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Found 39 results.

Grey water treatment in upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor

Das Projekt "Grey water treatment in upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Technische Universität Hamburg-Harburg, Institut für Abwasserwirtschaft und Gewässerschutz B-2 durchgeführt. In ecological sanitation, the wastewater is considered not only as a pollutant, but also as a resource for fertiliser, water and energy and for closing water and nutrients cycles (Otterpohl et. al., 1999; Otterpohl et. al., 2003; Elmitwalli et al. 2005). The ecological sanitation based on separation between grey and black water (and even between faeces and urine), is considered a visible future solution for wastewater collection and treatment. Grey water, which symbolises the wastewater generated in the household excluding toilet wastewater (black water), represents the major volume of the domestic wastewater (60- 75 percent) with low content of nutrients and pathogens (Otterpohl et. al., 1999; Jefferson et al., 1999; Eriksson et al., 2002). Most of grey-water treatment plants include one or two-step septic-tank for pre-treatment (Otterpohl et al., 2003). The grey-water treatment needs both physical and biological processes for removal of particles, dissolved organic-matters and pathogens (Jefferson et al., 1999). Recently, many researchers have studied the grey-water treatment either by application of high-rate aerobic systems, like rotating biological contactor (Nolde, 1999), fluidised bed (Nolde, 1999), aerobic filter (Jefferson et al., 2000), membrane bioreactor (Jefferson et al., 2000), or by application of low-rate systems, like slow sand filter (Jefferson et al., 1999), vertical flow wetlands (Otterpohl et. al., 2003). Although high-rate anaerobic systems, which are low-cost systems, have both physical and biological removal, no research has been done until now on grey water in these systems. The grey water contains a significant amount (41 percent) of chemical oxygen demand (COD) in the domestic wastewater (Otterpohl et al., 2003) and this amount can be removed by the highrate anaerobic systems. Although high-rate anaerobic systems have been successfully operated in tropical regions for domestic wastewater treatment, the process up till now is not applied in lowtemperature regions. The COD removal is limited for domestic wastewater treatment in high-rate anaerobic systems at low temperatures and, therefore, a long HRT is needed for providing sufficient hydrolysis of particulate organic (Zeeman and Lettinga, 1999; Elmitwalli et al. 2002). The grey water has a relatively higher temperature (18-38 degree C), as compared to the domestic wastewater (Eriksson et al. 2002), because the grey water originates from hot water sources, like shower (29 degree C), kitchen (27-38 degree C) and laundry (28-32 degree C). Therefore, high-rate anaerobic systems might run efficiently for on-site grey water treatment, even in low-temperature regions. The upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor is the most applied system for anaerobic domestic waster treatment. Accordingly, the aim of this research is to study the feasibility of application of UASB reactor for the treatment of grey water at low and controlled (30 degree C) temperatures.

B 1.2: Efficient water use in limestone areas - Phase 2

Das Projekt "B 1.2: Efficient water use in limestone areas - Phase 2" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Universität Hohenheim, Institut für Bodenkunde und Standortslehre durchgeführt. The elevated areas of Northern Thailand highlands are inhabited by ethnic minorities. On the other hand, the Thai majority prefers the valley bottoms. Population growth of all groups, reforestation and commercialisation of agriculture lead to an increasing pressure on land and water resources. Therefore, intensified land and water use systems are desired which are resource conserving at the same time. Here, special problem areas are the karstic limestone catchments due to the limited of surface waters.Own pre-investigations together with subproject A1 have shown, that land use systems there are subsistence oriented and local farmers do not use irrigation. But they would like to develop such technology, especially in order to increase staple crop production (highland rice, maize). But lack of irrigation possibilities is also responsible for the lack of diversification of land use systems with respect to orchards. One possibility to increase staple crop yields is to prolong the vegetation period by use of water harvesting technologies. Aim of this project is to develop such low cost water harvesting technologies (together with subproject B3.1) based on a participatory approach and to model the effect of these on the water balance at the catchments scale. This will be done on the basis of the previous variability studies and should lead to model tools, which allow to evaluate ex ante SFB innovation effects on the water balance. The project area is the Bor Krai catchments. Here, weirs will be installed to quantify surface water availability. An investigation plot will be situated near the village of Bor Krai which serves for water balance measurements (TDR/densitometry) and at the same time as demonstration plot for the local community. Here water harvesting by means of filling the soils field capacity at the end of the rainy season by gravity irrigation in order to prolong the vegetation period will be researched. Through cropping of participatory evaluated varieties the crop yield should be increased. The water consumption of traditionally managed and dominant crops (including orchards) will be measured at three further sites in the catchment (TDR, tensiometer). The water balance of the soil cover in the karst catchment will be based on the coupling of a SOTER map with a water transport model. The data base will be completed by soil type mapping, spatially randomised collection of soil physical properties (texture, bulk density, infiltration, water retention curve) and determination of the ku-function at two representative sites. As project results the available water amount for irrigation purposes will be quantified. The effective use of this water reserve will lead to increased productivity of the dominant crops and limitations to orchard productivity will be reduced. (abridged text)

Sustainable use of fruits of Bertholletia excelsa

Das Projekt "Sustainable use of fruits of Bertholletia excelsa" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Universität Hamburg, Arbeitsbereich für Weltforstwirtschaft und Institut für Weltforstwirtschaft des Friedrich-Löffler-Institut, Bundesforschungsinstitut für Tiergesundheit durchgeführt. Objectives: Bertholletia excelsa Humb. and Bonpl. is one of the protected tree species of Amazonia in Brazil although classified as vulnerable acc. to IUCN. It is prohibited to fell trees and use their timber. However, the fruits, commonly known as Brazil nuts, can be harvested for local consumption and export. The objective of the project is to investigate a natural primary forest in Roraima, Brazil and assess the commercial potential for harvesting nuts, with special reference to international sustainability criteria. Although there has been no timber harvest in the forest in the past, nuts have been collected extensively by the local population - mainly for sale on the local markets. These activities were stopped in 2004. The research is closely connected to the natural forest management project. Results: Results are not yet available. However, preliminary data analyses reveal that - there is hardly any correlation between size of mother trees and available regeneration or available fruit mass located on the ground around those trees; - the amount of nuts per tree (approx. greater than 60 cm dbh) is very variable; - regeneration (seedlings and advanced growth) is sparse which makes long-term survival of the species questionable if collection of nuts in continued like in the past.

Clean Seas: Analysis of ERS SAR Data Acquired Over the Ocean and Comparison with Oceanic and Atmospheric Models

Das Projekt "Clean Seas: Analysis of ERS SAR Data Acquired Over the Ocean and Comparison with Oceanic and Atmospheric Models" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Universität Hamburg, Zentrum für Meeres- und Klimaforschung, Institut für Meereskunde (IfM) durchgeführt. The Research Group Satellite Oceanography of the Institute of Oceanography, University of Hamburg, is participating in the joint international project CLEAN SEAS, a three year investigation of marine pollution monitoring using satellite-borne instruments. The participants of CLEAN SEAS are dealing with the following activities: Collection of ERS-2 SAR images of the Baltic Sea, North Sea, and the Golfe du Lion Classification of oceanic features Comparison of these features Input for compilation of meta databases Comparison with products of other sensors (e.g., AVHRR, SSMI).

Barley dwarfs acting big in agronomy. Identification of genes and characterization of proteins involved in dwarfism, lodging resistance and crop yield

Das Projekt "Barley dwarfs acting big in agronomy. Identification of genes and characterization of proteins involved in dwarfism, lodging resistance and crop yield" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft durchgeführt. Barley (Hordeum vulgare) is an important cereal grain which serves as major animal fodder crop as well as basis for malt beverages or staple food. Currently barley is ranked fourth in terms of quantity of cereal crops produced worldwide. In times of a constantly growing world population in conjunction with an unforeseeable climate change and groundwater depletion, the accumulation of knowledge concerning cereal growth and rate of yield gain is important. The Nordic Genetic Resource Center holds a major collection of barley mutants produced by irradiation or chemical treatment. One phenotypic group of barley varieties are dwarf mutants (erectoides, brachytic, semidwarf, uzu). They are characterized by a compact spike and high rate of yield while the straw is short and stiff, enhancing the lodging resistance of the plant. Obviously they are of applied interest, but they are also of scientific interest as virtually nothing is known about the genes behind the development of plant dwarfism. The aim of this project is to identify and isolate the genes carrying the mutations by using state of the art techniques for gene cloning at the Carlsberg Laboratory. The identified genes will be connected with the mutant phenotype to reveal the gene function in general. One or two genes will be overexpressed and the resulting recombinant proteins will be biochemically and structurally characterized. The insights how the mutation effects the protein will display the protein function in particular. Identified genes and their mutant alleles will be tested in the barley breeding program of the Carlsberg brewery.

C 2.2: Rehabilitation of barren hills: Improvement of communal grazing lands

Das Projekt "C 2.2: Rehabilitation of barren hills: Improvement of communal grazing lands" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Universität Hohenheim, Institut für Tropische Agrarwissenschaften (Hans-Ruthenberg-Institut) (490), Fachgebiet Wasserstreß-Management bei Kulturpflanzen in den Tropen und Subtropen (490g) durchgeführt. A considerable proportion of the mountainous areas of Northern Vietnam consists of unproductive, degraded lands, the so-called 'barren hills'. Research during the first phase of the SFB aimed at (1) identifying plant communities that are indicators for the different degradation levels and thus may be useful for rapid-diagnosis purposes, and (2) exploring the potential of perennial legumes for rehabilitating such degraded areas, as an alternative to afforestation as the conventional attempt to 're-green' barren hills. Regarding the rehabilitation potential of legumes, a 24-accession core collection of the multipurpose shrub Flemingia macrophylla, assembled on the basis of the accessions' origin information, is examined for its variability with respect to morphological, agronomic, forage plant and soil-reclamation characteristics. This work has only begun in 2002 and will continue, within the proposed 2nd-phase research, until 2005. Research results of the first SFB phase (subprojects C2 and F1) suggest that a considerable portion of barren hills is used as communal grazing lands and that farmers are very interested in improvement measures to raise their productivity. Since to date there has been no research dealing with such native, communal pastures, C2.2 proposes to assess, in particularly close cooperation with A1.2 and F1.2, their role, productivity, forage value, and land use patterns leading to the development of grazing lands, by means of (1) PRA surveys and (2) primary-production and nutritive-value studies based on appropriate vegetation samplings (exclosures) on-farm during the rainy and dry seasons. Furthermore, C2.2 will test, under minimum-input conditions and by means of participatory research, a best-bet set of five 'improved' forage grasses and six 'improved' forage legumes regarding their adaptation to/production under prevailing soil and climate constraints, nutritive value, potential to persist under overgrazing conditions, and relative palatability to buffaloes and local cattle. Also this work will have close links with A1.2 and F1.2, in addition to D2.2. The expected outcome of the proposed research will be the availability of knowledge about and understanding of (1) the variability in the Flemingia macrophylla core collection regarding its forage and soil reclamation potential; (2) the influence of land use on the development of communal grazing lands and their contribution to local livestock production systems; and (3) promising pasture grass and legume species adapted to prevailing edaphic, climatic and management conditions.

Verwertung von PUMA-Produkten

Das Projekt "Verwertung von PUMA-Produkten" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von bifa Umweltinstitut GmbH durchgeführt. Im April 2012 führte PUMA das Rücknahmesystem Bring Me Back ein. Seither können Kunden in PUMA Stores weltweit gebrauchte Produkte zurückgeben, die dann durch die Firma I:CO der Weiterverwendung und Verwertung zugeführt werden. Auch die Produkte der neuen recyclefähigen und biologisch abbaubaren PUMA-InCycle-Kollektion, die seit März 2013 auf dem Markt sind, werden so erfasst. Hierzu gehört etwa das recycelbare PUMA Track Jacket, das zu 98 Prozent aus Polyester aus gebrauchten PET-Flaschen besteht. Der PUMA-Rucksack aus Polypropylen wird nach Gebrauch an den ursprünglichen Hersteller zurückgegeben, der das Material wieder zu neuen Rucksäcken verarbeitet. Durch solche Neuentwicklungen will PUMA seine Planungs- und Entscheidungsbasis verbessern. Deshalb hat sie bifa mit der Analyse abfallwirtschaftlicher Optionen für gebrauchte PUMA Produkte beauftragt. bifa untersuchte hierzu Referenzprodukte und Optionen für die Erfassung und Sortierung von Produkten und Materialien. 35 Pfade mit unterschiedlichen Verwertungs- und Beseitigungsansätzen wurden entwickelt und bewertet. Die Realisierungschancen der Pfade wurden dann dem zu erwartenden Nutzen insbes. für die Umwelt gegenübergestellt. Dabei wurde zwischen gut entwickelten und wenig entwickelten Abfallwirtschaften (Waste-Picking-Szenario W-P-Szenario) unterschieden. Es zeigte sich, dass Pfade, die im Szenario Abfallwirtschaft ökologisch nachteilig sind, im W-P-Szenario durchaus vorteilhaft sein können. Im W-P-Szenario sind zudem Pfade realisierbar, die in entwickelten Abfallwirtschaften keine Chance hätten. Die moderne Abfallverbrennung ist für W-P-Szenarien ökologisch vorteilhaft, aber dennoch eine schwierige Option. In entwickelten Abfallwirtschaften sollten Sammlung und Wiedereinsatz gebrauchter Schuhe und Textilien weiterentwickelt werden. Die folgenden generellen Empfehlungen wurden gegeben: - Der Einsatz von Recyclingmaterialien in PUMA-Produkten ist aus ökologischer Sicht zu empfehlen. Diese Erkenntnis wird auch durch die Ergebnisse der ersten ökologischen Gewinn-und-Verlust-Rechnung von PUMA belegt. Über die Hälfte aller Umweltauswirkungen entlang der gesamten Produktions- und Lieferkette des Unternehmens werden bei der Herstellung von Rohmaterialien verursacht - Das Produktdesign sollte auch für bestehende Verwertungspfade optimiert werden, da realistischerweise nur ein Teil der Produkte über das Sammelsystem erfasst werden kann - Die ökologischen Vorteile von Produkten, die aus nur einem Material bestehen, kommen nur dann zum Tragen, wenn das Produkt nach Gebrauch aussortiert und das Material tatsächlich recycelt wird - Biol. abbaubare Produkte können auch Nachteile haben, zum Beispiel die schnellere Entwicklung von klimaschädlichem Methan bei ungeordneter Deponierung - Eine Verlängerung der Produktlebensdauer über den gesamten Lebenszyklus einschl. der Verwendung als Gebrauchtprodukt ist der effektivste Weg, Umweltlasten zu reduzieren. Meth. Ökobilanzierung und Systemanalyse (Text gekürzt)

Potential der Arzneipflanze Passiflora incarnata L. als Bodendeckerpflanze in Obstplantagen Nord-Thailands

Das Projekt "Potential der Arzneipflanze Passiflora incarnata L. als Bodendeckerpflanze in Obstplantagen Nord-Thailands" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Universität Hohenheim, Fakultät III Agrarwissenschaften I, Institut für Pflanzenproduktion und Agrarökologie in den Tropen und Subtropen, Fachgebiet Biodiversität und Landrehabilitation in den Tropen und Subtropen durchgeführt. Erosion of the often uncovered soil is a major problem for the establishment of smallholder fruit tree plantations in North Thailand. The use of multi-purpose cover plants can not only conserve useful soil resources but also create further income for peasants. Dried plant material from the passion flower (Passiflora incarnata L.) is used for herbal tea and extracts to be used as sedativa. The species is widespread in the Southern USA. The drug is often produced based on wild collections and exported to Europe. In exploratory trials in Thailand passion flower showed a good drought resistance due to its deep rooting system, and a good resistance against weeds and diseases. The yield potential and the amounts of ingredients appear to be promising with regard for the adoption by farmers. The flavonoids in the passion flower are mostly flavone-C-glycosides and are used for characterisation of the drug. Quantitative studies of imported drug material showed large differences in quantities and types of the flavone-C-glycosides. The causes for these differences are still not understood. Not much is known about the effect of cultivation techniques, fertilizer, growth stage on the content of flavonoids. The objective of this project is to study the potential of the passion flower as a soil cover plant in smallholder fruit tree plantations in North Thailand. Factors to be monitored are the effects of fertilizer and growth stage at harvest on plant yield and components.

INFRES:Innovative and Effective Technology and Logistics for Forest Residual Biomass Supply in the EU

Das Projekt "INFRES:Innovative and Effective Technology and Logistics for Forest Residual Biomass Supply in the EU" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Universität Freiburg, Institut für Forst- und Umweltpolitik durchgeführt. INFRES is a three year EU FP7 funded study focused on developing innovative technology and logistics for the forest residual biomass supply chain. The goal is to improve the overall competitiveness of forest residue biomass throughout the EU by accelerating technological (equipment and software) development and demonstrations. Following the directive for renewable energy targets in the EU, forest residue will continue to play an leading role in the renewable energy sector. This overall study focuses on the efficient collection, processing and delivery of woody feed stock for heating, power and emerging bio-refining uses. This research and demonstration project involves 23 partners, including nine research universities and organizations and 14 SMEs FELIS: FELIS will be leading Work Package 3, titled 'Business innovations and adaptations of forestry practices to bioenergy supply'. This research effort first evaluates the future customers and markets of forest biomass to 2050 and then focuses on how existing forestry practices may be modified in order to enhance and improve biomass recovery. Partnering with both software companies and regional bioenergy firms, this work task develops business and service innovations in order to improve organization efficiency, lowering cost and improving service.

Cost Accounting and Efficiency of Forest enterprises in the Brazilian Amazon

Das Projekt "Cost Accounting and Efficiency of Forest enterprises in the Brazilian Amazon" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Universität Freiburg, Waldbau-Institut durchgeführt. Zur Produktion von einem Kubikmeter Schnittholz werden in Amazonien mehr als drei Kubikmeter Rundholz verbraucht. Durch eine effizientere Ernte und Verarbeitung des Holzes könnte die von Holznutzung betroffene Fläche drastisch reduziert und zugleich das wirtschaftliche Ergebnis der Betriebe verbessert werden. Doch viele Betriebe sind sich dieser Möglichkeit nicht bewusst, weil die Erhebung und Analyse von Produktionsdaten in der amazonischen Holzindustrie weitgehend unbekannt sind. Vor diesem Hintergrund wurde die Produktion und die Kosten von 5 Holzbetrieben im brasilianischen Bundeststaat Pará erhoben. Die Studie ergab dringend benötigte Informationen über die Kosten von Waldbewirtschaftung in Amazonien. Wichtigstes Ergebnis war, dass die Kosten der Holzproduktion im wesentlichen von der Professionalität des Unternehmensmanagements abhängig sind. Die angewandten Techniken (Reduced Impact Logging - RIL oder konventionell) spielen eine untergeordnete Rolle. Jedoch verursacht der Umstieg auf RIL einen starken Anstieg der Fixkosten. Den damit verbundenen Anforderungen an das Betriebsmanagement können nur sehr wenige Betriebe in Amazonien gerecht werden.

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