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It is well known that pandemics not only change people's social habits but have also changed most activities related to energy consumption, especially industry and transport. Over the past year, a plethora of case studies have been published mapping the environmental impacts in specific locations in terms of changes in wastewater composition, noise, solar radiation and more. However, policymakers are demanding a global perspective and are looking for a synthesis of all these reports that will indicate whether, or to what extent, these changes interact with global climate change. The most urgent question is whether artificially inducing such a pandemic could be justified, given the loss of human life and economic losses. Robust analysis on air pollutants such as PM2.5, PM10, NOx, SO2, CO, O3 and NH3 confirmed significant improvement in air quality indicators especially in India and China. The study indicates that key hypotheses can be confirmed or refuted, but further measurements are needed.
Manigandan Sekar; T.R. Praveen Kumar; M. Selva Ganesh Kumar; Radka Vaníčková; Josef Maroušek. Techno-economic review on short-term anthropogenic emissions of air pollutants and particulate matter. Fuel 2021, 305, 121544 .
AMA StyleManigandan Sekar, T.R. Praveen Kumar, M. Selva Ganesh Kumar, Radka Vaníčková, Josef Maroušek. Techno-economic review on short-term anthropogenic emissions of air pollutants and particulate matter. Fuel. 2021; 305 ():121544.
Chicago/Turabian StyleManigandan Sekar; T.R. Praveen Kumar; M. Selva Ganesh Kumar; Radka Vaníčková; Josef Maroušek. 2021. "Techno-economic review on short-term anthropogenic emissions of air pollutants and particulate matter." Fuel 305, no. : 121544.
There is wide consensus that Spirulina can serve as a tool for wastewater management and simultaneously provide feedstock for biorefining. However, the economic aspects associated with its use remain a significant challenge. Spirulina cultivated in wastewater decreased the concentrations of both ammonia and nitrate and also served as a biodiesel source. The oil obtained in the feedstock was subjected to transesterification and turned into biodiesel. The biodiesel was subsequently analyzed in a test motor (water-cooled, four-stroke, single-cylinder compression ignition with injection). The tests were conducted at a constant 1500 rpm, and the output power was 3.7 kW. Mixtures of diesel and biodiesel were also enriched with carbon nanotubes (CNTs). The amount of CNTs added to the diesel was 30 mg L−1. The algae and de-oiled biomass were characterized using XRD analysis, and an ultrasonicator was used to mix the CNTs with diesel and spirulina blends. A series of tests were conducted at different load conditions (25%, 50%, 75%, and 100%) for all fuel blends. Test results were compared with a neat diesel engine with a CR of 17.5:1. Among the fuel blends, the B25 reported improved brake thermal efficiency and reduced emissions. The outcomes are a reduction in thermal efficiency of 0.98% and exhaust gas temperature of 1.7%. The addition of Spirulina biodiesel blends had a positive impact on the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, including reductions of 16.3%, 3.6%, 6.8%, and 12.35% of CO, NOx, and smoke, respectively. The specific fuel consumption and CO2 emissions were reduced by 5.2% and 2.8%, respectively, for B25 fuel blends compared to plain diesel and B50. Concerning cost competitiveness, vigorous research on microalgae for the production of biodiesel can cut production costs in the future.
Josef Maroušek; Anna Maroušková. Economic Considerations on Nutrient Utilization in Wastewater Management. Energies 2021, 14, 3468 .
AMA StyleJosef Maroušek, Anna Maroušková. Economic Considerations on Nutrient Utilization in Wastewater Management. Energies. 2021; 14 (12):3468.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJosef Maroušek; Anna Maroušková. 2021. "Economic Considerations on Nutrient Utilization in Wastewater Management." Energies 14, no. 12: 3468.
For several decades, researchers have been struggling to obtain minimum phosphorus (P) capture costs to meet the parameters for discharging wastewater into the watercourse. Findings from ongoing practices suggest that the Modified University of Cape Town process is currently the cheapest P capture method in the USA, whereas struvite precipitation seems to be the most cost effective method in the rest of the developed world. P sorption via biochars is becoming widespread in developing countries because this technique allows for the turning of voluminous biowaste into fertilizer with soil improving properties. Nevertheless, the reliability of this technology fluctuates throughout the year according to biowaste characteristics. For the first time, it has been proposed to use broken cellulose casings, which are readily available in increasing quantities worldwide. The sorbent obtained was subsequently activated by calcium chloride (CaCl2), whose cost is irrelevant as it would be used for agronomical purposes anyway. Pilot scale experiments show that this novel sorbent is capable of capturing 31.8 kg P t−1 from sludge water that contains 52.5 mg of extractable P L−1. More importantly, it was reported that the novel sorbent captures P, mostly in calcium phosphates (CaP) forms (191.5 g CaP t−1), which are the most valuable for plant nutrition. Enough evidence was obtained to claim that the ongoing technological race to meet the P discharge standards at the lowest cost possible should also reflect the agronomic value of P to plant nutrition to increase its competitiveness.
Jana Stávková; Josef Maroušek. Novel sorbent shows promising financial results on P recovery from sludge water. Chemosphere 2021, 276, 130097 .
AMA StyleJana Stávková, Josef Maroušek. Novel sorbent shows promising financial results on P recovery from sludge water. Chemosphere. 2021; 276 ():130097.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJana Stávková; Josef Maroušek. 2021. "Novel sorbent shows promising financial results on P recovery from sludge water." Chemosphere 276, no. : 130097.
Disc cultivators are a commonly used method in soil processing when growing maize in Central Europe. However, the slope of the land leads to soil losses through water erosion. Therefore, conservation technologies for soil treatment—strip-till and no-till—are recommended. The aim of this research was to assess these technologies in terms of the labile fractions of soil organic matter and the structural state of the soil. Another goal of the work was to find the most sensitive indicators of change in the labile fractions of soil organic matter, which would indicate changes even over a relatively short-term experiment (three years). The experiment was conducted in Central Bohemia, Czech Republic on plots of sandy-loam cambisol. Changes in soil structure and carbon and nitrogen content in various soil fractions were monitored. The obtained results of two soil conservation technologies (strip-till, no-till) were compared with the results for a commonly used technology (disc cultivation). The strip-till technology led to the highest accumulation of a very labile fraction of organic soil matter and the most sensitive indicator of change was the content of water-extractable organic carbon. The no-till technology protected the soil organic matter from decomposition by physical protection in soil aggregates. Most of the soil organic matter remained un-decomposed. Sensitive indicators of change were the nitrogen content in particulate organic soil matter and the content of water-extractable organic nitrogen. It was found that changes in the labile fraction of soil organic matter can be monitored through suitable indicators during a short-term experiment. Furthermore, we found that no-till technology contributes to the protection of unstable soil organic matter against decomposition, especially through physical protection in soil aggregates. In terms of the content of labile fractions of soil organic matter and their possible effect on the potential soil fertility, it was shown in this short-term experiment that strip-till technology was optimal.
Marek Kopecký; Jiří Peterka; Ladislav Kolář; Petr Konvalina; Josef Maroušek; Radka Váchalová; Marcel Herout; Otakar Strunecký; Jana Batt; Dang Khoa Tran. Influence of selected maize cultivation technologies on changes in the labile fraction of soil organic matter sandy-loam cambisol soil structure. Soil and Tillage Research 2020, 207, 104865 .
AMA StyleMarek Kopecký, Jiří Peterka, Ladislav Kolář, Petr Konvalina, Josef Maroušek, Radka Váchalová, Marcel Herout, Otakar Strunecký, Jana Batt, Dang Khoa Tran. Influence of selected maize cultivation technologies on changes in the labile fraction of soil organic matter sandy-loam cambisol soil structure. Soil and Tillage Research. 2020; 207 ():104865.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMarek Kopecký; Jiří Peterka; Ladislav Kolář; Petr Konvalina; Josef Maroušek; Radka Váchalová; Marcel Herout; Otakar Strunecký; Jana Batt; Dang Khoa Tran. 2020. "Influence of selected maize cultivation technologies on changes in the labile fraction of soil organic matter sandy-loam cambisol soil structure." Soil and Tillage Research 207, no. : 104865.
The amount of fermentation residues from biogas plants is rising rapidly worldwide. Nevertheless, farmers are losing their interest in its incorporation into soil since the level of nutrients as well as the agrochemical value of the organic matter present is low. Unlike combustion (carried out in the presence of oxygen), the product of which is ash, pyrolysis (without oxygen) turns biowaste into a highly porous carbonaceous material that can substitute cement, one of the most energy-intensive mass-produced materials in the world. This practice is booming in developing countries. Due to saving and lack of knowledge, farmers or local communities do not apply the technologies to utilize or filter the hazardous gaseous products of pyrolysis. However, these contain high levels of particulate matter (PM) that absorbs hazardous cocktails and facilitates their spread to the surroundings. This work firstly reports that at lower temperatures, pyrolytic gas contains mostly medium-sized and bigger PM while with increasing temperature, its amount is decreasing. An inexpensive and easily producible shower cooler was designed and analyzed in full operation. The results obtained suggest that the proposed update can up to 10 times reduce a wide range of PM sizes (finest PM penetrates more easily through the system of showers), creating preconditions for reducing negative impacts on the environment as well as health of locals.
Josef Maroušek; Anna Maroušková; Tomáš Kůs. Shower cooler reduces pollutants release in production of competitive cement substitute at low cost. Energy Sources, Part A: Recovery, Utilization, and Environmental Effects 2020, 1 -10.
AMA StyleJosef Maroušek, Anna Maroušková, Tomáš Kůs. Shower cooler reduces pollutants release in production of competitive cement substitute at low cost. Energy Sources, Part A: Recovery, Utilization, and Environmental Effects. 2020; ():1-10.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJosef Maroušek; Anna Maroušková; Tomáš Kůs. 2020. "Shower cooler reduces pollutants release in production of competitive cement substitute at low cost." Energy Sources, Part A: Recovery, Utilization, and Environmental Effects , no. : 1-10.
In order to reduce phosphorus (P) discharge into aqueous systems, wastewater treatment plants usually precipitate sludge water with iron or aluminum salts and produce slow–release P fertilizer (struvite). Continued tightening of P discharge limits require additional equipment and larger doses of these salts which increase wastewater treatment cost. Many research teams are involved in P recovery and theoretical knowledge is rapidly increasing. However, most new proposals are only economically viable with the support of public funds. Novel and technically undemanding concepts are designed and techno–economically assessed on a pilot scale. The cheapest biochar derived from fermentation residues that are pyrolyzed by waste heat, was used as sorbent. Multiple austerity measures have been designed to modify the sorbent by ferric (Fe3+) and calcium (Ca2+) chemisorption. It is firstly reported that over 2.5 kg of P per 100 kg of modified biochar from the 80 mg P L−1 environment can be obtained, whereas the P forms are more readily available to plant nutrition than struvite. Provided that a majority of used reactants are recovered from waste, or their price is irrelevant (subsequently used for their original purpose), there are indications that the newly proposed technology is one of the few environmentally friendly measures that can swiftly become widespread in the wastewater industry for economic reasons.
Josef Maroušek; Ladislav Kolář; Otakar Strunecký; Marek Kopecký; Petr Bartoš; Anna Maroušková; Eva Cudlínová; Petr Konvalina; Miloslav Šoch; Jan Moudrý (Jr); Radka Vaníčková; Jaromír Vrbka. Modified biochars present an economic challenge to phosphate management in wastewater treatment plants. Journal of Cleaner Production 2020, 272, 123015 .
AMA StyleJosef Maroušek, Ladislav Kolář, Otakar Strunecký, Marek Kopecký, Petr Bartoš, Anna Maroušková, Eva Cudlínová, Petr Konvalina, Miloslav Šoch, Jan Moudrý (Jr), Radka Vaníčková, Jaromír Vrbka. Modified biochars present an economic challenge to phosphate management in wastewater treatment plants. Journal of Cleaner Production. 2020; 272 ():123015.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJosef Maroušek; Ladislav Kolář; Otakar Strunecký; Marek Kopecký; Petr Bartoš; Anna Maroušková; Eva Cudlínová; Petr Konvalina; Miloslav Šoch; Jan Moudrý (Jr); Radka Vaníčková; Jaromír Vrbka. 2020. "Modified biochars present an economic challenge to phosphate management in wastewater treatment plants." Journal of Cleaner Production 272, no. : 123015.
Foodwaste (hereinafter, FW) is the most voluminous solid waste and its amount is growing rapidly all over the world. The turning of FW into biogas via anaerobic fermentation is widely recognized as an environmentally responsible and economically reasonable option. Based on the knowledge obtained from agricultural biogas stations, the current methods of FW fermentation management are based on balancing the ratio of total carbon and nitrogen. However, it was repeatedly and independently reported that the stability of this process is low, resulting in many concessions in terms of prolonged hydraulic retention time or reduced biogas yield. Hence, biochemical as well as economic performance of the process is balanced by mixing of FW with agricultural residues. FW samples of various origin were collected and biochemically analyzed. The data indicate that FW originating from homes and luxury restaurants tends to be lignocellulose-based, whereas the levels of crude fiber (25% up to 27%) are higher than those from agricultural feedstock (18%). In contrast, FW from school canteens and inexpensive restaurants tends to be starch-based with high levels of amyloids (21% up to 23%) and fat (5% up to 7%). A novel method better reflecting the bioavailability of carbon and nitrogen to anaerobic consortia is proposed. It is demonstrated that the previous optimization methods could somehow reflect the availability of nutrients in agricultural feedstock, as carbonaceous and nitrogen sources are relatively equally biodegradable. Nevertheless, the biodegradability of FW is considerably different, which is why higher amounts of proteins and lipids lead to increased levels of ammonia and sulfide, resulting in an inhibitory effect on the metabolism of anaerobic consortia. Optimizing the anaerobic fermentation of FW by the new method outperforms the previous technique and makes it possible to process FW more intensively, or, more precisely, with higher profitability and lower proportion of ballast agricultural feedstock.
Josef Maroušek; Otakar Strunecký; Ladislav Kolář; Marek Vochozka; Marek Kopecký; Anna Maroušková; Jana Batt; Miloš Poliak; Miloslav Šoch; Petr Bartoš; Tomáš Klieštik; Martin Filip; Petr Konvalina; Jan Moudrý; Jiří Peterka; Karel Suchý; Tomáš Zoubek; Edmond Cera. Advances in nutrient management make it possible to accelerate biogas production and thus improve the economy of food waste processing. Energy Sources, Part A: Recovery, Utilization, and Environmental Effects 2020, 1 -10.
AMA StyleJosef Maroušek, Otakar Strunecký, Ladislav Kolář, Marek Vochozka, Marek Kopecký, Anna Maroušková, Jana Batt, Miloš Poliak, Miloslav Šoch, Petr Bartoš, Tomáš Klieštik, Martin Filip, Petr Konvalina, Jan Moudrý, Jiří Peterka, Karel Suchý, Tomáš Zoubek, Edmond Cera. Advances in nutrient management make it possible to accelerate biogas production and thus improve the economy of food waste processing. Energy Sources, Part A: Recovery, Utilization, and Environmental Effects. 2020; ():1-10.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJosef Maroušek; Otakar Strunecký; Ladislav Kolář; Marek Vochozka; Marek Kopecký; Anna Maroušková; Jana Batt; Miloš Poliak; Miloslav Šoch; Petr Bartoš; Tomáš Klieštik; Martin Filip; Petr Konvalina; Jan Moudrý; Jiří Peterka; Karel Suchý; Tomáš Zoubek; Edmond Cera. 2020. "Advances in nutrient management make it possible to accelerate biogas production and thus improve the economy of food waste processing." Energy Sources, Part A: Recovery, Utilization, and Environmental Effects , no. : 1-10.
This article focuses on the perception of the importance of business ethics among Czech and Slovak entrepreneurs (this includes business owners and managers) within the SME sector. The comparison is based on an analysis of the approach to business ethics according to a set of parameters, namely company size, years in business, and the gender and education of the entrepreneurs. Empirical research was conducted in 2020 on a sample set consisting of 454 respondents in the Czech Republic and 368 respondents in Slovakia. The most important outcome of the research was the finding that business ethics is considered extremely important in both countries. The research results not only revealed that just over 90% of Czech entrepreneurs and 88% of Slovak entrepreneurs within the SME sector agreed that they should take into account the moral and ethical consequences of their decisions, but that the structure of their answers was very similar. Also, of interest were the findings that women were more aware of business ethics than their male counterparts, as were those entrepreneurs who possessed a higher education over those with a secondary education.
Jaroslav Belás; Khuramm Ajaz Khan; Josef Maroušek; Zoltán Rozsa. Perceptions of the importance of business ethics in SMEs: A comparative study of Czech and Slovak entrepreneurs. Ethics & Bioethics 2020, 10, 96 -106.
AMA StyleJaroslav Belás, Khuramm Ajaz Khan, Josef Maroušek, Zoltán Rozsa. Perceptions of the importance of business ethics in SMEs: A comparative study of Czech and Slovak entrepreneurs. Ethics & Bioethics. 2020; 10 (1-2):96-106.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJaroslav Belás; Khuramm Ajaz Khan; Josef Maroušek; Zoltán Rozsa. 2020. "Perceptions of the importance of business ethics in SMEs: A comparative study of Czech and Slovak entrepreneurs." Ethics & Bioethics 10, no. 1-2: 96-106.
Gentjan Çera; Jaroslav Belas; Josef Marousek; Edmond Çera. Do size and age of small and medium-sized enterprises matter in corporate social responsibility? Economics & Sociology 2020, 13, 86 -99.
AMA StyleGentjan Çera, Jaroslav Belas, Josef Marousek, Edmond Çera. Do size and age of small and medium-sized enterprises matter in corporate social responsibility? Economics & Sociology. 2020; 13 (2):86-99.
Chicago/Turabian StyleGentjan Çera; Jaroslav Belas; Josef Marousek; Edmond Çera. 2020. "Do size and age of small and medium-sized enterprises matter in corporate social responsibility?" Economics & Sociology 13, no. 2: 86-99.
The warming climate results in higher losses in potato production, storage and processing, especially in developing countries. Feeding, anaerobic fermentation, combustion, composting and charring of potato peels with reject potatoes were analyzed on a pilot scale. It was revealed that feeding is the most promising alternative; however, additional energy inputs for potato waste steaming are advisable to break down trypsin inhibitors that naturally decrease protein digestibility. Other results indicate that it is advisable to ferment the slurry obtained with post-harvest residues into biogas and subsequently pyrolyze dewatered fermentation residues into biochar. It is appropriate to subsequently enrich the biochar by the liquid fraction of fermentation residues via filtration. Enough indications was found that this setup provides multiple horizontal synergies as well as parallel synergies, both technical and economic, that altogether create prerequisites for sustainability of developing agriculture.
Josef Maroušek; Zuzana Rowland; Katarina Valaskova; Pavol Král. Techno-economic assessment of potato waste management in developing economies. Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy 2020, 22, 937 -944.
AMA StyleJosef Maroušek, Zuzana Rowland, Katarina Valaskova, Pavol Král. Techno-economic assessment of potato waste management in developing economies. Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy. 2020; 22 (4):937-944.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJosef Maroušek; Zuzana Rowland; Katarina Valaskova; Pavol Král. 2020. "Techno-economic assessment of potato waste management in developing economies." Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy 22, no. 4: 937-944.
The share of renewables is rising rapidly, especially in developed countries. Biogas production from purpose-grown phytomass is undergoing the fastest growth. The trend is linked to the production of vast amounts of fermentation residues. However, it has been repeatedly and independently reported that intensive or long-term application of fermentation residues into arable land changes soil structure, resulting in sharp degradation of its fertility. This is now compensated by more intense use of agrochemicals and additional agrotechnical operations such as biochar addition. However, the increased cost is beginning to threaten the economic sustainability of biogas production. Given the fact that the production of biogas from purpose-grown phytomass has become a strong pillar of the electricity grid, the threat to soil fertility may endanger its stability. The quality and quantity of soil organic matter (SOM) and in particular its stable organic fractions with ion-exchange properties (SOF) that determine soil fertility, or, more precisely, the transport of nutrients and their availability for plant growth, were investigated in detail. A novel, undemanding and quick method allowing the analysis and interpretation of SOM and its SOF was proposed and compared with conventional methods. It was confirmed that the adaptation of the new method enables farmers to better choose organic and mineral fertilizers and corresponding agronomic operations, so the soil can provide higher yields and an increased water retention capacity (up to 7%), which results in improved water retention during extreme rainfalls or droughts, altogether lowering the cost of purpose-grown phytomass, or, more precisely, improving the economy of biogas production. Abbreviations: SOM: Soil organic matter; SOF: Stable organic fractions of SOM with ion-exchange properties; WRC: Water retention capacity; ARC: Air retention capacity; TOC: Total organic carbon; CEC: Cation exchange capacity; HA: Humic acids; FA: Fulvic acids; NHSOM: Non-humified soil organic matter; PSOM: Primary soil organic matter; Cox: Oxidizable carbon
Josef Maroušek; Petr Bartoš; Martin Filip; Ladislav Kolář; Petr Konvalina; Anna Maroušková; Jan Moudrý; Jiří Peterka; Jiří Šál; Miloslav Šoch; Vojtěch Stehel; Otakar Strunecký; Karel Suchý; Marek Vochozka; Jaromír Vrbka; Tomáš Zoubek. Advances in the agrochemical utilization of fermentation residues reduce the cost of purpose-grown phytomass for biogas production. Energy Sources, Part A: Recovery, Utilization, and Environmental Effects 2020, 1 -11.
AMA StyleJosef Maroušek, Petr Bartoš, Martin Filip, Ladislav Kolář, Petr Konvalina, Anna Maroušková, Jan Moudrý, Jiří Peterka, Jiří Šál, Miloslav Šoch, Vojtěch Stehel, Otakar Strunecký, Karel Suchý, Marek Vochozka, Jaromír Vrbka, Tomáš Zoubek. Advances in the agrochemical utilization of fermentation residues reduce the cost of purpose-grown phytomass for biogas production. Energy Sources, Part A: Recovery, Utilization, and Environmental Effects. 2020; ():1-11.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJosef Maroušek; Petr Bartoš; Martin Filip; Ladislav Kolář; Petr Konvalina; Anna Maroušková; Jan Moudrý; Jiří Peterka; Jiří Šál; Miloslav Šoch; Vojtěch Stehel; Otakar Strunecký; Karel Suchý; Marek Vochozka; Jaromír Vrbka; Tomáš Zoubek. 2020. "Advances in the agrochemical utilization of fermentation residues reduce the cost of purpose-grown phytomass for biogas production." Energy Sources, Part A: Recovery, Utilization, and Environmental Effects , no. : 1-11.
Biochar refers to the high-carbon, black fine-grained product of biomass pyrolysis. Independent studies repeatedly confirmed that its incorporation into arable land is a reliable carbon sequestration method that significantly improves soil quality. The latest development leads to a reduction in the production cost (− 10 to 30 USD t−1); however, the use of biochar in commercial agriculture remains scarce. The reason is that biochar can substitute lower-quality charcoals (150–300 USD t−1). Therefore, farmers tend to sell their biowaste for energy purposes, respectively, preferring a quick profit over the forgotten soil-improving practices, which hold long-term benefits. A review of the current state of the art was performed in order to search directions toward the most profitable biochar farming applications. There are indications that a promising direction might be its on-farm production followed by on-farm use and nutrient recycling, or more precisely, special fertilization applications.
Josef Maroušek; Otakar Strunecký; Vojtěch Stehel. Biochar farming: defining economically perspective applications. Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy 2019, 21, 1389 -1395.
AMA StyleJosef Maroušek, Otakar Strunecký, Vojtěch Stehel. Biochar farming: defining economically perspective applications. Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy. 2019; 21 (7):1389-1395.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJosef Maroušek; Otakar Strunecký; Vojtěch Stehel. 2019. "Biochar farming: defining economically perspective applications." Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy 21, no. 7: 1389-1395.
Clarification via floccules of ferric hydroxide is a globally leading technology in processing and treating surface water, and converting it into drinking water. The ferric–based coagulation sludge obtained is routinely dewatered and mixed with biowaste, assuming that the finest colloidal fractions of clay present will improve the cation–exchange capacity of the composts produced. However, in relation to the application of these types of compost, farmers repeatedly and independently of one another reported lower yields and crops suffering from phosphorus deficiency, even under proper phosphorus fertilization. A 5-year study revealed that the cation–exchange capacity tends to increase, which is beneficial over the long term. Nevertheless, the analyses performed revealed, for the first time, that this widespread practice lowers the level of mobile phosphorus, on average, by 62 % and the level of extractable phosphorus by 55 %. To make things worse, the quality of the extractable phosphorus declines, since the biologically available calcium, magnesium and aluminum based phosphates are gradually being replaced by ferric phosphates (originating from the ferric sludge). Given that phosphorus is the most expensive nutrient, this finding is of great environmental and economic importance, since the formation of ferric phosphates locks this most expensive nutrient into a form available neither to soil microbiota nor plants. It is recommended that new ways of using ferric–based coagulation sludge be developed.
Josef Maroušek; Vojtěch Stehel; Marek Vochozka; Ladislav Kolář; Anna Maroušková; Otakar Strunecký; Jiří Peterka; Marek Kopecký; Sowmya Shreedhar. Ferrous sludge from water clarification: Changes in waste management practices advisable. Journal of Cleaner Production 2019, 218, 459 -464.
AMA StyleJosef Maroušek, Vojtěch Stehel, Marek Vochozka, Ladislav Kolář, Anna Maroušková, Otakar Strunecký, Jiří Peterka, Marek Kopecký, Sowmya Shreedhar. Ferrous sludge from water clarification: Changes in waste management practices advisable. Journal of Cleaner Production. 2019; 218 ():459-464.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJosef Maroušek; Vojtěch Stehel; Marek Vochozka; Ladislav Kolář; Anna Maroušková; Otakar Strunecký; Jiří Peterka; Marek Kopecký; Sowmya Shreedhar. 2019. "Ferrous sludge from water clarification: Changes in waste management practices advisable." Journal of Cleaner Production 218, no. : 459-464.
In the last two decades, subsidised purchase prices for electricity produced from biogas generated from purpose-grown crops has seen the construction of hundreds of biogas plants across Central Europe in response. The resulting intensive cultivation of monocultures has had a negative impact on the environment and has been a waste of taxpayers´ money. In addition, this policy has made the processing of other biowaste uncompetitive, resulting in further public funds being spent on their disposal in landfill sites, thereby raising more environmental concerns. Given that the conditions under which the subsidies are provided cannot be changed retroactively, proposals are being sought to increase the efficiency of biogas generation in order to reduce the volume of purpose-grown feedstock required, thereby mitigating the negative impacts on the environment and public funds alike. A new proposal, as outlined in this article, sees the incorporation of a steam explosion device at a later stage of the fermentation process, rather than at the beginning (pre-treatment of feedstock) as conventional wisdom would have it. This proposed process change was applied on a commercial scale and techno-economically assessed. The process change generated significant savings in feedstock (29% reduction due to the intensification of the process parameters ceasing to be limited by the formation of inhibitors) whilst maintaining the same level of electricity production. As a result, the payback period was reduced by 9%, which is a good prerequisite for commercial expansion. However, this comes at a cost, namely in the form of a doubling of water demands. Intensive work is now being conducted to determine how this issue can be overcome.
Josef Maroušek; Vojtěch Stehel; Marek Vochozka; Anna Maroušková; Ladislav Kolář. Postponing of the intracellular disintegration step improves efficiency of phytomass processing. Journal of Cleaner Production 2018, 199, 173 -176.
AMA StyleJosef Maroušek, Vojtěch Stehel, Marek Vochozka, Anna Maroušková, Ladislav Kolář. Postponing of the intracellular disintegration step improves efficiency of phytomass processing. Journal of Cleaner Production. 2018; 199 ():173-176.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJosef Maroušek; Vojtěch Stehel; Marek Vochozka; Anna Maroušková; Ladislav Kolář. 2018. "Postponing of the intracellular disintegration step improves efficiency of phytomass processing." Journal of Cleaner Production 199, no. : 173-176.
Impacts of red beet consumption both on human and animal health are subject of intense research. In particular, products that are not heat-processed contain plethora of bioactive compounds that hold promise against numerous degenerative and aging-associated diseases. However, high level of nitrates (typically more than 2 g NO3− kg−1) whose health effects are perceived with reasoned objections counterbalance these benefits. Following the above, from a certain level, the increased consumption of red beet has contrary impacts, creating a limiting factor not only from the economic point of view but also in terms of beneficial compounds intake. Reduction of NO3− levels (− 35%) has been achieved by soil amendment via increased doses of biochar. The data obtained indicates that the mechanism can be explained as follows. The soil improvement reduces soil density, increases soil temperature, improves water retention, and other prerequisites for increased activity of soil microorganisms. Accelerated metabolism of soil biota turned more nitrogen from fertilizers into organic forms. Hence, less mineral nitrogen is left for red beet intake.
Josef Maroušek; Ladislav Kolář; Marek Vochozka; Vojtěch Stehel; Anna Maroušková. Biochar reduces nitrate level in red beet. Environmental Science and Pollution Research 2018, 25, 18200 -18203.
AMA StyleJosef Maroušek, Ladislav Kolář, Marek Vochozka, Vojtěch Stehel, Anna Maroušková. Biochar reduces nitrate level in red beet. Environmental Science and Pollution Research. 2018; 25 (18):18200-18203.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJosef Maroušek; Ladislav Kolář; Marek Vochozka; Vojtěch Stehel; Anna Maroušková. 2018. "Biochar reduces nitrate level in red beet." Environmental Science and Pollution Research 25, no. 18: 18200-18203.
Josef Maroušek; Ladislav Kolář; Marek Vochozka; Vojtěch Stehel; Anna Maroušková. Novel method for cultivating beetroot reduces nitrate content. Journal of Cleaner Production 2017, 168, 60 -62.
AMA StyleJosef Maroušek, Ladislav Kolář, Marek Vochozka, Vojtěch Stehel, Anna Maroušková. Novel method for cultivating beetroot reduces nitrate content. Journal of Cleaner Production. 2017; 168 ():60-62.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJosef Maroušek; Ladislav Kolář; Marek Vochozka; Vojtěch Stehel; Anna Maroušková. 2017. "Novel method for cultivating beetroot reduces nitrate content." Journal of Cleaner Production 168, no. : 60-62.
Biochar refers to carbon-based dusty residues obtained from biomass pyrolysis. This recently rediscovered traditional soil improver is currently being glorified for its wide portfolio of favorable environmental aspects. With its lifetime of several centuries, it is being widely accepted as a promising method of carbon sequestration. Moreover, it has been demonstrated that biochar can reduce bioavailability of some heavy metals and that it has a high adsorption capacity to persistent organic pollutants. These effects are explained by a complex of physical, chemical and biological mechanisms. Besides agriculture, it has been currently used in food and chemical industries, as well as in the building industry. Many other promising applications are under investigation. However, contrary to many enthusiastic proclamations, no revolution in agriculture or environmental management is taking place. Despite significant achievements in reduction of biochar production costs, high demand from the industry and energy sector keeps the biochar price still high, which prevents a return of the ancient farming practice on a commercial scale.
Josef Maroušek; Marek Vochozka; Jan Plachý; Jaroslav Žák. Glory and misery of biochar. Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy 2016, 19, 311 -317.
AMA StyleJosef Maroušek, Marek Vochozka, Jan Plachý, Jaroslav Žák. Glory and misery of biochar. Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy. 2016; 19 (2):311-317.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJosef Maroušek; Marek Vochozka; Jan Plachý; Jaroslav Žák. 2016. "Glory and misery of biochar." Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy 19, no. 2: 311-317.
Regarding the price of meat product filling in comparison with the negligible cost of the collagen casings, whole roll of the casings is discharged only on suspicion of a small cut during handling. Once the casings are designed to be biologically resistant, they represent relatively problematic waste that is nowadays rather transported to landfills. This represents a significant cost; once the role is opened, it becomes extremely voluminous. The long-term study that was carried out on a commercial scale assessed two methods of utilization: composting of highly disintegrated casings and composting of charred casings. Robust qualitative and financial analysis revealed that the composting of charred casings was more meaningful both from agrochemical and financial point of view.
J. Maroušek; A. Maroušková; K. Myšková; J. Váchal; M. Vochozka; J. Žák. Techno-economic assessment of collagen casings waste management. International Journal of Environmental Science and Technology 2015, 12, 3385 -3390.
AMA StyleJ. Maroušek, A. Maroušková, K. Myšková, J. Váchal, M. Vochozka, J. Žák. Techno-economic assessment of collagen casings waste management. International Journal of Environmental Science and Technology. 2015; 12 (10):3385-3390.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJ. Maroušek; A. Maroušková; K. Myšková; J. Váchal; M. Vochozka; J. Žák. 2015. "Techno-economic assessment of collagen casings waste management." International Journal of Environmental Science and Technology 12, no. 10: 3385-3390.
This paper focuses on compost use in overpasses and underpasses for wild animals over roads and other similar linear structures. In this context, good quality of compost may result in faster and more resistant vegetation cover during the year. Inter alia, this can be interpreted also as reduction of damage and saving lives. There are millions of tones of plant residue produced every day worldwide. These represent prospective business for manufacturers of compost additives called “accelerators”. The opinions of the sale representatives’ with regards to other alternatives of biowaste utilization and their own products were reviewed. The robust analyzes of several “accelerated” composts revealed that the quality was generally low. Only two accelerated composts were somewhat similar in quality to the blank sample that was produced according to the traditional procedure. Overlaps between the interests of decision makers on future soil fertility were weighed against the preferences on short-term profit. Possible causes that allowed the boom of these underperforming products and the possible consequences are also discussed. Conclusions regarding the ethical concerns on how to run businesses with products whose profitability depends on weaknesses in the legal system and customer unawareness are to follow.
Josef Maroušek; Simona Hašková; Robert Zeman; Jaroslav Žák; Radka Vaníčková; Anna Maroušková; Jan Váchal; Kateřina Myšková. Polemics on Ethical Aspects in the Compost Business. Science and Engineering Ethics 2015, 22, 581 -590.
AMA StyleJosef Maroušek, Simona Hašková, Robert Zeman, Jaroslav Žák, Radka Vaníčková, Anna Maroušková, Jan Váchal, Kateřina Myšková. Polemics on Ethical Aspects in the Compost Business. Science and Engineering Ethics. 2015; 22 (2):581-590.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJosef Maroušek; Simona Hašková; Robert Zeman; Jaroslav Žák; Radka Vaníčková; Anna Maroušková; Jan Váchal; Kateřina Myšková. 2015. "Polemics on Ethical Aspects in the Compost Business." Science and Engineering Ethics 22, no. 2: 581-590.
Regarding the developed countries, most of the meat products are packed into cellulose, respectively collagen casings. Minor defects or inaccuracies in threading of the shirred casings on the filling machines result in hundreds of meters of extremely lightweight waste. The logistics of such a waste is costly and other expenses are linked with the ongoing processing of the waste—landfilling. Two other methods of waste management of the cellulose casings (anaerobic fermentation and pyrolysis) were biotechnologically analyzed and financially assessed in a commercial scale. The results obtained confirm that, regardless of the chemical nature, the surface treatment technology of the casings significantly hampers the biodegradability. This makes the fermentation technologies time consuming and therefore economically unworkable. Intensive disintegration techniques are therefore necessary. However, the solid residue of the pyrolysis (also called biochar) represents more attractive product.
Josef Maroušek; Simona Hašková; Róbert Zeman; Jaroslav Žák; Radka Vanickova; Anna Maroušková; Jan Váchal; Kateřina Myšková. Techno-economic assessment of processing the cellulose casings waste. Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy 2015, 17, 2441 -2446.
AMA StyleJosef Maroušek, Simona Hašková, Róbert Zeman, Jaroslav Žák, Radka Vanickova, Anna Maroušková, Jan Váchal, Kateřina Myšková. Techno-economic assessment of processing the cellulose casings waste. Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy. 2015; 17 (8):2441-2446.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJosef Maroušek; Simona Hašková; Róbert Zeman; Jaroslav Žák; Radka Vanickova; Anna Maroušková; Jan Váchal; Kateřina Myšková. 2015. "Techno-economic assessment of processing the cellulose casings waste." Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy 17, no. 8: 2441-2446.