Diclofenac (DCF) and ibuprofen (IBP) are common pharmaceutical residues that have been detected in the aquatic system. Their presence in the aquatic environment has become an emerging contaminant problem, which has implications for public health. The degradation pathway and identification of transformation products of pharmaceutical residues are crucial to elucidate the environmental fate of photocatalytic decomposition of these pollutants in aqueous media. The degradation process might lead to creation of other possible emerging contaminates. In this study, the degradation of DCF and IBP in aqueous solutions was investigated. To this end, coated TiO₂ on a Pilkington Active glass was used as a photocatalyst under UVA illumination, in a planar falling film reactor. Pilkington Activ^TM glass was used as a photocatalyst and a falling liquid film generator. Degradation kinetics of both pharmaceuticals followed a pseudo-first-order model. The transformation products of both diclofenac and ibuprofen during the degradation process were detected and identified with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) and ion chromatography. The results showed that the mineralization rate of both pharmaceuticals through photocatalysis was very low. Low chain carboxylic acids, such as formic, acetic, oxalic, malonic, and succinic acids were the main by-products. A pathway of DCF and IBP degradation was proposed.

Rising global energy needs and limited fossil fuel reserves have led to increased use of renewable energies. In Germany, this has entailed massive exploitation of agricultural biomass for biogas generation, associated with unsustainable farming practices. Organic agriculture not only reduces negative environmental impacts, organic farmers were also prime movers in anaerobic digestion (AD) in Germany. This study’s aim was to identify the structure, development, and characteristics of biogas production associated with organic farming systems in order to estimate further development, as well as energetic and associated agronomic potentials. Surveys were conducted among organic farms with AD technology. 144 biogas plants could be included in the analysis. Total installed electrical capacity was 30.8 MW_el, accounting for only 0.8% of the total installed electrical capacity in the German biogas sector. Recently, larger plant types (>250 kW_el) with increased use of (also purchased) energy crops have emerged. Farmers noticed increases in yields (22% on average) and quality of cash crops in arable farming through integrated biogas production. In conclusion, although the share of AD in organic farming is relatively small it can provide various complementary socio-ecological benefits such as the enhancement of food output through digestate fertilization without additional need for land, while simultaneously reducing greenhouse gas emissions from livestock manures and soils. However, to achieve this eco-functional intensification, AD systems and their management have to be well adapted to farm size and production focus and based primarily on residue biomass.

The levels of production diseases (PD) and the cow replacement rate are high in dairy farming. They indicate excessive production demands on the cow and a poor state of animal welfare. This is the subject of increasing public debate. The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of production diseases on the economic sustainability of dairy farms. The contributions of individual culled cows to the farm’s economic performance were calculated, based on milk recording and accounting data from 32 farms in Germany. Cows were identified as ‘profit cows’ when they reached their individual ‘break-even point’. Data from milk recordings (yield and indicators for PD) were used to cluster farms by means of a principal component and a cluster analysis. The analysis revealed five clusters of farms. The average proportion of profit cows was 57.5%, 55.6%, 44.1%, 29.4% and 19.5%. Clusters characterized by a high proportion of cows with metabolic problems and high culling and mortality rates had lower proportions of profit cows, somewhat irrespective of the average milk-yield per cow. Changing the perception of PD from considering it as collateral damage to a threat to the farms’ economic viability might foster change processes to reduce production diseases.