Diana Mariana Cocarta

Numerous studies have examined the contribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) to soil contamination, resulting from legacy oil extraction and storage activities in the energy sector, and the human health risks. In this research, a human health risk assessment (HHRA) was performed on a site contaminated with crude oil, incorporating spatial analysis to identify hotspots of carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risk from PAH-contaminated soil. In total, eight soil sampling locations were considered. The HHRA was conducted using a software tool developed by the National University of Science and Technology POLIETHNICA of Bucharest according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) and American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM International) standards. The results obtained in the current assessment were validated against the Risk-net software 3.2 (an Italian tool for risk assessment validated by the ISPRA). The assessment considered a residential scenario (adult and child receptors) using four different exposure pathways: soil ingestion, dermal contact, vapor inhalation (due to the volatilization process) and groundwater ingestion (because of the leaching process). The carcinogenic risk (CR = 1 × 10⁻⁵) and total hazard index (THI < 1) in the studied area were above the threshold values for both adults’ and children’s receptors. The highest concern is given to the process of PAHs leaching from soil to groundwater. The highest carcinogenic concern is benzo(a)pyrene for children’s exposure via groundwater ingestion (CR = 3.53 × 10⁻⁵), while the highest toxic effect is registered for the contaminant naphthalene (THI = 6.22) for the same receptor and exposure pathway.

Air pollution from industrial point sources remains a major concern in urban environments, highlighting the need for accessible tools that support both education and preliminary environmental assessment. This study presents the development and intercomparison of an open-source, QGIS-based geospatial model for simulating atmospheric pollutant dispersion from fixed point sources using the Gaussian plume formulation. The model integrates emission parameters, meteorological conditions, and terrain data within a fully spatial workflow implemented through the QGIS graphical modeler, enabling the generation of ground-level concentration fields without advanced programming expertise. Dispersion is simulated with and without inclusion of a ground reflection term, allowing comparative analysis of boundary condition effects. The model was applied to a representative urban industrial source at the National University of Science and Technology POLITEHNICA Bucharest, using CO₂ emissions treated as a passive tracer. Model outputs were evaluated through descriptive statistics and quantitative comparison with two established open-source Gaussian plume implementations developed in Python. Ground reflection leads to an increase of approximately 60% in modeled near-surface concentrations, particularly in the upper tail of the distribution, underscoring its importance for screening-level exposure assessment. The proposed model provides a transparent, reproducible, and user-friendly framework suitable for teaching activities, rapid screening analyses, and exploratory air quality assessments.

At the European Union level, approximately 60–70% of soil is in unhealthy or degraded conditions. One of the soil threats is the legacy of industrial pollution, as historic industrial pollutants discharged into the ground continue to pose risks to both the environment and human health. As part of the legislative measures adopted in the late 90 s, Human Health Risk Assessment (HHRA) was introduced as a standardized method for evaluating risks associated with contaminated sites. To support the quantification of these risks, various software tool models were developed. This study reviews 12 HHRA tools for contaminated sites developed across different countries. First, an overview of national legislative frameworks concerning contaminated sites, with a particular focus on the use of HHRA as a decision-making tool, is provided. Subsequently, the study compares and discusses the methodologies adopted by each tool, the exposure pathways and receptors considered, the integrated contaminant databases, and additional features provided by the models. The comparison highlights the diversity of functionalities offered by the different tools, reflecting a lack of harmonization among national regulations regarding contaminated site management. Beyond the need for a harmonized approach at the EU level, potential future developments include the design of more user-friendly interfaces capable of expanding exposure scenarios, updating contaminant lists (including emerging pollutants such as PFAS), integrating uncertainty analysis, incorporating Geographic Information System (GIS)-based visualizations, and integrating artificial intelligence (AI)/machine learning (ML).

This work focuses on assessing the potential for energy recovery from biomass obtained from unproductive lands in the Jiu Valley. The main objective of the study is to identify a viable solution for the restoration of degraded land. The research aims to utilise these lands through energy crops; the biomass is then introduced into an anaerobic digestion plant to produce biogas. The novelty of this research consists of the physical transformation of these lands into a living laboratory, intended exclusively for the cultivation and study of biomass. Maize, soybean and sorghum plants were chosen for the study. The biomass was analysed in detail to determine the total solids (TS) and volatile solids (VS) content. In maize, VS ranged from 62.67% by mass to 76.58% by mass. In soybean, VS content was between 35.35% by mass and 36.60% by mass. In sorghum, VS ranged between 35.29% by mass and 38.86% by mass. This research showed that the largest amount of biogas resulted from fresh soybean biomass. Dry biomass, with its high lignin content, significantly reduced the digestion process’s efficiency. The study highlights that it is important to use fresh biomass after an appropriate mechanical pre-treatment to optimise biogas production.

During the past decade, electrokinetic remediation and its associated hybrid technologies have emerged as new technologies for removal of organic pollutants from contaminated soils. To address hydrocarbon-contaminated soils, a novel myco-electrochemical remediation approach was designed and evaluated within the current study. For the first time, the coupling of electrochemical with myco-augmentation, using Pleurotus ostreatus Spent Mushroom Substrate as inoculum to degrade Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons from soil was applied as part of an experimental study. Furthermore, myco-augmentation and single electrokinetic treatment were assessed in relation to two distinct hydrocarbon-contaminated soils: an area with oil and natural gas extraction wells (clay soil), and agricultural land (sandy soil) where an unintentional spill occurred. Single treatments have been also evaluated separately for both soil texture. The experimental outcomes revealed that Mycoremediation tends to perform better in soils with a sandy texture (removal rates reached 37.15% in sandy soil, compared to 34.55% in clay soil). The trend was reversed when the electrochemical method was employed. Electrokinetic treatment worked better for clay soils, with a removal rate of 45.69% for, compared to 14.57% for clay soil. Electroremediation and Mycoremediation alone were not as effective as the combined application of the two distinct remediation technologies. With the sequential approach, abatement rates of 48.63% for sandy soil and 53.44% for clay soil were achieved. Resulted in this way that, integrating electrokinetic and mycoremediation techniques offers a sustainable strategy for remediating soils contaminated with petroleum hydrocarbons, while reducing the overall energy consumption and costs in soil remediation.

Inadequate production practices are widely used in aquaculture management, causing excessive water and energy usage, as well as ecological damage. New approaches to sustainable aquaculture attempt to increase production efficiency, while reducing the quantities generated of wastewater and sludge. The sustainable operating techniques are often ineffective, expensive, and difficult to implement. The present article proposes a zero-waste production system, designed for growing fish and vegetables, using a new circular operational concept that creates synergies between fish farming and horticulture. In order to optimize the operational flows with resources, products, and wastes in an integrated zero-waste food production cluster, a business model was designed associating three ecological production practices: a closed fishing pond, a technology for growing vegetables in straw bales, and a composting system. The design had the role to assist the transition toward multiple circular material flows, where the waste can be fully reintegrated into the production processes. A comparative evaluation was conducted in three alternative growing environments, namely, a soilless culture established in straw bales, a culture grown in soil that had received compost fertilizer, and the conventional farming technique. When compared to conventional methods, experiments showed a significant increase in the cluster’s cumulative productivity, resulting in a 12% improvement in energy efficiency, 18% increase in food production, and 25% decrease in operating expenses.

In the present and projected context of an increasing worldwide demand for food, the intensification of climate change effects on agriculture, and the depletion and degradation of natural resources, global actions must be taken to assure future food security for all people. Improper practices along the food supply chain, from primary production to consumption, generate huge quantities of food waste. Building a circular bioeconomy that feeds recycled materials back into the economy and minimizes the loss of resources will be an important step in introducing the world’s food system to a sustainable path. The present case study describes an enclosed on-site composting system for food waste, operated in real-life conditions. The composting equipment was installed for a restaurant with specific needs in November 2020, located near a shopping center in Bucharest, the capital city of Romania. The physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of the compost came from a mix of food waste from a retail restaurant and sawdust pellets used as absorbent material, and these were analyzed to monitor compost quality and establish valorization opportunities. Two different monitoring campaigns were developed and the biological parameters were analyzed. The second monitoring campaign indicated that the compost was contaminated with Escherichia coli and Salmonella spp. When handled correctly and according to instructions, the composting process eliminates pathogens that may be present in food waste, such as Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp., etc., resulting in a high-quality compost that can be valorized in agriculture such as fertilizer or soil improver. Our results demonstrated that even when maintaining the same composition of raw materials in the composter, the quality and properties of the compost are greatly influenced by its operating conditions. Quality management procedures must be enforced and procedures must be strictly followed for the compost to be considered compliant. Compost that does not meet the requirements according to the regulation in force is again subjected to composting. If, after repeating the operation, the compost is still noncompliant, it is declared nonrecyclable waste, and must follow the specific procedure for such waste.

Food waste generation is increasing at an exponential rate, affecting the environment, food security, and causing major economic issues worldwide. The main aim of the current research is to investigate a novel composting technology that is still in its early stages of development. The proposed composting technology combining thermophilic composting with the use of advanced automated processing reactors. Starting from a qualitative and quantitative analysis of the waste generated at retail-stores, the most significant difficulties associated to waste management as well as the main characteristics of the discarded waste were identified. The findings allowed to design and evaluate the real operating performance of an automated thermophilic composting prototype (working in a decentralized regime), with the goal of delivering a faster processing system, improving operational efficiency, reducing expenses, and lowering environmental impacts. The proposed operating technique showed a high capacity for pathogens and seeds removal, the waste input mass reduction of 88%, and efficiency in food processing (2235 kg of fruits and vegetables in a 14-days timeframe).