Lorenzo Pugliese

• Aarhus University

Increased CH4 emissions from rewetted organic soils can undermine the climate benefits of reduced CO2 release. This is especially problematic in low-lying areas that tend to remain waterlogged and act as potential CH4 hotspots. Here we test whether burning the soil surface before rewetting can reduce CH4 emissions. Using laboratory experiments with...

Understanding phosphorus (P) transformation dynamics during peatland rewetting is crucial for developing effective management strategies, supporting ecological restoration initiatives and mitigating potential environmental risks. This incubation study explored the temporal variations in P transformation in peatlands under different land uses (cut g...

Rewetting drained peatlands is a promising strategy for mitigating carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, transforming these areas from carbon sources to sinks. Despite the well-known climate benefits, practical implementation is often hampered by conflicts between environmental goals and farmers’ economic interests. Identifying optimal rewetting location...

The efficiency of direct electron flow from electron donors to electron acceptors in redox reactions is significantly influenced by the spatial separation of these components. Geobatteries, a class of redox-active substances naturally present in soil–water systems, act as electron reservoirs, reversibly donating, storing, and accepting electrons. T...

Fresh groundwater in arid and highly populated regions is limited. In coastal aquifers, the deterioration of fresh groundwater is accelerated by saltwater intrusion, primarily occurring through lateral encroachment and vertical movements in the proximity of discharging wells. Coastal regions have high salinity due to saline intrusion, where many ab...

Study region: The coastal aquifer of Nile Delta, Egypt is used to develop the current study. Study focus: Excess water from rice irrigation is a source of incidental recharge to mitigate seawater intrusion. This paper numerically explores the optimal location of rice cultivations by subdividing the delta domain into three distinct recharging region...

Study region The Aswan region is a vast plateau in the South of Egypt located 150 m above mean sea level (AMSL). Within this region, the tourist city of Aswan is Egypt’s southernmost city, located on the east bank of the Nile River. Study focus The occurrence of flash floods can severely impact low-lying and densely populated areas. Therefore, hig...

Phosphorus losses from agriculture have long generated concern due to the ecological impact on surface waters. Here tile-drained agricultural catchments are a critical source for concentrating and transporting phosphorus bioavailable forms or dissolved reactive phosphorus (DRP). Hence, edge-of-field technologies have been introduced to reduce DRP l...

Saltwater intrusion (SWI) has a negative environmental impact on groundwater quality in coastal areas. Therefore, effective management strategies are required to preserve fresh groundwater resources. Historically, vertical barriers have been exclusively considered in both numerical studies and practical applications. The novelty of this study consi...

Canal seepage losses can contribute significantly to groundwater aquifers in arid and semi-arid regions worldwide. In addition, surface water evaporation and evapotranspiration from adjacent riparian vegetation directly affect surface water availability across these regions. This study aims to evaluate interactions between irrigation canals and the...

The depletion of water has been recognized as the most pressing challenge to socioeconomic and human development. The implementation of Zero Liquid Discharge strategies is essential to drive the transition from linear to circular water management.

Nutrient losses from agricultural lands are responsible for degrading water quality and accelerating eutrophication at local and regional scale. Subsurface tile drainage is an agricultural water management measure extensively used in some Northwestern European countries to improve poor internal field drainage and crop production. However, drains co...

Mining is an economically-beneficial activity recognized as crucial in modern society since almost every aspect of our lives relies on minerals. However, intensive mining activities impose a severe strain on the water-energy nexus. In fact, mining ventures: i) need massive amount of water in various ore processing steps; ii) generate a huge amount...

Intensive agriculture requires increasing application of fertilizers in order to sustain food production. Improper use of these substances in combination with increasing seawater intrusion results in long-term and nonpoint soil and groundwater contamination. In this work, a 3-D groundwater and solute transport numerical model was created to simulat...

A large set of experimental solute tracer breakthrough data (corresponding to more than 350 individual tracer breakthrough curves) in eight granular filter materials, were used to investigate the links between solute dispersivity and the shape of the pore velocity—relative pore area distributions for the materials. Solute dispersivity values and th...

Phosphorus (P) leaching from agricultural to tile drainage land contributes to nonpoint pollution of surface waters. Drainage filter technologies are potentially cost-effective technologies at the field scale for mitigating P losses. The objective of this study was to evaluate the removal efficiency for dissolved P (PRE) in a porous reactive filter...

Nutrient losses from agricultural fields have long been a matter of concern worldwide due to the ecological disturbance this can cause to surface waters downstream. In this paper a new design concept, which pairs a surface-flow constructed wetland (SFW) with a woodchip bioreactor (WB), was tested in relation to its capacity to reduce both nitrogen...

Variations of internal water velocities in surface flow constructed wetlands (SF-CWs) affect the hydraulic efficiency and are responsible for heterogeneous distribution of the biogeochemical processes. Internal obstructions, short circuiting due to the presence of immobile zones, and incomplete mixing are among the main culprits. In this study, a h...

Biogeochemical processes in subsurface flow constructed wetlands are influenced by flow direction, degree of saturation and influent loading position. This study presents a simulation tool, which aims to predict the performance of the unit and improve the design. The model was developed using the HYDRUS program, calibrated and verified on previousl...

Breakthrough data for solute tracer transport at different velocities, covering a wide range of particle sizes and particle shapes corresponding to 324 breakthrough curves, were used in this study. Analysis was carried out for three granular porous media: crushed granite, gravel, and Leca® (a commercial insulation material). Mobile–immobile phase (...

The cost efficiency of filtration is often associated with the filter flow velocity (V) and pressure loss (ΔP). Knowledge of the V − ΔP relationship for a given filter medium–fluid combination is therefore necessary when assessing operation costs. Liquid V − ΔP measurements are generally much more time-consuming than for gases, thus predicting liqu...

The relationship between solute dispersion coefficient (Dmech) and porewater velocity during chloride transport in porous media with different particle characteristics at low porewater velocities (u< 1 cmmin-1), relevant for groundwater flowconditions,was investigated.Data for 29 porous media with very different particle shapes (ranging from almost...

Pressure loss (P) is a key parameter for estimating biofilter energy consumption. Accurate predictions of P as a function of air velocity (V) are, therefore, essential to assess energy consumption and minimize operation costs. This paper investigates the combined impact of medium particle size and shape on the V-P relationship. The V-P measurements...

Measurements of solute dispersion in porous media is generally much more time consuming than gas dispersion measurements performed under equivalent conditions. Significant time savings may therefore, be achieved if solute dispersion coefficients can be estimated based on measured gas dispersion data. This paper evaluates the possibility for estimat...

Dispersion is a key process controlling transport of solutes and gases in porous media. Performing tracer tests for dispersion measurements with solutes is generally much more time consuming compared to used gases. The goal of this study is to estimate the solute dispersion based on gas dispersion measurements to reduce time consumption. Solute (ch...

Elution of inhibitory metabolites is a key parameter controlling the efficiency of air cleaning bio- and biotrickling filters. To the authors knowledge no studies have yet considered the relationship between specific surface area related elution velocity and physical media characteristics, which constitutes a scientific gap. This study investigates...

Gas dispersion in a set of three different porous materials with similar particle size, as a function of material tortuosity and anisotropy ratio, was investigated. The materials were packed with different spatial orientations of the individual particles so as to create media with different tortuosity and anisotropy ratios. Three different media (s...