Nanotechnology (NT), revolutionizing the world of advanced materials, is fast becoming an important business area for many companies in different range of industries. Among these, textile manufacturing seems to be actually the most thriving and promising sector offering high-specialized and performing materials. NTs could represent for European and US textile operators, in a globalized scenario, an excellent opportunity to develop next-generation textiles and to provide enhanced properties and new added-values to standardized and, by now, very cheap textile imported products, revitalizing, in this way, an old hi-labour sector in advanced post-industrial economies, no longer capable of price competition wars against lower-wage countries of Asia and Eastern Europe. In this paper, we'll provide a comprehensive assessment of some of the most important NT textile finishing applications. We'll deliberately exclude the textile nanofibers production technologies and the newer applications of NTs for "smart & intelligent" textiles, postponing their review to future papers.

Even if aviation industry has considerably reduced its fuel consumption in relation to goods and passengers carried, however, the remarkable, and almost constant, increment of flights has caused a substantial increase of chemical pollutants. In particular, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, from aviation, currently account for approximately 3.5% of the total emissions from developed countries. The most significant impacts are due to emissions of carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides and other substances that, even in small amounts (water vapour, CH4, N2O, particulates, etc.), due to their high Radiative Forcing (RF), are able to vary, from about 2 to 4 times greater than those of CO2 alone (according to an IPCC report), the physical parameters (temperature, albedo, humidity, etc.) and chemical composition of the atmosphere, changing at the same time, many natural phenomena like the intensity, the rate and the same type of precipitations. Several guidelines and norms for the adoption and implementation of a global scheme of regulations are currently being suggested by numerous subjects, although the prospects of a comprehensive inter-governmental agreement on the adoption of these schemes are uncertain. European Commission has resolved incorporating aviation in the Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS). This new Directive has become effective from the 1st January 2012, but certain airlines have already threatened to boycott it, while others have suggested that they will transfer the costs to their passengers. The increase in costs for airlines could lead to a competitive disadvantage for European airlines and to a substantial environmental inefficiency of this normative measure.

Cereals provide the world’s primary staple food, but still more than a quarter of their production, especially of wheat and corn, are rejected and discarded because contaminated with toxigenic fungi and their metabolites (mycotoxins). This leads to health problems, huge waste of food and land resources and considerable economic damage. Particularly critical are the phases of storage, handling and quality control of these goods. Besides, the current regulations on mycotoxins contamination are unclear about the daily food intake limits and the precautions to be observed to avoid risks. Another important issue that is waiting to be solved is related to the occurrence, in various parts of the world, of very serious accidents, to people and things, by explosion of grain dusts during simple handling activities. In this paper, we’ll investigate on these hazards, the precautions to be observed for the management of cereals and the debatable standards of current legislation. In particular, our attention will be focused, by a critical analysis of current legislation and standards, mainly on the risks of microbiological contamination, during the phases of storage and quality control.

Over the last 15 years, the combination of material and energy recovery from ELTs increased from 31% to 78% of the total European used tyres (3.3 milion tonnes), while, in the same period, landfilling decreased to a gloomy 4% (compared to nearly 50% in 1996). ELTs are characterized by a calorific value equal to that of coal (even if they have a much higher sulfur content) and are mainly used, in various formats (per entire or as shreds, chips), in cement industries and power plants. Various technologies are also available for their recycling: mechanical grinding, cryogenic processes, electrothermal methods, pyrolysis, etc. Currently, the most advanced researches are aimed to find an effective way to get back the starting raw materials. Despite these interesting possibilities, however, the economic, environmental and health problems, related to the energy recovery of ELTs and, especially, to their potential reuse, in other processes to produce new materials, are still numerous. The aim of this paper is to examine these problems after having reviewed the different options available for tyres recovery by highlighting, for each of them, the main negative aspects yet to be resolved.

Fino a pochi decenni fa, il settore aeronautico presentava un trascurabile impatto sull'ambiente del Pianeta e sul relativo sistema climatico nel suo complesso. Recentemente, però, il notevole intensificarsi del traffico aereo - nonostante le brevi battute di arresto a seguito dell'11 settembre 2001, della guerra in Iraq e del verificarsi della SARS -, dovuto a una serie di ragioni, prima tra tutte, al boom dei voli low-cost, sta mutando radicalmente e in modo molto repentino la situazione. Dal punto di vista ambientale, però, profonde incognite aleggiano sul prossimo futuro, se l'attuale trend di sviluppo del settore dovesse, come sembra, permanere. Nonostante gli indiscutibili progressi tecnologici, infatti, tale tipo di mobilità non si sta sviluppando in termini di eco-sostenibilità. Molto ci si attende dall'entrata a regime, nel 2012, in Europa del sistema di "Emission trading", anche se non mancano già le prime perplessità. In questa nota, esamineremo i principali problemi ambientali connessi alle emissioni chimiche (inquinanti e contaminanti) di questo settore e le principali soluzioni proposte.

Cruise ships are the most polluting transport mode in relation to the number of passengers. It is estimated that a medium-sized cruise ship (with 2,200 passengers and 800 crew members), for a weeklong trip, create up to 210,000 litres of human sewage, four million litres of gray water (water from sinks, bathrooms, showers, laundry and kitchen), eight tonnes of garbage, more than 500 kilograms of hazardous waste and 100,000 litres of oily bilge water. Besides, daily emissions of a cruise ship are compared to those of about 12,000 cars. The current legislation appears to be ineffective and, considering the difficulty to perform periodic inspections, it is also too often not respected. Still very common, unfortunately, are the cases of illegal dumping, especially in international waters, such as “accidental” spills of fuel, heavy oil or similar substances. The aim of this article is to analyse the main environmental impacts of these particular ships, revealing the gaps of existing international regulations, and give suggestions to provide possible solutions for an environmental normative reform of the cruise industry.

Even if electrical energy storage technologies have been used since the end of the 19th century, a new interest has grown recently, due to the necessity of adapting the electrical system to the new paradigm. The massive increase in the use of renewable and distributed sources of energy, coupled with the emerging requests for lower power costs and higher reliability to the system, calls for new ways of producing and distributing energy. All developed countries are busy, at the moment, to win the run for the implementation of a smart grid, i.e. a new generation grid able to deal with intermittent electricity production (for example solar, wind), decentralised small-scale sources, multidirectional electricity flows, remote control and real time management. Storage devices represent the balancing element which allows responding in an economic way either to the demand or to the offer side. This paper presents a review of the electrical storage technologies, showing benefits and critical aspect of energy storage, in respect of the new need of the energy sector to become smart.

Secondo i dati più recenti , elaborati dalle dichiarazioni MUD effettuate nell’anno 2007, la quantità totale di rifiuti speciali prodotta in Italia, nel 2006, è stata pari a 134,6 milioni di tonnellate, di cui 125,5 milioni di tonnellate di rifiuti speciali non pericolosi e 9,2 milioni di tonnellate di rifiuti speciali pericolosi. Secondo i dati riportati nel rapporto “Rifiuti Spa” , realizzato dall'Osservatorio nazionale ambiente e legalità, di Legambiente, in collaborazione con il Comando Carabinieri per la Tutela dell'ambiente, la differenza tra i rifiuti speciali prodotti e quelli gestiti consente di quantificare ogni anno in milioni di tonnellate la quantità di quelli scomparsi nel nulla: si va dai 14,1 milioni di tonnellate del 1997 agli 11,6 del ’98; si “scende” ancora a quota 11,2 nel 1999 per risalire ai 13,8 milioni di tonnellate del 2001 e ai 14,6 nel 2002 (ultimo dato ufficiale disponibile). Lungo le rotte dei traffici illeciti si smaltisce di tutto: dalle terre di spazzamento delle strade ai gessi contenenti amianto, dalle polveri di abbattimento fumi ai fanghi di conceria fino ai rifiuti prove-nienti dalle bonifiche di siti inquinati. Nell’ottica di controllare in modo più puntuale la movimentazione dei rifiuti lungo tutta la filiera è stato istituito il sistema informatico e telematico di controllo della tracciabilità dei rifiuti (SISTRI) che sostituirà l'attuale procedu-ra basata su moduli e formulari.

Protection of ships hulls against biofouling is a process as old as man’s use of ships as a form of transport. Tributyltin-based (TBT) antifouling paints have been successfully used for over 40 years to protect ship's hull from biofouling. However, due to its high toxicity versus marine organisms, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has adopted the AFS Convention, which prohibits the use of harmful organotins in antifouling paints used on ships (entered into force in 2008). This paper reviews recent literature focuses on the evaluation of the available techniques for innovative free-TBT antifouling coatings with a lower environmental impact.

In the current note, authors critically investigate the nutritional, ecological and economic issues connected with the consumption of insects as important and highly sustainable food resources, their factory farming and commercial maturity, highlighting that there is still, in this regard, the necessity to conduct further and more in-depth scientific research and to develop appropriate technologies for industrial processing, in order to make fully available these foods to the final consumers.

La necessità di indicare o distinguere con un nome, un codice o una matricola, composti, merci e persino persone, risale ai tempi più antichi, in quanto connaturata con l’esigenza di individuare con precisione, rapidamente e senza possibilità di dubbi, gli stessi oggetti o persone. Tale esigenza naturalmente si è accresciuta con lo sviluppo delle società industrializzate ovvero con la proliferazione di composti e merci di ogni genere, ed è diversa in relazione alle esigenze da soddisfare. L’attribuzione di un codice ad una molecola, ad un’arma portatile, ad una vernice o ad un volume risolve problemi diversi. Nel primo caso si vuole risalire alla formula e alle conseguenti caratteristiche chimico-fisiche, nel secondo si vuole individuare il proprietario dell’arma, nel terzo il tipo di vernice per evitare confusioni durante l’uso e per altre esigenze dei produttori, nel quarto caso si facilita la ricerca del volume in una biblioteca o si soddisfano altre esigenze (per evadere ordini, gestire le rese, compilare cataloghi, ecc.). Nel mentre però in alcuni settori è stato relativamente semplice contraddistinguere con un nome o un numero l’oggetto da identificare (si pensi ai mezzi di trasporto, alle abitazioni, alle armi portatili, ai libri, ecc.), in altri set-tori l’impresa si è rilevata più difficile del previsto. Si pensi ai composti chimi-ci e ai prodotti derivati e, in particolare, ai rifiuti. Esaminiamo più da vicino alcuni di questi sistemi di codificazione.

A voler dare una giustificazione all'abnorme e caotico proliferare, in vari contesti territoriali (ONU, OCSE, UE, Italia, ecc.) di leggi e disposizioni in materia di gestione dei rifiuti, si potrebbe forse scomodare la massima di Eraclito «Panta rei os potamos», onde evidenziare il fatto che alla incessante mutevolezza di tale realtà bisogna affiancare quella altrettanto "vivace" del legislatore. Ma ciò non fa che complicare ulteriormente la situazione: negando la stabilità e la certezza del diritto agli operatori economici ed agli organi di vigilanza e addirittura favorendo proprio quelle fattispecie di reato che si vorrebbero contrastare e punire. In questa nota, come nell'altra riservata alle merci pericolose, abbiamo voluto evidenziare alcune bizzarrie di tale situazione.

In this paper, we have explored the possibility of substituting traditional meat products with an alternative source of protein (insects) in order to reduce human pressure on water. Insects, in fact, could represent a good alternative source of quality proteins and nutrients and they are already a very popular component of the diet of one third of the world's population in approximately 80% of countries. In the study, we have taken into account only two species of edible insects (Tenebrio molitor and Zophobas morio mealworms), because they are already commercially produced even in Western countries, and for this reason it is possible to find specific data in literature about their diets. We have used the water footprint (WF) as a reliable indicator to calculate the volume of water required for production and to compare different products. The final aim of the work is, in fact, to evaluate the WF of the production of edible insects with a focus on water consumption associated with protein content, in order to make a comparison with other animal protein sources. We have demonstrated that, from a freshwater resource perspective, it is more efficient to obtain protein through mealworms rather than other traditional farmed animals.

Espletare tutti i numerosi e complessi adempimenti, previsti dalla recente normativa in materia di gestione e di trasporto delle merci pericolose e dei rifiuti, richiederà nei prossimi mesi uno sforzo tecnico, organizzativo ed economico non indifferente, in special modo, da parte delle piccole imprese che non sempre dispongono delle necessarie risorse e conoscenze. Anche se, ovviamente, non si può disconoscere che le nuove disposizioni, se adeguatamente integrate e correttamente impiegate, non tarderanno ad avere importanti ricadute positive in termini di sviluppo, internazionalizzazione, competitività, salvaguardia ambientale e sanitaria.

Supply of some critical raw materials by European industry is becoming more and more difficult. After the case of natural textile fibres, in particular cotton, and timber, over the last few years the problem of rare earths (REs) availability has also risen. The 97% of the global supply of rare earth metals (REMs) is produced by China, that has recently done copious cuts of its exports, apparently in order to protect its environment. This fact has greatly increased the REs prices, causing tension and uncertainty among the world hi-tech markets. Many of these materials, in fact, have very few effective substitutes and low recycling rates too. In addition, their natural reserves of rare earths are concentrated in a small number of countries (China, Brazil, US, Russia, Democratic Republic of Congo). REMs are a group of 17 elements particularly used in many new electronic and advanced components: such as fuel cells, mobile phones, displays, hi-capacity batteries, permanent magnets for wind power generation, green energy devices, etc. Many analysts foresee much more requests in the next decades.

Marine goods transfer provides an efficient form of long-distance large-volume transport. However, despite technical advances and lowered emissions per kilometers and ton transported, its environmental impact continues to be a significant source of contaminants and contributes significantly to the degradation of the natural environment. Over recent years, in fact, a variety of different types of marine pollution from vessels has drawn more and more public attention. This has been recognized as a growing problem by both policymakers, jurists and scientists and has resulted in an increasing number of rules and regulations being established by international, national and local legislators

According to W.S. Jevons, the efficiency of a resource use tends to increase, rather than decrease, its consumption rate. This is particular true in the thermo-economics processes. In this note, the authors try to apply this proposition to explain the global trend of progressive impoverishment of the soil, especially in the western societies, and the rise of many environmental problems due to a high-inputs agriculture and to poor impact assessment and participatory methods. In fact, even a “technologically optimistic” scenario, using, for example, Georgesçu-Roegen’s Promethean technologies (such as, in a more modern view, genetic engineering, biotechnologies and renewable energy supplies), for enhancing a better use of agriculture resources and factors, could lead to an increment of productivity in the short period, but, at the same time, to unsustainable practices in the middle-long period (such as biodiversity decrement and natural flow inversion of biosphere evolution, a non-renewable resources depletion, alterations of hydro-geological cycles and microclimate modifications).

Negli ultimi decenni, il settore agroalimentare è stato caratterizzato da profondi cambiamenti determinati, in special modo, dalla libera circolazione delle merci. Il processo di globalizzazione è stato reso possibile grazie anche alla contemporanea e rapida evoluzione dei sistemi di trasporto e conservazione dei prodotti alimentari, anche freschi (ortaggi e frutta in particolare), che ha favorito, unitamente alla de-localizzazione produttiva e allo sviluppo tecnologico dei metodi di coltivazione in ambiente confinato e controllato (serre), anche il fenomeno della de-stagionalizzazione, ovvero la disponibilità di "prodotti alimentari, soprattutto freschi, al di fuori dei periodi tipici di produzione e commercializzazione. Parimenti si è andato affermando sempre più il concetto di "food miles" o "chilometro alimentare", concetto che prende in considerazione la quantità di strada percorsa da un prodotto alimentare prima cli essere consumato. Tuttavia, considerando che non tutti i tipi di trasporto sono equivalenti, una semplice considerazione della distanza che un alimento percorre durante la sua vita non fornisce una indicazione precisa del suo impatto ambientale complessivo e non incide necessariamente sulle sue caratteristiche qualitative e nutrizionali. Occorre, quindi, far uso di strumenti più completi, come "Carbon footprint" e LCA, e rivedere l'attuale organizzazione e struttura del sistema agroalimentare nazionale e, soprattutto, comunitario dal punto di vista del suo impatto sull'ambiente, anche alla luce della prossima approvazione della PAC nel 2013.