Iranian Research Organization for Science and TechnologyAdvances in Environmental Technology2476-66745220190401A comparative study of the effect of compost/woodchips mixture, natural zeolite and zeolite/activated carbon mixture as packing materials on the biofilter performance677589810.22104/aet.2020.3973.1198ENElhamNarooeiChemical Engineering Department, University of Sistan and Baluchestan, Zahedan, IranDavodMohebbi-KalhoriChemical Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, University of Sistan and Baluchestan0000-0002-4055-5997AbdolrezaSamimiDepartment of Chemical Engineering, University of Sistan and Baluchestan, Zahedan, Iran0000-0003-4214-0100MortazaZivdarDepartment of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Sistan and Baluchestan, Zahedan, IranJournal Article20191217The removal of formaldehyde from contaminated air was investigated via three laboratory-scale biofilters packed with different materials: a mixture of compost and woodchips (І), the natural clinoptilolite zeolite particles in the original form (II), and the mixture of zeolite/activated carbon (III). The biofilters were inoculated using aerobic sludge. The average removal efficiencies of 97.5%, 90%, and 93.5% were obtained at a 100 s empty bed residence time (EBRT) and 20 mg/m<sup>3</sup> inlet concentration of formaldehyde for the biofilter of configurations І, II, and III, respectively. Also, the performance of the reactors was investigated at different EBRTs of 20, 30, 60, and 100 s, and the maximum elimination capacity of 2840 mg/m<sup>3</sup>.h was achieved at the lowest EBRT (20 s) for the biofilter of configuration II. Increasing the inlet formaldehyde concentration from 20 mg/m<sup>3</sup> to 80 mg/m<sup>3 </sup>led to the maximum formaldehyde removal efficiency of 82% for the biofilter of configuration III. Therefore, a comparison of the results of the biofilters' performances showed that the biofilter of configuration III had the best performance, which was validated by obtaining a higher mass transfer coefficient. However, the biofilter of configurations II and III achieved steady-state conditions in a shorter time.https://aet.irost.ir/article_898_c3bc48f597ce2816305ac511676d567f.pdfIranian Research Organization for Science and TechnologyAdvances in Environmental Technology2476-66745220190401Providing a practical Model of the Waste Management Master Plan with Emphasis on Public Participation “Using the SWOT method and the QSPM matrix and the FAHP method”779690910.22104/aet.2020.3990.1200ENFarhadAfsharFaculty of Natural Resources and Environment, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, IranMadjidAbbaspourMechanical Engineering Department, School of Mechanical Engineering Sharif University of Technology Tehran IranAkramolmolokLahijanianAssociate Professor, Department of Environmental Management ,Faculty of Natural Resources and Environment, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, IranJournal Article20191226The purpose of this study was to present a practical model of strategic waste management via two Strength, Weakness, Opportunity, and Threats (SWOT) models and hierarchical analysis. In this regard, the strengths and weaknesses of the present situation and the factors affecting waste management in Tehran were investigated. In this study, the importance of public participation in waste management was investigated by means of the Delphi method and the Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (FAHP). Based on the results of the SWOT analysis, a team of experts identified the internal and external factors and rated the primary factors; each factor was weighted, then according to their scores, the proposed waste management framework was developed. Finally, the strategies were quantitatively prioritized by the planning matrix. Then, using the analysis method, the hierarchy was used in this study as a SWOT supplement. The results of two questionnaires designed in this study identified the socio-economic, educational, cultural, and political factors as first to fourth, respectively. The most viable strategies, which were selected based on the analysis, include the potential use of social networks to encourage society to reduce waste and to promote the separation of waste as well as compliance with the proposed comprehensive waste management program; another choice strategy was providing economic incentives to maximize social participation in reducing waste production waste sorting.https://aet.irost.ir/article_909_1beeeee1b8e3cc46d467db8056ffa748.pdfIranian Research Organization for Science and TechnologyAdvances in Environmental Technology2476-66745220190401Developing a multi-criteria decision support system based on fuzzy analytical hierarchical process (AHP) method for selection of appropriate high-strength wastewater treatment plant9910591010.22104/aet.2020.4100.1202ENAminHedayati MoghaddamDepartment of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Central Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, IranJalalShayeganDepartment of Chemical and Petroleum engineering, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, IranJournal Article20200301The selection of an optimum treatment process for high-strength wastewater is complicated. Familiarity with wastewater treatment methods is not enough to design a plant and requires a multidisciplinary knowledge base. In this research, five alternative wastewater treatment methods for high-strength wastewater were investigated and ranked based on the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) fuzzy method: upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) + membrane bioreactor (MBR), UASB + extended aeration (EA), anaerobic baffled reactor (ABR), anaerobic lagoon (ANL) + aerated lagoon (AL), and sequencing batch reactor (SBR) + ABR. These treatment methods were ranked based on five criteria, namely energy consumption, effluent total suspended solids (TSS), effluent chemical oxygen demand (COD), cost, and level of technology. The different options of the wastewater treatment plant were rated by expert decision-makers in this field. The results show that for typical high-strength wastewater, the use of an UASB reactor followed by a MBR is the most appropriate alternative for treating the wastewater.https://aet.irost.ir/article_910_e762d2202089e7f08b37a90c86b875ab.pdfIranian Research Organization for Science and TechnologyAdvances in Environmental Technology2476-66745220190401Investigation of effective parameters on adsorption of amoxicillin from aqueous medium onto activated carbon10711491810.22104/aet.2020.3781.1187ENJavadRahbar ShahrouziFaculty of Chemical Engineering
Sahand University of Technology0000-0002-1721-4326SakinehMolaeeFaculty of Chemical Engineering, Sahand University of Technology, Sahand New Town, Tabriz, IranAmanollahEbadiFaculty of Chemical Engineering, Sahand University of Technology, Sahand New Town, Tabriz, IranFarshidTowfighiFaculty of Chemical Engineering, Sahand University of Technology, Sahand New Town, Tabriz, IranFarshadBakhtiFaculty of Chemical Engineering, Sahand University of Technology, Sahand New Town, Tabriz, IranJournal Article20190827In this study, the adsorption of amoxicillin onto activated carbon was investigated. The effect of particle size and the effluent flow rate was discussed as well as the kinetics and isotherm of adsorption equilibrium. The isotherm equilibrium studies showed that the Langmuir model was appropriate for describing the adsorption equilibrium of amoxicillin onto the activated carbon. Furthermore, the kinetics of adsorption fit the pseudo-second-order model while the highest adsorption amount occurred at pH = 5. Moreover, the change of particle size from 600 microns to 125 microns resulted in increasing the adsorption amount of 102 mg/g to 225 mg/g. Furthermore, the breakthrough curves indicated that the controlling mechanism of mass transfer was intra-particle diffusion. Also, by reducing the length of the bed from 6.8 to 3.4 cm, the breakpoint time decreased from 3.2 hours to 54 minutes at 300 ppm initial concentration. Eventually, the breakpoint time increased from 2 minutes to 55 minutes by decreasing the average particle diameter from 840 to 250 microns.https://aet.irost.ir/article_918_e9b5281205b6a6f98bd2c7436c41bd7a.pdfIranian Research Organization for Science and TechnologyAdvances in Environmental Technology2476-66745220190401Environmental Impact Assessment of Solid Waste Disposal Options in Touristic Islands11512591910.22104/aet.2020.4143.1205ENAliDrayabeigi ZandSchool of Environment, College of Engineering, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran0000-0002-2490-0893AzarVaezi HeirSchool of Environment, College of Engineering, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran0000-0002-8541-8515Journal Article20200410Kish Island is a popular tourist destination in Iran, and tourism plays an important role in its economy. The volume of waste produced in the island has increased given the construction of numerous industrial projects over the past decade, as well as an increase in the tourist population. This expansion signals a need to create new methods of waste disposal. Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is a process that can be used to evaluate the impact of waste disposal options on Kish Island. Rapid impact assessment matrix (RIAM) is a powerful tool to carry out the environmental impact assessment. The RIAM conducted in this research incorporated the mathematical sustainability model to evaluate the impacts of four municipal solid waste disposal options on the environment on Kish Island. The options included: (Option 1) Continuing the current disposal activities in Kish Island, i.e., 50% waste recycling and 50% waste landfilling; (Option 2) 30% composting, 50% waste recycling, and 20% waste landfilling; (Option 3) 30% composting, 50% waste recycling, and 20% waste incineration; and (Option 4) 50% waste recycling and 50% waste incineration. Among these options, option 4 was the priority for the establishment of final waste disposal with the highest score (0.043) in terms of sustainability, as well as having fewer adverse environmental impacts. However, the current environmental status of the Kish Island disposal site (Option 1) had the lowest score (-0.263) in terms of sustainability and was found to be the last priority with the most destructive environmental effects.https://aet.irost.ir/article_919_5331f946ece3e25f7dacd4585486137a.pdfIranian Research Organization for Science and TechnologyAdvances in Environmental Technology2476-66745220190401Photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue from aqueous solution using Fe3O4@SiO2@CeO2 core-shell magnetic nanostructure as an effective catalyst12713292010.22104/aet.2020.4137.1204ENFatemehZiaadiniDepartment of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, ShahidBahonar University of Kerman, IranAliMostafaviDepartment of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, ShahidBahonar University of Kerman, IranTayebehShamspurDepartment of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, ShahidBahonar University of Kerman, IranFaribaFathiradDepartment of Nanotechnology, Graduate University of Advanced Technology, Kerman, IranJournal Article20200325In the present study, the core-shell magnetic nanostructure of Fe<sub>3</sub>O<sub>4</sub>@SiO<sub>2</sub>@CeO<sub>2</sub> was synthesized to investigate its use as an effective photocatalyst for methylene blue removal. The prepared samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and a vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). The photocatalytic activity for the Fe<sub>3</sub>O<sub>4</sub>@SiO<sub>2</sub>@CeO<sub>2</sub> core-shell magnetic nanostructure was investigated under visible light by determining the degradation rate of methylene blue for 50 min. At the end of the photocatalytic degradation process, the magnetic catalyst was recovered by an external magnetic field. The performance of the proposed catalyst for the degradation of methylene blue was improved with the optimization of the effective parameters such as the amount of catalyst, pH, and reaction time. Under optimum conditions, the efficiency of methylene blue removal with the proposed photocatalyst remains higher than 92 % after five times of use. The second pseudo-model was selected as the kinetic model to calculate catalytic degradation. The present results show that the Fe<sub>3</sub>O<sub>4</sub>@SiO<sub>2</sub>@CeO<sub>2</sub> can be an efficient nanocatalyst for the photodegradation of dye pollutants.https://aet.irost.ir/article_920_b439544cf41e99c8d86636a285e1c4bb.pdf