Modelling environmental impacts of treated municipal wastewater reuse for tree crops irrigation in the Mediterranean coastal region.

Wastewater reuse provides valuable solutions to solve the societal challenges of decreasing availability and limiting access to secure water resources. The present study quantifies the environmental performance of nectarine orchards irrigation using treated municipal wastewater (TMW) and surface water using a unique dataset based on field experimental data. Climate change, toxicity (for human and freshwater), eutrophication (marine and freshwater) and acidification impacts were analysed using the impact assessment method suggested by the International Reference Life Cycle Data System (ILCD). The water footprint associated to the life cycles of each system has been estimated using the Available WAter REmaining (AWARE) method. Monte Carlo simulation was used to assess data uncertainty. The irrigation of nectarine orchards using TMW performs better than the irrigation using surface water for eutrophication impact categories. Compared with surface water resources, the potential impacts of TMW reuse in agriculture on climate change and toxicity are affected by the wastewater treatment phase (WWT). Only eutrophication and acidification burdens are generated by in-field substitution of surface water with TMW. Considering human and ecosystem water demand, the irrigation with TMW increases water consumption of 19.12 m3 per kg of nectarine produced. Whereas, it shows a positive contribution to water stress (-0.19 m3) if only human water demand is considered. This study provides important results that allow for a better understanding of the potential environmental consequences of TMW reuse in agriculture. It suggests that embracing the type of WWTs, the replacement of fertilizers, the effects on water scarcity and ecosystem quality might be useful to redefine water reuse regulations and increase public acceptance for the reuse of TMW in agriculture. Moreover, this study reveals the need for developing consensus and standardized guidance for life cycle analysis of water reuse applications.

[Use of propofol during laser therapy of the tracheobronchial tract]. / Impiego del Propofol durante laserterapia delle vie tracheobronchiali.

Anesthesia of the tracheobronchial (TB) pathways during laser therapy (LT) faces a variety of problems including analgesia and sedation in patients with respiratory difficulties or who continue to breathe spontaneously while the airways are occupied by operating instruments. During the course of the study, two methods of anesthesia were compared in 36 patients undergoing LT of the TB pathways. The first method (Group A, n = 16) involved the use of Diazepam as an hypnotic starter and Fentanyl as an opioid analgesic in continuous infusion. Propofol was used both as an inducer and as the main drug in the second method (Group B, n = 20) in order to reduce the opioid dose required. The following variables were studied: heart rate, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, blood gas analytic parameters, side-effects such as cough and intraoperative movement, and disturbances of heart rhythm and conduction; in addition, the duration of operations and the time taken to regain consciousness were recorded, together with the total dose of Fentanyl used. An improved hematosis was observed in patients treated with Propofol during the operation and on regaining consciousness, and the time taken to regain consciousness was significantly reduced. No significant differences were observed between the two groups with regard to cardiocirculatory variables or undesirable effects.

[The transcutaneous method of monitoring partial pressure of O2 and CO2 during laser surgery of the trachea and bronchi]. / La metodica transcutanea nel monitoraggio della tensione parziale di O2 e CO2 durante laserterapia delle vie tracheobronchiali.

Anesthesia during Nd-YAG laser resection of the airways necessitates continuous O2 and CO2 monitoring. Although only partial, monitoring may be performed using a transcutaneous method utilising Clark's electrode to measure O2 and Stowe-Severinghaus' electrode to assess CO2 on the skin surface. The paper evaluates the advantages and limits of this form of monitoring during anesthesia in 85 patients undergoing laser resection of the airways. In conclusion, in spite of the fact that it is currently impossible to build up a complete picture of blood gas status from a single transcutaneous finding, the use of the transcutaneous method increases the level of safety of the operation as a whole.