FIRST PAGE ECOTERRA NUMBER 16(4)/2019

Ecoterra, 2019, 16(4):1-7
ALGINATE-BASED BIOPOLYMERS FOR WASTEWATER PURIFICATION
BIOPOLIMERI PE BAZA DE ALGINAT FOLOSITI LA PURIFICAREA APEI UZATE
Mihaela Hetvary
SC ICPE Bistrița SA, Bistrița, Romania
Ecaterina Matei
University POLITEHNICA of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania
Dumitru Vâju, Daniela Ignat, Csaba Bartha, Măriuța Popanton
SC ICPE Bistrița SA, Bistrița, Romania
Maria Râpă, Claudia Ionela Tarcea, Cristian Predescu
University POLITEHNICA of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania
A major challenge for environmental protection represents removing the heavy metals from the industrial wastewaters using materials such as biosorbents. In the present research, a test bench was developed for testing the alginate-based filtering materials. The said device consists in a column in which the filtering materials that are to be tested are inserted, in four digitally controlled volumetric membrane pumps, in a microblower for hot air, used to dry the filtering material, and in a supply and automation electrical panel. The tests carried out aimed at recovering the copper from the water by using spheres made of sodium-starch-glass alginate. The whole process comprises two sets of experiments using a concentration of 1 mg/L Cu in the presence of 0.5 g of spheres made of sodium-starch-glass alginate during 2 hours (120 minutes). The results indicated that the adsorption equilibrium is reached after 60 minutes of contact, under stirring, recording a maximum value of Cu adsorption around 88% on the tested microspheres.

Ecoterra, 2019, 16(4):8-19
ECONOMIC VALUATION OF THE ORANGUTAN CONSERVATION TOURISM IN BUKIT LAWANG LANGKAT DISTRICT, NORTH SUMATERA
EVALUAREA ECONOMICA A TURISMULUI IN REZERVATIA DE URANGUTANI BUKIT LAWANG LANGKAT DISTRICT, NORTH SUMATERA
Susilawati
Faculty of Graduate School, Bogor Agricultural University, Dramaga, Bogor, Indonesia
Akhmad Fauzi
Faculty of Economics and Management, Bogor Agricultural University, Dramaga, Bogor, Indonesia
Cecep Kusmana, Nyoto Santoso
Faculty of Forestry, Bogor Agricultural University, Dramaga, Bogor, Indonesia
Orangutan Conservation Tourism in Bukit Lawang (OCTB) is a national conservation area located in the GLPN protected forest area in Langkat Regency, North Sumatra Province, in which this conservation area has special characteristics, that is, it is inhabited by Sumatran orangutans

Ecoterra, 2019, 16(4):20-23
MONITORING THE LEVEL OF RADIOACTIVE POLLUTION OF THE DUMPS AND PONDS IN THE JIU VALLEY
MONITORIZAREA NIVELULUI POLUARII RADIOACTIVE DIN GROPILE SI IAZURILE DIN VALEA JIULUI
Andreea Cristina Tataru
Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering and Transports, University of Petrosani, Petrosani, Romania
Aurora Stanci
Departament of Management, Environmental Engineering and Geology, University of Petrosani, Petrosani, Romania
Radioactive pollution is an important environmental problem. With the mining of coal in the Mining Units in the Jiu Valley, a number of radioactive elements are brought to the surface. These radioactive elements are found in both coal and tailings resulting from coal extraction and processing. Due to the fact that the radioactive elements are not reduced by burning the coal, increased radioactivity is present in the resulting slag and ash. In this paper we aim to present the results of monitoring the level of radioactive pollution of the tailing dumps and the slag and ash ponds in the Jiu Valley.