomeres. Sex was identical in all these cases. CONCLUSION(S): This training model seems to be useful in identifying mistakes and difficulties and improving the professional's performance in the various stages of preimplantation genetic diagnosis.

Acupuncture for insomnia in pregnancy--a prospective, quasi-randomised, controlled study.

OBJECTIVE: This study was undertaken to test the effects of acupuncture on insomnia in a group of pregnant women under real life conditions, and to compare the results with a group of patients undergoing conventional treatment alone (sleep hygiene). METHODS: A total of 30 conventionally treated pregnant women were allocated at random into groups with or without acupuncture. Seventeen patients formed the study group and 13 the control group. The pregnant women scored the severity of insomnia using a Numerical Rating Scale from 0 to 10. Women were followed up for eight weeks and interviewed five times, at two-week intervals. RESULTS: Eight women dropped out, five in the study group and three in the control group. The study group reported a larger reduction on insomnia rating (5.1) than the control group (0.0), a difference which was statistically significant (P = 0.0028). Average insomnia scores decreased by at least 50% over time in nine (75%) patients in the study group and in three (30%) of the control group. CONCLUSION: The results of this study suggest that acupuncture alleviates insomnia during pregnancy and further research is justified.

Acupuncture for low back pain in pregnancy--a prospective, quasi-randomised, controlled study.

This study was undertaken to investigate the effects of acupuncture in low back and pelvic pain during pregnancy under real life conditions, as compared with patients undergoing conventional treatment alone. A total of 61 conventionally treated pregnant women were allocated randomly into two groups to be treated or not by acupuncture. Twenty-seven patients formed the study group and 34 the control group. They reported the severity of pain using a Numerical Rating Scale from 0 to 10, and their capacity to perform general activities, to work, and to walk. We also assessed the use of analgesic drugs. Women were followed up for eight weeks and interviewed five times, at two-week intervals. All women completed the study. In the study group the average pain during the study period showed a larger reduction (4.8 points) than the control group (-0.3 points) (P < 0.0001). Average pain scores decreased by at least 50% over time in 21 (78%) patients in the acupuncture group and in five (15%) patients in the control group (P < 0.0001). Maximum pain and pain at the moment of interview were also less in the acupuncture group compared with the control group. The capacity to perform general activities, to work and to walk was improved significantly more in the study group than in the control group (P < 0.05). The use of paracetamol was lower in the acupuncture group (P < 0.01). These results indicate that acupuncture seems to alleviate low back and pelvic pain during pregnancy, as well as to increase the capacity for some physical activities and to diminish the need for drugs, which is a great advantage during this period.

Stavudine effects on rat pregnancy outcome.

OBJECTIVE: Stavudine is an inhibitor of HIV reverse transcriptase and acts as a chain terminator during DNA synthesis. The aim of the study presented here was to evaluate the effects of stavudine during rat pregnancy. METHODS: Female rats were randomly divided into four treatment groups: GI (treated with the drug vehicle); GII; GIII; and GIV (treated with 1, 3 or 9 mg/kg of stavudine, respectively) (n = 25 pregnant rats for every group). Rats were treated by gavage once daily. The treatment period extended from day 0 until the 20th day of pregnancy. Body weights were recorded weekly during this period. At term, the rats were sacrificed, and the implantation sites and number of fetuses and resorptions were recorded. The fetuses were evaluated for external abnormalities under a stereomicroscope. RESULTS: No differences in body weight gain between the groups were observed. The mean number of implantations per dam in stavudine-treated groups was higher than in the control group (P < 0.05); however, only GIII presented an increase in the mean number of resorptions compared to the other groups (P < 0.01). The resorption/implantation rate was higher in the GII group and lower in the GIV group as compared to the other groups. Neither the mean fetal weights nor the placental weights differed significantly among the groups. No external anomalies were observed at dissection in rat fetuses, placentae or uteri. CONCLUSION: Rat pregnancy outcome seems to be affected by stavudine, mainly with respect to the mechanisms of intrauterine concept survival.