The effects of wastewater application on electrical conductivity, water retention and water repellency of soils planted with
Populus deltoides (eastern cottonwood) and irrigated with different ...concentrations of landfill leachate and compost wastewater, tap water and nutrient solution were evaluated. Substrate water content at field capacity (−0.033
MPa) and at permanent wilting point (−1.5
MPa) was determined with a pressure plate extractor to assess available water capacity of the substrate. A water drop penetration test was used to determine substrate water repellency. The biomass of nutrient and landfill leachate treatments was significantly (
P
<
0.05) greater compared to the tap water and compost wastewater treatments. All treatments increased substrate water content at field capacity and at permanent wilting point. Landfill leachate significantly increased available water capacity (up to 52%); treatment with compost wastewater significantly decreased it (25–47%). All substrates showed increased water repellency after the experiment at field capacity and permanent wilting point comparing to the original substrate. The strongest influence on water repellency at both field capacity and permanent wilting point showed irrigation with compost wastewater and tap water. Pronounced influence on substrate’s water repellency of compost wastewater could be contributed to a high content of dissolved organic carbon, whereas Mg and Ca cations caused flocculation and consequent water repellency of the substrate irrigated with tap water. The results indicate that soil physical characteristics must be closely monitored when landfill leachate and compost wastewater are used for irrigation to avoid long term detrimental effects on the soil, and consequently on the environment. Due to the complexity of the compost wastewater quality the latter should be applied on open fields only after prior pre-treatment to reduce dissolved organic carbons, or alternatively, compost wastewater should be added only intermittently and in diluted ratios.
The paper presents findings of the study on satisfaction with life and its association with quality of elderly parent-adult child relationships. The participants were 91 (70.3% females) healthy and ...independent Slovene parents, in average aged 69.63 years. Using psychological questionnaires they provided self-ratings on their characteristics, and characteristics of the relationship with their oldest or the only child. In average, the parents were relatively satisfied with life and active in everyday life. We identified three components of their relationship with the adult child, i.e. connectedness with the child, seeking support in the child and intrusiveness of the child. The components were similar, yet not identical to those established with younger parents. The participants scored the highest with respect to feelings of connectedness with their child, especially the mothers. The scores reflecting seeking support in the child when faced with important and/or difficult situations were moderate, whereas the scores indicating the child's intrusiveness into the parent's privacy were low. The elderly parents' living arrangement and the three components of their relationship with the child explained 18% of differences in parental satisfaction with life. Stronger feelings of parents' connectedness with the child significantly predicted higher levels of their life satisfaction. The parents residing with their spouse or family also tended to exhibit slightly higher levels of satisfaction with life than those living alone.
This study analyzed the psychometric properties of scores on the Slovene version of the
Questionnaire about Interpersonal Difficulties for Adolescents
(QIDA) in a sample of 1,334 adolescents (44% ...boys), ranging in age from 12 to 18 years (
M
= 15.61). Confirmatory factor analyses replicated the correlated five-factor structure of the QIDA: Assertiveness, Heterosexual Relationships, Public Speaking, Family Relationships, and Close Friendships. Internal consistency and test–retest reliability were reasonable. Correlations of scores on the QIDA with scores of neuroticism, low extraversion, and low openness, as measured by the Inventory of Child/Adolescent Individual Differences, and scores of fear of negative evaluation, and tension and inhibition in social contacts, as measured by the Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents were found, revealing differential links with QIDA subscale scores. Girls reported more difficulties than boys. Age differences showed a small but significant decrease in QIDA total score over adolescence.
Recirculation of leachate on a covered landfill site planted with willows or other highly evapotranspirative woody plants is an inexpensive option for leachate management. In our study, a closed ...landfill leachate recirculation system was established on a rehabilitated municipal solid waste landfill site with planted landfill cover. The main objective of the study was to evaluate the sustainability of the system with regard to high hydraulic loads of the landfill leachate on the landfill cover and high concentrations of saline ions, especially potassium (K
+), sodium (Na
+) and chloride (Cl
−), in leachate.
The results of intensive monitoring, implemented during May 2004 and September 2007, including leachate, soil and plant samples, showed a high sustainability of the system regarding saline ions with the precipitation regime of the studied region. Saline ion concentrations in leachates varied between 132 and 2592
mg Cl
− L
−1, 69 and 1310
mg Na
+ L
−1 and between 66 and 2156
mg
K
+ L
−1, with mean values of 1010, 632 and 686
mg L
−1, respectively. Soil salinity, measured as soil electrical conductivity (EC), remained between 0.17 and 0.38
mS
cm
−1 at a depth between 0 and 90
cm. An average annual precipitation of 1000
mm provided sufficient leaching of saline ions, loaded by irrigation with landfill leachate, from the soil of the landfill cover and thus prevented possible salinity shocks to the planted willows.
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, emerging adults are especially vulnerable as they experience its financial impact as a source of stress. We tested a model of psychological resilience among emerging ...adults (18–25 years) during the pandemic from six Western countries (Finland, Italy, Lithuania, Portugal, Slovenia, and United States) using online survey data collected between May and September 2020. Framed in the conservation of resources theory, we examined the association between financial loss and financial well-being and the moderating role of psychological resilience in the association. Using path analysis, we found a direct negative association between financial loss and financial well-being, a direct positive association between psychological resilience and financial well-being, but no evidence of moderation. We discuss the findings in the context of continuing global economic uncertainty and the support needed to foster adult independence and financial well-being of emerging adults.
Poznavanje značilnosti psihološkega delovanja starejših je prvi pogoj za razvijanje načinov ohranjanja in izboljšanja njihove kompetentnosti, blagostanja in vključevanja v družbo. V prispevku ...predstavljamo ugotovitve slovenske raziskave o poznavanju dejstev o staranju in značilnostih starejših oseb pri velikem vzorcu različno starih in različno izobraženih odraslih. Z ravnjo izobrazbe se poznavanje dejstev o starejših povečuje, mladi na prehodu v odraslost in starostniki pa v primerjavi s posamezniki v zgodnji in srednji odraslosti poznajo nekoliko manj teh dejstev. V splošnem je poznavanje psihološkega vidika staranja, značilnosti starejših in njihovih potencialov za učenje, spreminjanje in delo na razmeroma nizki ravni. Večina odraslih pozna dejstva o telesnem stanju, zdravju in nekaterih posebnostih psihološkega delovanja starejših. Precej razširjena pa so zmotna prepričanja, ki odražajo negativne stereotipe o staranju in starejših osebah, zlasti na področju spoznavnega, oziroma širše, psihosocialnega delovanja starejših. Na tej podlagi menimo, da je za formalno in neformalno izobraževanje pomembno ustrezno informiranje odraslih.
The results are presented of a 2-year monitoring of the performance of a hybrid constructed wetland (CW), which was created for the treatment of very heterogeneous industrial wastewater (WW) in ...Slovenia. WW originated from the food-processing department responsible for the production of wine and apple vinegar and from the chemical department in which the packing of detergents and soaps takes place. The hydraulic variability of theWW was high due to the variable production intensity. Low degradability was found due to the remains of detergents in WW. The average efficiency for COD, BOD5, TOC, total organic N, nitrate-N, phosphate and anionic tensides removal was 67%, 66%, 64%, 83%, 83%, 62% and 67%, respectively. Special attention was given to the anionic tensides. Biodegradability and toxicity tests showed the worst results in samples with the highest concentrations of anionic tensides. During intensive vinegar production, the pH of WW was low. In spite of the compensation lagoon, the neutralisation of pH before the inflow into the CW was not always achieved. This presumably caused leaching of Fe from the substratum in the first beds of the CW and its precipitation into the last bed. The CW proved to have a higher pH buffering capacity compared to the open lagoon. In general, the CW verified the predicted results in the first 2 years of its operation. A further increase in efficiency can be achieved via the separate containment of WW with high concentrations of anionic tensides requiring longer degradation period and via the additional buffering of acid outflow from the vinegar production.
Pharmaceuticals in wastewater have clearly raised concern and a broad range of analytical methods has been used to assess the risk as accurately as possible. The aim of our study was to measure and ...compare the concentrations of atorvastatin, bisoprolol, carbamazepine, ciprofloxacin, clofibric acid, diclofenac, fluoxetine, metoprolol, and sertraline in wastewater samples taken from one municipal and one hospital wastewater treatment plant in Slovenia and to predict the potential environmental burden using the risk quotient. In both effluents only clofibric acid and fluoxetine were not detected. The measured concentrations of the remaining seven pharmaceuticals varied between the ng L
and the μg L
range. Hospital effluent showed higher concentrations, except for diclofenac and carbamazepine. However, high risk quotient was found only for ciprofloxacin and diclofenac in both municipal and hospital effluent. In conclusion, our method can provide a useful tool for systematic monitoring of pharmaceuticals commonly found in wastewater, which will enable a reliable assessment of the risks for the aquatic biota and humans. Knowing the risks will help to plan wastewater treatment and preserve our environment.
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