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In this study, the seasonal variation of atmospheric concentrations of PCDD/F and Dl-PCB and the effect of meteorological factors on concentration were investigated. Ambient air samples were collected monthly between May 2011 and October 2013 by using high volume samplers. Based on these samples, average PCDD/F and dl-PCB concentrations were obtained as 1482 fg/m3 and 4983 fg/m3 respectively. PCDD/F congeners did show seasonal variations. 58% share in total PCDD/Fs belongs to winter season while 4% to summer season. No significant seasonal change has been observed for dl-PCBs. 92% (1397 fg/m3) of PCDD/Fs were detected in particulate phase while 20% (926 fg/m3) of dl-PCBs were found in particulate phase. Strong negative correlations were obtained between all homolog groups and T, UV, SR. Correlation between five-chlorinated dl-PCBs, the most abandoned homolog group, with T, UV and SR generated positive meaningful correlation. No meaningful correlations were observed with other parameters. Correlations with particle phase were found to be more meaningful compared to gas phase for both PCDD/Fs and dl-PCBs.

The objective of this work was to determine the composition and production rate of cytostatic pharmaceutical waste produced by Theagenion Cancer Treatment Hospital (TCTH) in Thessaloniki, Greece. This information is necessary for the design and costing of management systems for cytostatic pharmaceutical waste, for assessing their environmental impact and for health and safety considerations. A total of 826 kg cytostatic pharmaceutical waste was collected, manually separated and weighed over a period of ten working weeks. Total cytostatic pharmaceutical waste was classified in three categories, vial waste comprising 38.3%, syringe waste with 4.5% and intravenous therapy (IV) waste with 57.2% of the total. Vial waste only was classified according to the active ingredients in alkylating agents, antimetabolites, cytotoxic antibiotics, Vinca alkaloids and “other” antineoplastic drugs. The overall cytostatic waste production by the hospital was 22900(6955) g/d, with numbers in parenthesis representing standard deviations. The average unit production rates of total cytostatic pharmaceutical waste were 140(64) g/patient/d and 201(61) g/bed/d. The respective unit production rates were: (1) for vial waste 41(11) g/patient/d and 77(46) g/bed/d, (2) for syringe waste 5(1.5) g/patient/d and 9(5) g/bed/d and (3) for IV waste 94(63) g/patient/d and 115(43) g/bed/d.

This paper presents the results of an experimental study carried out in field-scale test cells in order to determine the effect of aeration and leachate recirculation on waste decomposition rate, solid waste characteristics, landfill gas composition and settlement in the landfill body. Four landfill test cells with the dimensions of 20 m x 40 m x 5 m were constructed in Komurcuoda Sanitary Landfill, Istanbul. Solid wastes representing Istanbul Asian side waste characteristics were landfilled in the test cells and they were operated simulating anaerobic (AN1), leachate recirculated anaerobic (AN2), semi-aerobic (A1) and aerobic landfilling (A2) methods. Alternative landfilling methods for accelerating solid waste stabilization in landfills were investigated by means of solid waste characteristics (elemental analysis, pH, moisture content, TOC, TKN, C/N ratio, volatile solid content (VS), biochemical methane potential (BMP), and stability index (SI) analysis), landfill gas components (CH4, CO2, O2, and H2S), temperature variations in landfill body, and landfill settlement. The study indicated that aeration and leachate recirculation accelerate biodegradation rate. Higher rates of MSW biodegradation eventually provide reduction in the contaminant life span of the landfill by achieving a high waste volume reduction in a relatively short duration than anaerobic test cells, decrease the cost of long term monitoring incurred with post-closure of landfill sites. In case of impossibility of aerobic landfilling based on the results of the cost benefit analysis, it was stated out that semi-aerobic landfilling technology is also a viable method in shortening the stabilization time and accelerating the landfill gas production.

This study investigated optimum operating conditions of supercritical water oxidation (SCWO) for octol and compared the degradation of its components TNT (2,4,6-trinitrotoluene) and HMX (octahydro-1,3,5,7- tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetrazocine, octogen) under the same conditions. Pilot scale experiments were conducted at various temperatures, reaction times and oxidant amounts. Removal efficiency, by-product analysis and toxicity tests were selected as the performance criteria for the SCWO. Optimum conditions were determined as a temperature of 500 C, 120 s of oxidation time and an oxidant ratio of 150%. Removal of octol was achieved at a rate of 99.99%, while TNT and HMX were removed individually at a rate of ~85% when they existed in the wastewater. No toxicity was observed at the end of the octol oxidation, whereas toxicity was found in the TNT and HMX oxidation due to the formation of TNT isomer and aniline. Higher initial organic material concentrations promoted the removal rates. These results demonstrated that SCWO can be effectively used for the degradation of ammunition wastewater even when concentrations are high.