Journal of Environmental Management

Our medical research library holds 15 studies published in Journal of Environmental Management (2009–2024). Each entry links to the study's record on PubMed and, where there is one, to the publisher's page and a free full text. 15 have an abstract, the authors' own summary as PubMed records it: open "Abstract" to read it.

About the journal

• Publisher: Academic Press
• Published: 1973 to the present, England
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0301-4797 (print), 1095-8630 (electronic)
• Absorbed: Advances in Environmental Research
• Its record in the NLM Catalog

2020s

• Recycling thermally deactivated asbestos cement in mortar: A possible route towards a rapid conclusion of the "asbestos problem". G. Capitani, M. Dalpiaz, F. Vergani, et al. 2024;355:120507. PubMed · Publisher

  Abstract

  The "asbestos problem" arises from the fact that asbestos is still abundant in many buildings and represents a hazard for human health. Current strategies adopted by law aiming at mitigating this hazard are far from being ideal. A smarter solution would be an energy sustainable detoxification treatment followed by recycling. If adopted, it would preserve the environment from pollution, natural resources from depletion and human health from hazard. Asbestos-cement slates were thermally deactivated through a sustainable process and reused in mortar for plaster applications. We found that the addition up to 7 wt% of the deactivated product does not affect significantly the water demand; does not affect thixotropy, stickiness and spreadability of the plastic mixture; slightly increases the strength of the mortar; does not compromise mechanical properties after aging. Considering the huge amount of traditional mortar employed worldwide, a rapid end of the "asbestos problem" is envisaged.

  Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

• Towards an improved wind effect assessment for asbestos abatement: A methodology for reduced-scale experiments. A.K.R. Jayakumari, R. Guichard, A. Ricci, et al. 2024;370:122698. PubMed · Publisher

  Abstract

  During building renovation or demolition, asbestos fibers can be released which can contaminate the environment, leading to potential occupational health and public health concerns. Strict asbestos abatement procedures and regulations are in place to mitigate this risk, which involve sealing the worksite and depressurizing it relative to the outdoor environment (i.e., indoor pressure lower than the outdoor pressure) using mechanical ventilation. However, the depressurization of the containment can be breached by the effects of the wind. Hence, it is essential to identify which wind conditions are problematic and how to prevent their effects. To conduct corresponding laboratory measurements, it is first required to scale down the building and its containment zone including a working mechanical ventilation system. This paper presents an innovative methodology for conducting reduced-scale experiments on buildings equipped with mechanical ventilation systems for contaminant containment. The methodology, here explained in the context of asbestos abatement, could also be applied to any other type of particulate pollutant. The methodology of this research study includes the design of a mechanical ventilation system for depressurization; a method to scale down the building and the ventilation system for testing in a wind tunnel; and 3D steady Reynolds averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) simulations for optimizing the positioning of the ventilation components. The methodology is applied for a single-zone building including its ventilation system, which is found to achieve the targeted indoor depressurization of -40 Pa, making it ready for wind tunnel tests.

  Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

• A review on vitrification technologies of hazardous waste. R.C. Sanito, M. Bernuy-Zumaeta, S.J. You, et al. 2022;316:115243. Review PubMed · Publisher

  Abstract

  Vitrification technology provides a solution for the issue of safe disposal of hazardous waste containing harmful chemical composition and organic pollutants. This review discusses application of vitrification technologies to treat hazardous waste including, asbestos, fly ash, electronic sludge, nuclear waste, medical waste and radioactive waste. Vitrification processes via Joule heating, microwave heating, plasma technology, electric arc furnaces and incinerators are compared herein. Stabilization of hazardous waste can be achieved by vitrification with the addition of flux agents/additives. Furthermore, crystalline structures, containing the silicate-glass network, are formed as a result of vitrification, depending on the type of flux agents/additives used. In addition, the concentration of heavy metals can be degraded in the final residue and leaching resistance can be achieved. Moreover, energy consumption, pollution prevention and the foreground of the practical application of vitrification are discussed. Vitrification with the advantage of encapsulating pollutants from the hazardous waste is proven to be a promising approach for hazardous waste treatment.

  Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

• Challenges and opportunities of terahertz technology in construction and demolition waste management. A. Abina, U. Puc, A. Zidanšek. 2022;315:115118. PubMed · Publisher

  Abstract

  Construction and demolition waste are one of the largest waste streams generated in the EU by volume. They consist of materials such as concrete, bricks, gypsum, wood, glass, metals, foams, plastics, solvents, asbestos, asphalt, and excavated soil. Nowadays, many of them can be recycled, some even endlessly. This research attempts to contribute to the non-destructive characterization of such a waste with a novel method using terahertz radiation. By combining terahertz imaging and spectroscopy, we performed analytical characterization of selected building materials. The results demonstrate that terahertz technology allows an inside view into some of the non-conducting building materials. THz imaging can detect and visualize the organic solvents in the insulation material, which are often disposed of together with construction and demolition waste. It can also visualize the content of foreign objects or hazardous and toxic substances, which is important for their separation in the recyclate according to the type of the material. Furthermore, THz spectra reveal some spectral lines that can differentiate between different plastics and polymers within the frequency range of 1.0-4.5 THz due to different material structures and chemical compositions. Such results significantly contribute to the decision of which product meets all the standards, which can be returned to the production process due to irregularities or may be disposed of as waste. The only way to reduce construction and demolition waste in the future is to encourage the adoption of innovative technologies like terahertz spectroscopy in combination with traditional methods. This approach can bring some changes also to the construction design philosophy toward more sustainable buildings with minimum end-of-life demolition.

  Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

• Is asbestos still a problem in the world? A current review. L.P. Thives, E. Ghisi, J.J. Thives Júnior, et al. 2022;319:115716. Review PubMed · Publisher

  Abstract

  Asbestos has been used by automobile, construction, manufacturing, power, and chemical industries for many years due to its particular properties, i.e. high tensile strength, non-flammable, thermal and electrical resistance and stability, and chemical resistance. However, such a mineral causes harmful effects to human health, including different types of cancer (e.g., mesothelioma). As a result, the use of asbestos has been banned since the 1980s in many countries. Nonetheless, asbestos is still part of the daily life of the population as asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) are still present in many buildings constructed and renovated before the 1990s. This work aims to present a current literature review about asbestos. The literature review was composed mainly of research articles published in international journals from the medical and engineering disciplines to provide an overview of asbestos use effects reported in interdisciplinary areas. The literature review comprised asbestos characteristics and its relationship to the risks of human exposure, countries where asbestos use is permitted or banned, reducing asbestos in the built environment, and environmental impact due to use and disposal of asbestos. The main findings were that ACMs are still responsible for severe human diseases, particularly in areas where there is a lack of coordinated asbestos management plans, reduced awareness about asbestos health risks, or even a delay in the implementation of asbestos-ban. Such issues may be more prevailing in developing countries. The current research in many countries contemplates several methodologies and techniques to process ACMs into inert and recyclable materials. The identification and coordinated management of ACM hazardous waste is a significant challenge to be faced by countries, and its inadequate disposal causes severe risk of exposure to asbestos fibres. Based on this work, it was concluded that banning asbestos is indicated in all countries in the world.

  Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

• Changes in concentrations and characteristics of asbestos fibers dispersed from corrugated asbestos cement sheets due to stabilizer treatment. H.S. Jung, J. Jang, E.K. Park, et al. 2021;285:112110. PubMed · Publisher

  Abstract

  Asbestos management in Korea has, to date, focused exclusively on dismantlement and removal; however, the effective management of asbestos in public facilities and rural dwellings is also critical. This study compares eight different asbestos stabilization treatments and their effectiveness in reducing asbestos fiber dispersion from weathered corrugated asbestos cement sheets (CACS) under different wind conditions. The effectiveness of the different asbestos stabilizers was assessed in order to identify the characteristics of fibers dispersed from treated CACS samples. The impact of wind speed on the concentration and composition of the dispersed fibers was also evaluated. For all wind speeds, the concentration of the fibers dispersed from the CACS samples that were treated with stabilizers decreased relative to the untreated CACS. These results show that asbestos concentrations were considerably reduced following stabilizer treatment and that treated CACS dispersed fewer asbestos fibers relative to untreated CACS. The results of this study will be useful for the development of strategies regarding the appropriate management of asbestos in public buildings.

  Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

2010s

• Mechanochemical conversion of chrysotile/K2HPO4 mixtures into potential sustainable and environmentally friendly slow-release fertilizers. R. Borges, L.M. Baika, M.T. Grassi, et al. 2018;206:962-970. PubMed · Publisher

  Abstract

  Chrysotile fibers pose a threat to public health due to their association relation to respiratory malignant lung disease such as cancer. For this reason, they must be stored and discarded appropriately, including after treatment, which raises costs. In the present study, insoluble chrysotile fibers were milled in solid state with highly soluble K2HPO4, destroying both structures, making the chrysotile nontoxic and generating a new material with potential use as sustainable slow-release fertilizer (SSRF) containing mainly K and P. Based on the mills, milling conditions and chrysotile/K2HPO4 molar ratios used, Mg originating from chrysotile fibers reacted with K and P from dibasic potassium phosphate and were transformed into MgKPO4·H2O, MgKPO4·6H2O and probably a mixture of amorphous SiO2/MgO. In this study, a zirconia planetary mill and high-energy ball mill were used, both of them produced SSRF. In conclusion, it was possible to synthesize high-value and extremely useful materials for agriculture using a harmful waste. The release rate can be tailored by controlling chrysotile/K2HPO4 molar ratios, grinding speed and time, which makes the process even more promising for farming applications.

  Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

• The Self-sustained High temperature Synthesis (SHS) technology as novel approach in the management of asbestos waste. L. Gaggero, M. Ferretti. 2018;216:246-256. PubMed · Publisher

  Abstract

  The SHS technique was experimented in chrysotile breakdown. By means of two reactions such as Mg3Si2O5(OH)4 + Fe2O3 + 3 Mg and 2Mg3Si2O5(OH)4 + Fe3O4 + 4 Mg the chrysotile was completely converted into forsterite-rich olivine. Different mixtures of hematite + Mg and magnetite + Mg were tested with chrysotile to establish the maximum chrysotile amount in order to allow the reaction. In comparison with conventional thermal treatments, the SHS process is characterized by a fast reaction, needs low activation energy and the apparatus is simple. For these reasons, the asbestos neutralisation is carried out with positive balance of time and costs of the process. Furthermore, the combustion product can be re-used as secondary material.

  Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

• Airborne asbestos fibres monitoring in tunnel excavation. L. Gaggero, E. Sanguineti, A. Yus González, et al. 2017;196:583-593. PubMed · Publisher

  Abstract

  Tunnelling across ophiolitic formation with Naturally Occurring Asbestos (NOA) can release fibres into the environment, exposing workers, and the population, if fibres spread outside the tunnel, leading to increased risk of developing asbestos-related disease. Therefore, a careful plan of environmental monitoring is carried out during Terzo Valico tunnel excavation. In the present study, data of 1571 samples of airborne dust, collected between 2014 and 2016 inside the tunnels, and analyzed by SEM-EDS for quantification of workers exposure, are discussed. In particular, the engineering and monitoring management of 100 m tunnelling excavation across a serpentinite lens (Cravasco adit), intercalated within calcschists, is reported. At this chrysotile occurrence, 84% of 128 analyzed samples (from the zone closer to the front rock) were above 2 ff/l. However, thanks to safety measures implemented and tunnel compartmentation in zones, the asbestos fibre concentration did not exceed the Italian standard of occupational exposure (100 ff/l) and 100% of samples collected in the outdoor square were below 1 ff/l. During excavation under normal working conditions, asbestos concentrations were below 2 ff/l in 97.4% of the 668 analyzed samples. Our results showed that air monitoring can objectively confirm the presence of asbestos minerals at a rock front in relative short time and provide information about the nature of the lithology at the front. The present dataset, the engineering measures described and the operative conclusions are liable to support the improvement of legislation on workers exposure to asbestos referred to the tunnelling sector, lacking at present.

  Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

• Carbon dioxide sequestration using NaHSO4 and NaOH: A dissolution and carbonation optimisation study. A. Sanna, L. Steel, M.M. Maroto-Valer. 2017;189:84-97. PubMed · Publisher

  Abstract

  The use of NaHSO4 to leach out Mg fromlizardite-rich serpentinite (in form of MgSO4) and the carbonation of CO2 (captured in form of Na2CO3 using NaOH) to form MgCO3 and Na2SO4 was investigated. Unlike ammonium sulphate, sodium sulphate can be separated via precipitation during the recycling step avoiding energy intensive evaporation process required in NH4-based processes. To determine the effectiveness of the NaHSO4/NaOH process when applied to lizardite, the optimisation of the dissolution and carbonation steps were performed using a UK lizardite-rich serpentine. Temperature, solid/liquid ratio, particle size, concentration and molar ratio were evaluated. An optimal dissolution efficiency of 69.6% was achieved over 3 h at 100 °C using 1.4 M sodium bisulphate and 50 g/l serpentine with particle size 75-150 μm. An optimal carbonation efficiency of 95.4% was achieved over 30 min at 90 °C and 1:1 magnesium:sodium carbonate molar ratio using non-synthesised solution. The CO2 sequestration capacity was 223.6 g carbon dioxide/kg serpentine (66.4% in terms of Mg bonded to hydromagnesite), which is comparable with those obtained using ammonium based processes. Therefore, lizardite-rich serpentinites represent a valuable resource for the NaHSO4/NaOH based pH swing mineralisation process.

  Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

• People, planet and profit: Unintended consequences of legacy building materials. A.T. Zimmer, H. Ha. 2017;204(Pt 1):472-485. Review PubMed · Publisher · Free full text

  Abstract

  Although an explosion of new building materials are being introduced into today's market, adequate up-front research into their chemical and physical properties as well as their potential health and environmental consequences is lacking. History has provided us with several examples where building materials were broadly deployed into society only to find that health and environmental problems resulted in unintended sustainability consequences. In the following paper, we use lead and asbestos as legacy building materials to show their similar historical trends and sustainability consequences. Our research findings show unintended consequences such as: increased remediation and litigation costs; adverse health effects; offshoring of related industries; and impediments to urban revitalization. As numerous new building materials enter today's market, another building material may have already been deployed, representing the next "asbestos." This paper also proposes an alternative methodology that can be applied in a cost-effective way into existing and upcoming building materials, to minimize and prevent potential unintended consequences and create a pathway for sustainable communities. For instance, our findings show that this proposed methodology could have prevented the unintended incurred sustainability costs of approximately $272-$359 billion by investing roughly $24 million in constant 2014 U.S. dollars on up-front research into lead and asbestos.

  Published by Elsevier Ltd.

• Treatments of asbestos containing wastes. D. Spasiano, F. Pirozzi. 2017;204(Pt 1):82-91. Review PubMed · Publisher

  Abstract

  Since the second half of the twentieth century, many studies have indicated inhalation of asbestos fibers as the main cause of deadly diseases including fibrosis and cancer. Consequently, since the beginning of the 80s, many countries started banning production and use of asbestos containing products (ACP), although still present in private and public buildings. Due to some extraordinary catastrophic events and/or the aging of these products, people's health and environmental risk associated with the inhalation of asbestos fibers keeps being high even in those countries where it was banned. For these reasons, many communities are developing plans for an environmental and sanitary safe asbestos removal and management. Asbestos containing wastes (ACW) are usually disposed in controlled landfills, but this practice does not definitively eliminate the problems related with asbestos fiber release and conflicts with the ideas of sustainable land use, recycling, and closing material cycles. Consequently, many scientific papers and patents proposed physical, chemical, and biological treatments aimed to the detoxification of ACW (or the reduction of their health effects) and looking for the adoption of technologies, which allow the reuse of the end-products. By including recent relevant bibliography, this report summarizes the status of the most important and innovative treatments of ACW, providing main operating parameters, advantages, and disadvantages.

  Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

• Rationing health protection: a proposal to exempt nuisance dust from US Clean Air Act regulations. T.J. Centner, G. Colson. 2013;117:219-25. PubMed · Publisher

  Abstract

  The US House of Representative has passed a bill called the "Farm Dust Regulation Prevention Act" (Dust Act) that would exempt most types of particulate matter (PM) in rural areas from the air quality controls of the US Clean Air Act. The Dust Act would markedly change the country's air quality standards. An examination of the proposed provisions shows that they would exempt non-combustion PM pollutants from mining, smelting, petroleum production, and power generation from existing air quality standards. Persons downwind from pollutants generated in rural areas could be exposed to concentrations of carcinogenic heavy metals, asbestos, and benzene known to adversely affect their health and ecological resources. Existing federal air quality standards based on science would be replaced by a flexible standard that rations health protection.

  Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

• Emissions concerns during renovation in the healthcare setting: asbestos abatement of floor tile and mastic in medical facilities. W.P. Racine. 2010;91(7):1429-36. PubMed · Publisher

  Abstract

  Healthcare facilities undergoing renovation have specific concerns that are exacerbated when the restoration requires asbestos abatement of aged floor tile and mastic. The current state of the art for removal of these materials involves manual removal of floor tile and chemical stripping of mastic. Utilization of these stripping chemicals is a concern for facilities whose perception is based on a safe, caring, and healthy environment. In this study, wet grinding is evaluated as an alternative to chemical stripping of asbestos-containing floor tile mastic. This study endeavors to answer the question; what is the difference between these two methodologies in terms of their operational efficacy and suitability in the healthcare setting. Wet grinding and chemical stripping are evaluated in a side-by-side comparison using a mixed methods approach. The data shows that the methodologies are statistically similar in terms of their cost and emissions data. The data indicates that the benefits associated with the wet grinding method offer advantages that are not present using the chemical stripping method. This study also demonstrates that wet grinding is a viable alternative to chemical stripping especially in healthcare facilities.

  Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

2000s

• Ambient monitoring of asbestos in selected Italian living areas. A.F. Gualtieri, D. Mangano, M.L. Gualtieri, et al. 2009;90(11):3540-52. PubMed · Publisher

  Abstract

  This paper presents the results of an intensive monitoring activity of the particulate, fall-out and soil of selected living areas in Italy with the aim to detect the asbestos concentration in air and subsequent risk of exposure for the population in ambient living environments, and to assess the nature of the other mineral phases composing the particulate matrix. Some areas were sorted out because of the presence of asbestos containing materials on site whereas others were used as blank spots in the attempt to detect the background environmental concentration of asbestos in air. Because the concentration of asbestos in ambient environments is presumably very low, and it is well known that conventional low-medium flow sampling systems with filters of small diameter (25mm) may collect only a very small fraction of particulate over a short period, for the first time here, an intense monitoring activity was conducted with a high flow sampling system. The high flow system requires the use of large cellulose filters with the advantage that, increasing the amount of collected dust, the probability to collect asbestos fibers increases. Both the protocol of monitoring and analysis are novel and prompted by the need to increase the sensitivity towards the small number of expected fibers. With this goal, the collection of fall-out samples (the particulate falling into a collector filled with distilled water during the monitoring shift) and soil samples was also accomplished. The analytical protocol of the matrix particulate included preliminary X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), optical microscopy and quantitative electron microscopy (SEM and TEM). Correlations with climatic trends and PM10 concentration data were also attempted. The surprising outcome of this work is that, despite the nature of the investigated site, the amount of dispersed asbestos fibers is very low and invariably lower than the theoretical method detection limits of the SEM and TEM techniques for identification and counting of asbestos fibers. The results are compared to the literature data worldwide and an updated model for asbestos fibers dispersion in ambient environments is proposed.

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