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Endocrine disrupting compounds in the environment
Ezechiáš, Martin ; Cajthaml, Tomáš (advisor) ; Kočí, Vladimír (referee) ; Bláha, Luděk (referee)
A great variety of chemical compounds are released into the environment on a daily basis. Some of these compounds might be dangerous for human health or wildlife and might persist in the environment. In recent years, there has been a growing interest regarding chemical substances which could interfere with hormone biosynthesis and metabolism, cause a deviation from normal homeostatic control or negatively influence reproductive system. These chemicals are called endocrine disruptors. This dissertation thesis studied novel brominated flame retardants and selected pharmaceutical drugs as potential endocrine disruptors, based on their effect on hormonal receptors. Assays for estrogenic activities were also used for the evaluation of biodegradation experiments and for the validation of a novel mathematical model that could predict the effects of a mixture of toxic compounds. The results indicated that some of the tested chemicals were able to inhibit hormonal response of estradiol and testosterone and act as an anti-estrogens or anti-androgens. In the case of biodegradation experiments, the measured estrogenic activities were in agreement with the analytical concentrations of applied estrogens. Suggested mathematical model for mixture toxicity yielded a good fit with the experimental data from...
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The effect of toxicity and othet parameters of substrate on plant growth in post mining sites.
Zadinová, Radka ; Frouz, Jan (advisor) ; Kočí, Vladimír (referee)
Surface mining of coal in the country leaves a lot of damage. This type of mining is characterized by the creation of large external dumps. The dumps often contain substrates with toxic substances or substances which become toxic after reaction with air. These substrates are toxic to plants and edaphon. This work is intended to show what properties of substrates are important for phytotoxicity. The location of research was selected including 3 different kinds of substrates, terrain unevenness and a lagoon in the middle. Coordinate grid has been created on the selected location. At each point a test was conducted with plant Sinapis alba and biomass was extracted from a naturally growing vegetation. Further, at the points substrates were collected and values of pH, conductivity and arsenic were measured. Test with plant Sinapis alba was repeated in the laboratory conditions as well. On site GPS coordinates were measured for the mathematical model created in ArcGIS. Experiment has shown the importance of the type of substrate and the geologic description, and then the association between dejection, value of pH and conductivity. Conductivity and pH levels also correlate with the germination Sinapis alba and biomass of naturally growing vegetation.
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New flame retardants in the environment
Ezechiáš, Martin ; Cajthaml, Tomáš (advisor) ; Kočí, Vladimír (referee)
In the recent years, many research articles focused on endocrine disrupting compounds in the environment. Some of these compounds are listed in a group named brominated flame retardants. However, only few articles investigated endocrine activity of several "new" brominated flame retardants. These chemicals such as 1,2-bis(2,4,6-tribromophenoxy)ethane (BTBPE) or bis(2-ethylhexyl) tetrabromophthalate (TBPH) are newly used due to ban of some previously most produced brominated flame retardant mixes. In this study, we used two recombinant yeast screens to measure estrogenic, androgenic, antiestrognic and antiandrogenic activities of some alternative brominated flame retardants. We also used ligninolytic fungi to investigate biodegradation of these compounds. Our results suggest, that 2,4,6-tribromophenol (TBP) may be a new environmental endocrine disruptor. This substance showed antiestrogenic and antiandrogenic activity in our tests. 1,2-bis(2,4,6- tribromophenoxy)ethane (BTBPE) had certain antagonistic activity too. In the biodegradation experiment, only three compounds showed significant degradation during the test period. No biodegradation have been observed for other compounds. In this study, we applied gas chromatography with mass spectrometry to analyze these "new" flame retardants. Method for gas...
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The Assessmentof of Environmental Impacts of Representative Renewable Eenergy Technologies in the Czech Republic
Pavlica, Jaroslav ; Přibil, Rudolf (advisor) ; Kočí, Vladimír (referee) ; Matějíček, Luboš (referee)
The Abstract The main objectives of the presented thesis - The Assessment of Environmental Impacts of Representative Renewable Energy Technologies in the Czech Republic were complex assessment of representative renewable energy technologies within different criterions, assessment of their greenhouse gas mitigation effectiveness and evaluation of usefulness of financial incentives aimed on renewable electricity in the Czech Republic in the period 2005-2010. Thereafter representative technologies were compared with nuclear and best available techniques coal-fired power plants in order to determine the best convenient electricity generating technology. Wind, photovoltaic, small hydro-electricity and geothermal power plants were appraised in particular. The thesis was based on partial analysis and meta-analysis aiming on particular aspects and the entire life cycles of the technologies was taken under consideration. The basic methodology framework of life-cycle assessment, which was useful for a comparison of different electricity-generating technologies, was applied within the thesis. The key input data were gathered via meta-analysis. The database GEMIS 4.81, reports by Energy regulatory office, European statistics office, International energy agency and Czech hydrometeorology institute were used to acquire...
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COLLECTION SCHEME OF MOBILE PHONES AND ITS IMPACT ON ENVIRONMENT
Švančarová, Markéta ; Kočí, Vladimír (advisor) ; Trecáková, Tatiana (referee)
The issue of the increasing amount of e-waste is a phenomenon of the 21st century. The amount of EoL mobile phones is growing rapidly but only a small amount is recycled. The thesis examines the environmental impacts of the Remobil project concerning the collection of phones that go to recycle. The impacts of the project are evaluated by the LCA method. Life cycle assessment is an important method of assessing the product that is part of decision-making at the international, national and local level, within the government and private sectors. The method provides complex outputs that can be comparable to other results. Modelling the impacts of the Remobil project provided a number of results. The comparison of the collecting boxes showed that the least impact on the impact category was caused by polypropylene boxes while the stainless steel boxes caused the greatest impact. The biggest influence on impact categories within the project was caused by transport, which was quite excessive due to the pilot phase of the project. It is also important to note the higher level of effort required for the per- kilogram collection of small electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) waste, such as mobile phones, compared to the collection of large EEE waste, such as washing machines. The Remobil project and recycling of...
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Life Cycle Assessment of water treatetment technology
Cabejšková, Zuzana ; Kočí, Vladimír (advisor) ; Pivokonský, Martin (referee)
Charles University in Prague Faculty of Science Institute for Environmental Studies Ecology and Environmental Protection Environmental Protection Bachelor Thesis - Abstract Life Cycle Assessment of Water Treatment Technology Posuzování životního cyklu výroby pitné vody Author: Zuzana Cabejšková Supervisor: Doc. Ing. Vladimír Kočí, Ph.D. Prague, May 2012 Abstract (English) This bachelor thesis consists of a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of two water treatment plants (WTP) in the Czech Republic. The first WTP is situated in Hrdějovice in South Bohemia and treats underground raw water. The second WTP is in Central Bohemia and treats surface water from the Želivka reservoir. The pumping of raw water and its subsequent treatment were considered for the purposes of LCA; other phases of the life cycle of potable water such as distribution weren't taken into account. Waterworks companies provided data on consumption of energy and materials. Based on this data, the environmental impacts of 1m3 of treated water were calculated and a comparison of the two WTPs within different impact categories was performed. It was found that WTP Hrdějovice has a four-time lower overall environmental impact than WTP Želivka. Global Warming Potential, Acidification Potential and Abiotic Depletion of fossil fuels were identified as the...
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The influence of energy mix on environmental impacts of waste management
Dočekalová, Veronika ; Kočí, Vladimír (advisor) ; Trecáková, Tatiana (referee)
This paper presents energy mix of Czech Republic and its effects on environmental impacts of waste management. Three technologies: landfilling without energy recovery and landfilling and incineration with energy recovery are assessed using LCA. Results for 1 t of mixed municipal waste are compared in 9 impact categories: abiotic depletion, acidification, eutrophication, global warming, ozone layer depletion, photochemical ozone creation, human toxicity, terrestrial ecotoxicity, freshwater ecotoxicity. Landfilling without energy recovery was evaluated as the most harmful technology to the environment, incineration as the most environmentally-friendly one. The use of Czech energy mix made impacts of the energy recovery technologies look lower, contrary to burdens of landfill without energy recovery that resulted higher. The influence of energy mix composition change is discussed further.
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LCA of NATM tunnel stamping method
Pokorná, Alice ; Kočí, Vladimír (advisor) ; Trecáková, Tatiana (referee)
The aim of this thesis was to evaluate the environmental impacts of NATM tunnelling method using the assembly of LCA studies. Construction sector still has large potential for advancement, and therefore is a subject of interest for also for LCA studies. Underground constructions applies more with growing demands for space in infrastructure. If sustainable growth in construction is desired, it's important to have an idea about the environmental impacts of this sector. Sustainable growth requires methods and tools for measurement and comparison of impacts of human activities on the environment. These tools are provided by LCA studies, which also allow a proactive approach. The advantage of LCA is a preview of the entire life cycle of the product, so there is no shifting of problems between the individual stages of the product's life cycle. LCA study of cradle-to-gate type was selected to evaluate New Austrian tunnelling method. LCA study was done for one tunnel, length 850m with cross-section surface of 13,46m2 excavated by the NATM method, realized over the course of 18 months. GaBi 6 software tool was used for making of this study. Results show that the most important emission sources of NATM tunnelling method are production of cement, dumping of excavated material, production of reinforcing steel...
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Toxicity of nanomaterials to aquatic crustaceans
Novotná, Kateřina ; Kočí, Vladimír (advisor) ; Cajthaml, Tomáš (referee)
Nowadays, nanomaterials are broadly used for many purposes thanks to their unique properties. The production of nanoscale materials is growing rapidly. Consequently, it means a high probability of their release into the environment and there are concerns about their possible negative effects on organisms. Furthermore, the behaviour of nanomaterials might be strongly influenced by many factors and there are many different types of them, so there is still a big information gap in this field. The aim of this work is to summarize basic facts about nanomaterials and their possible toxicity, especially to the fresh-water crustacean Daphnia magna. An impact of nanoscale zero-valent iron particles is tested on this species. This material is used for remediation so it is injected directly into the environment. Concentrations of 0,1 g·l-1 , 0,5 g·l-1 , 1 g·l-1 and 2,5 g·l-1 of two products with different surface modifications were tested. It was found that the toxicity depends on the type of stabilization. EC50 was not established for NANOFER 25S (with a special surface modification) due to the maximum immobilization rate of only 30 % for the concentrations tested. However, the EC50 value for NANOFER 25 (without the special surface modification) is 0,94 g·l-1 . These results confirm that it is necessary to...
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Life cycle assessment of buildings
Mrkvičková, Kristýna ; Kočí, Vladimír (advisor) ; Hák, Tomáš (referee)
This bachelor thesis is focused on life cycle assessment of building construction. All impacts will be modeled on residential house in professional LCA software. Every single component of the building was evaluated with regard to their impact on enviroment. The output list each category of indicators and evaluation of the impact. It shows which environmental categories are most affected by building and where it would be useful to optimizme it. The family house presented by the typical new building was chosen for evaluation process. The product system was simulated by the GaBi 4 software tool, then it was evaluated using the impact categories of the CML 2001 - Nov. 09 characterization model. The theoretical part deals with the LCA methodology, explains the different stages and describes categories of impact. Furthermore, the global trends are discussed in terms of assessing the building lifecycle. At the end, the LCA study has shown that the biggest influence on the environment is caused by the service life of a product's lifecycle and water treatment contributes the most on this result.
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