Laboratory and field studies were completed to characterize the geochemistry and microbiology of drainage emanating from low-S content waste-rock test piles at the Diavik Diamond Mine (Diavik) from 2007 through 2010. The potential use of small-scale laboratory humidity-cell experiments to predict the water quality from larger-scale field-based experiments also was examined. Waste rock at Diavik is segregated into three categories according to sulfide content: Type I (target concentration: < 0.04 wt. % S), Type II (target concentration: 0.04 to 0.08 wt. % S) and Type III (target concentration: > 0.08 wt. % S). Four high-density polyethylene tanks, 2 m in diameter by 2 m in height, were filled with and surrounded by waste rock (active zone lysimeters; AZLs) at the Diavik site to study the upper 2 m of the active zone within a waste-rock pile and to evaluate the quality of effluent released from waste rock with differing S contents (Type I AZLs: 0.014 wt. % S and Type III AZLs: 0.035 wt. % S). In addition, three waste-rock test piles also were constructed at Diavik, two uncovered test piles (Type I test pile: 0.035 wt. % S and Type III test pile: 0.053 wt. % S) and a third pile was constructed based on the mine-closure plan which consists of waste rock (Type III: 0.082 wt. % S) capped with a 1.5 m layer of till and a 3 m layer of Type I material (Covered test pile). Each test pile is underlain by a high-density polyethylene geomembrane that captures and directs water to outflow drains. Results show that the release and transport of blasting residuals could be used as a resident tracer, indicating the first flush of water through the AZLs and the test piles. Variations in concentrations of blasting residuals and the gradual rate of dissipation provide an indication of the heterogeneity of the distribution of blasting residuals and the relative contributions of water and solutes from different flow paths. As temperatures within the test piles increase in response to ambient air temperature increases, larger proportions of the test pile contributed to the outflow, and increased concentrations of blasting residuals were observed in waste-rock test pile effluent. Effluent from the Type I AZLs and test pile maintained near-neutral pH (ranged from 5.8 to 8) with concentrations of SO₄²⁻ < 500 mg L⁻¹. These results suggest that the near-neutral pH values were associated with the presence of carbonates in the waste rock and the lack of intense acid generation. As ambient air temperatures increased in spring and summer of each year, the measured pH in the Type III test-pile drainage decreased from near-neutral in May (pH 7.5) to acidic conditions by October (ranged from 5 to 4.5). As the pH in the Type III test pile decreased, concentrations of SO₄²⁻ and dissolved metals increased (e.g. SO₄²⁻ > 1500 mg L⁻¹) suggesting sulfide oxidation was occurring. Maximum concentrations of SO₄²⁻, Al, Zn, Ni, Co, and Cu were observed in 2009 during the first flush of water through the Type III test pile. A sequence of acid-neutralization reactions was inferred based on the water chemistry of the effluent derived from the Type III AZLs and waste-rock test pile. This acid-neutralization sequence is similar to those observed at other AMD impacted sites. A series of mineral dissolution-precipitation reactions controlled pH and metal mobility; carbonate-mineral dissolution consumed H⁺ generated from sulfide-mineral oxidation at near neutral pH and the dissolution of Al and Fe (oxy)hydroxides consumed H⁺ at pH < 5.0. The cover system on the Covered test pile dampened the effects of ambient air temperature on the internal temperatures within the core of the Covered test pile. As a result, the Covered test pile had a relatively steady change in flow rate, with decreased flow from June to August, which led to a slow but prolonged release of sulfide-mineral oxidation products, such as SO₄²⁻ and dissolved metals, including Ni, Co, Zn, Cd, and Cu, compared to the uncovered Type III test pile. The pH decreased in 2008 and remained low for the duration of the study, whereas the pH in the uncovered test pile was near-neutral at the beginning of each field season in May and decreased to < 4.2 by the end of the field season in November. The microbiological-community profiles observed in the AZLs and waste-rock test piles suggest typical AMD-related species were present in acidic effluent with elevated concentrations of metals, whereas typical soil microbes were present in effluent with a near-neutral pH and lower concentrations of SO₄²⁻ and dissolved metals. The Type III AZLs, Type III test pile, and Covered test pile maintained populations of acidophilic Fe-oxidizers, whereas, the Type I AZLs and Type I test pile maintained populations of neutrophilic S-oxidizers. Laboratory humidity-cell (1 kg) results were scaled up to estimate the water quality from the Type III AZLs (6 t) using measured physical and chemical parameters. The results suggested over-prediction of SO₄²⁻ and metal concentrations when low mean annual precipitation occurred, limiting flushing of predicted oxidation products. In subsequent years with higher mean annual precipitation oxidation products from previous years were liberated and resulted in the under prediction of SO₄²⁻ and metal concentrations. Additionally, Fe and Al were over-predicted because Fe and Al concentrations in the AZL effluent may be controlled by the solubility and formation of secondary minerals, such as Fe oxyhydroxides, jarosite, and goethite, which were not included in the scaling procedure.

A emissividade da superfície terrestre (EST) é uma propriedade importante na caracterização de alvos através do Sensoriamento Remoto (SR). A estimativa da EST envolve a aplicação de uma função indeterminada de várias variáveis em dados de radiância contaminados por uma atmosfera de complexa modelagem. Dunas, em geral, são compostas por quartzo, cujo comportamento emissivo é bem caracterizado com sensores que operam entre 8–12μm. Neste trabalho foram avaliados 4 métodos de recuperação de temperatura-emissividade a partir de dados de radiância corrigida dos efeitos atmosféricos. Os quatro métodos foram aplicados em dados do subsistema do infravermelho termal (TIR) do sensor ASTER e são: Método da Emissividade Normalizada (MEN), Método da Banda de Referência (MBR), Separação de Emissividade e Temperatura (TES) e Resíduos Alpha (α-Residual). Foram geradas imagens de emissividade, cujas amostras puras (controle) de quartzo foram comparadas com uma curva homóloga da biblioteca espectral do Laboratório de Sensoriamento Remoto do Centro Estadual de Pesquisas em Sensoriamento Remoto e Meteorologia da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS). Neste trabalho, os métodos foram comparados pelas diferenças na emissividade média, temperatura média de uma imagem ASTER e geometria da curva através de seus valores alphas. Obteve-se como resultado que o método TES apresentou uma emissividade média absoluta maior em relação ao MEN e MBR. A temperatura média para métodos MEN e MBR foi de 35,18ºC, TES de 30,10ºC e o α-Residual não gerou um valor de temperatura, pois não considera esta variável na estimativa do espectro alpha. A geometria da curva do método TES foi a mais próxima da curva espectral de referência. Os métodos comparados neste trabalho não obtiveram um desempenho quantitativo dentro dos limiares certos, é dizer no intervalo de emissividade de um quartzo a 29ºC. Os métodos neste trabalho tiveram uma tendência a superestimar os valores de temperatura e consequentemente os valores de emissividade, devido a uma correção atmosférica inexata em condições de alta umidade, suposições iniciais (emissividade) com grande erro, heterogeneidade do alvo. Em contrapartida se obteve bom desempenho na individualização dos campos de dunas preservando a forma da curva espectral (geometria) do quartzo. / The land surface emissivity (LSE) is an important property in the characterization of targets through Remote Sensing (RS). The estimation of LSE involves the application of an indeterminate function of several variables in radiance data contaminated by an atmosphere of complex modeling. In general, sand dunes are composed of quartz, whose spectral behavior is well characterized with sensors operating between 8-12μm. In this work, four methods of temperature-emissivity recovery were evaluated from atmospheric effects corrected radiance data. The four methods were applied to data from the thermal infrared (TIR) subsystem of the ASTER sensor, and they are: Normalization Emissivity Method (NEM), Reference Channel Method (RCM), Temperature Emissivity Separation (TES) and Alpha Residuals Method (α- Residual). Emissivity images were generated, whose pure quartz samples (control) were compared to a homologous curve of the spectral library of the Remote Sensing Laboratory of the State Center for Remote Sensing and Meteorology Research at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS). In this study, the methods were compared by differences in mean emissivity, mean temperature of ASTER image and curve geometry through their alpha values. As a result, the TES method presented a higher mean absolute emissivity, in relation to NEM and RCM. The mean temperature for NEM and RCM methods was 35.18 °C, TES was 30.10 °C and α-Residuals did not generate a temperature value, since it does not consider this variable in the estimation of the alpha spectrum. The geometry of the TES method curve was the closest to the reference spectral curve. The methods compared in this work did not obtain a quantitative performance within the certain thresholds, in the emissivity range of a quartz at 29 °C. The methods tend to overestimate the temperature values and consequently the emissivity values due to an inaccurate atmospheric correction under conditions of high humidity, initial assumptions (emissivity) with great error, heterogeneity of the target. In contrast, a good performance was obtained in the individualization of the dune fields, preserving the shape of the spectral curve (geometry) of the quartz.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-12-17T14:52:43Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 DyannaKPT.pdf: 1903160 bytes, checksum: 7c3883d6f7fda414107e4ab8d4d79604 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2009-07-03 / According to great concern between the developed industrial activities and resultant impacts over the environment, an association of several factors have occurred, procedures to the efficient management of the rotation between economical development and the environment have been improved. A research in field have been realized inside building sites of companies in order to provide knowledge about the implemented and accomplish actions according to the resolution from CONAMA n?307. Trough the interview among the representations of the companies and photographic survey in loco, such as, what makes the companies implement this management, reutilization and recycling, transport and disposition. The present study had as objective: analyze the insertion of the used tools to residuals management, proposing improvements, in a way that it can be easily identified during the procedures execution in the building sites of the building companies of the city of Natal/RN. To reach the goal, in the first place a revision of the pertinent literature was performed; there for, it can be seen the relation between residues management and environment sustainability, once it happens in a continued way it may prevent the waste and reduces the risk that the activities way bring to the employees, community and environment; once found the great difficult faced with regard to labors, material, equipment, project, planning, costumer s interference, furnisher. And still, it could be verified wich materials generate greater indexes of residues in the works and the main occurrences of waste and loss. However a greater transparency is needed coming from the high administration in the commitment with the continued actions, to make it so, there must be a cultural change inside the company. There for there will be a greater productivity and quality of the under taking such as costumer s satisfaction / Devido a maior preocupa??o entre as atividades industriais desenvolvidas e os impactos resultantes sobre o meio ambiente, uma associa??o de in?meros fatores tem ocorrido, procedimentos para o gerenciamento eficaz das rela??es entre desenvolvimento econ?mico e meio ambiente vem sendo aperfei?oados. Foi realizado um trabalho de campo, dentro dos canteiros de obras das empresas para que se possa ter conhecimento das a??es implementadas e cumpridas segundo a Resolu??o do CONAMA n? 307. Atrav?s de entrevista junto a representantes da empresa e levantamento fotogr?fico in loco; assim como o que leva as empresas a implementar este gerenciamento, reutiliza??o e reciclagem, transporte e disposi??o. O presente estudo teve como objetivo analisar a inser??o das ferramentas utilizadas para o gerenciamento de res?duos, propondo melhorias, de forma que as mesmas possam ser mais facilmente identificadas durante a execu??o dos processos no canteiro de obras de empresas construtoras da cidade de Natal-RN. Para atingir este objetivo, primeiramente, foi efetuada uma revis?o da literatura pertinente, na qual foi observado que o gerenciamento de res?duos relaciona-se com a sustentabilidade ambiental, uma vez que de forma continuada previne a gera??o de desperd?cio e reduz os riscos das atividades sobre os funcion?rios, comunidade e meio ambiente; sendo constatadas as maiores dificuldades enfrentadas em rela??o ? m?o-de-obra, materiais, equipamento, projeto, planejamento, interfer?ncia do cliente, fornecedores. E ainda se pode constatar quais os materiais que geram maior ?ndice de res?duos nas obras e as principais ocorr?ncias das perdas e desperd?cios. Entretanto, se faz necess?ria maior transpar?ncia da alta administra??o no comprometimento com a continuidade das a??es, para que a partir disto possa haver uma mudan?a de cultura instalada nas empresas, gerando maior produtividade, qualidade dos empreendimentos e uma maior satisfa??o dos clientes

A emissividade da superfície terrestre (EST) é uma propriedade importante na caracterização de alvos através do Sensoriamento Remoto (SR). A estimativa da EST envolve a aplicação de uma função indeterminada de várias variáveis em dados de radiância contaminados por uma atmosfera de complexa modelagem. Dunas, em geral, são compostas por quartzo, cujo comportamento emissivo é bem caracterizado com sensores que operam entre 8–12μm. Neste trabalho foram avaliados 4 métodos de recuperação de temperatura-emissividade a partir de dados de radiância corrigida dos efeitos atmosféricos. Os quatro métodos foram aplicados em dados do subsistema do infravermelho termal (TIR) do sensor ASTER e são: Método da Emissividade Normalizada (MEN), Método da Banda de Referência (MBR), Separação de Emissividade e Temperatura (TES) e Resíduos Alpha (α-Residual). Foram geradas imagens de emissividade, cujas amostras puras (controle) de quartzo foram comparadas com uma curva homóloga da biblioteca espectral do Laboratório de Sensoriamento Remoto do Centro Estadual de Pesquisas em Sensoriamento Remoto e Meteorologia da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS). Neste trabalho, os métodos foram comparados pelas diferenças na emissividade média, temperatura média de uma imagem ASTER e geometria da curva através de seus valores alphas. Obteve-se como resultado que o método TES apresentou uma emissividade média absoluta maior em relação ao MEN e MBR. A temperatura média para métodos MEN e MBR foi de 35,18ºC, TES de 30,10ºC e o α-Residual não gerou um valor de temperatura, pois não considera esta variável na estimativa do espectro alpha. A geometria da curva do método TES foi a mais próxima da curva espectral de referência. Os métodos comparados neste trabalho não obtiveram um desempenho quantitativo dentro dos limiares certos, é dizer no intervalo de emissividade de um quartzo a 29ºC. Os métodos neste trabalho tiveram uma tendência a superestimar os valores de temperatura e consequentemente os valores de emissividade, devido a uma correção atmosférica inexata em condições de alta umidade, suposições iniciais (emissividade) com grande erro, heterogeneidade do alvo. Em contrapartida se obteve bom desempenho na individualização dos campos de dunas preservando a forma da curva espectral (geometria) do quartzo. / The land surface emissivity (LSE) is an important property in the characterization of targets through Remote Sensing (RS). The estimation of LSE involves the application of an indeterminate function of several variables in radiance data contaminated by an atmosphere of complex modeling. In general, sand dunes are composed of quartz, whose spectral behavior is well characterized with sensors operating between 8-12μm. In this work, four methods of temperature-emissivity recovery were evaluated from atmospheric effects corrected radiance data. The four methods were applied to data from the thermal infrared (TIR) subsystem of the ASTER sensor, and they are: Normalization Emissivity Method (NEM), Reference Channel Method (RCM), Temperature Emissivity Separation (TES) and Alpha Residuals Method (α- Residual). Emissivity images were generated, whose pure quartz samples (control) were compared to a homologous curve of the spectral library of the Remote Sensing Laboratory of the State Center for Remote Sensing and Meteorology Research at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS). In this study, the methods were compared by differences in mean emissivity, mean temperature of ASTER image and curve geometry through their alpha values. As a result, the TES method presented a higher mean absolute emissivity, in relation to NEM and RCM. The mean temperature for NEM and RCM methods was 35.18 °C, TES was 30.10 °C and α-Residuals did not generate a temperature value, since it does not consider this variable in the estimation of the alpha spectrum. The geometry of the TES method curve was the closest to the reference spectral curve. The methods compared in this work did not obtain a quantitative performance within the certain thresholds, in the emissivity range of a quartz at 29 °C. The methods tend to overestimate the temperature values and consequently the emissivity values due to an inaccurate atmospheric correction under conditions of high humidity, initial assumptions (emissivity) with great error, heterogeneity of the target. In contrast, a good performance was obtained in the individualization of the dune fields, preserving the shape of the spectral curve (geometry) of the quartz.

A distribuição simplex, proposta por Barndor-Nielsen e Jørgensen (1991) é útil para a modelagem de dados contínuos no intervalo (0,1). Nesse trabalho, desenvolve-se o modelo de regressão simplex considerando-se ´ = h(X; ¯), sendo h(:; :) uma função arbitr ária. Denem-se os resíduos para o modelo considerado e obtêm-se correções assintóticas para resíduos do tipo Ri. A primeira correção proposta baseou-se na obtenção da expressão assintótica para a densidade dos resíduos de Pearson, corrigidos até ordem O(n¡1). Esses resíduos foram denidos de forma a terem a mesma distribuição dos resíduos verdadeiros de Pearson. Estudos de simulação mostraram que a distribuição empírica dos resíduos corrigidos pela densidade encontra-se mais próxima da distribuição dos verdadeiros resíduos de Pearson do que para o resíduo não corrigido de Pearson. A segunda correção proposta considera o método dos momentos. Geralmente, E(Ri) e Var(Ri) são diferentes de zero e um, respectivamente, por termos de ordem O(n¡1). Usando-se os resultados de Cox e Snell (1968), obtiveram-se as expressões aproximadas de ordem O(n¡1) para E(Ri) e Var(Ri). Um estudo de simulação está sendo realizado para avaliação da técnica proposta. A técnica desenvolvida no primeiro estudo, foi aplicada a dois conjuntos de dados, sendo o primeiro deles, dados sobre oxidação de amônia, considerando-se preditor linear e o outro sobre porcentagem de massa seca (MS) em grãos de milho, considerando-se preditor linear e não linear. Os resultados obtidos para os dados de oxidação de amônia, indicaram que o modelo com preditor linear está bem ajustado aos dados, considerando-se a exclusão de alguns possíveis pontos inuentes, sendo que a correção proposta, para a densidade dos resíduos, apresenta os melhores resultados. Observando-se os resultados para os dados de massa seca, os melhores resultados foram obtidos, considerando-se um dos modelos com preditor não linear. / The simplex distribution, proposed by Barndor-Nielsen e Jørgensen (1991) is useful for modeling continuous data in the (0,1) interval. In this work, we developed the simplex regression model, considering ´ = h(X; ¯), where h(:; :) is an arbitrary function. We dened the residuals to this model and obtained asymptotic corrections to residuals of the type Ri. The rst correction proposed, was based in obtaining the asymptotic expression for the density of Pearson residuals, corrected to order O(n¡1). These residuals were dened in order to have the same distribution of true Pearson residuals. Simulation studies showed that the empirical distribution of the modied residuals is closer to the distribution of the true Pearson residuals than the unmodied Pearson residuals. The second one, considers the method of moments. Generally E(Ri) and Var(Ri) are dierent from zero and one, respectively, by terms of order O(n¡1). Using the results of Cox and Snell (1968), we obtained the approximate expressions of order O(n¡1) for E(Ri) and Var(Ri). A simulation study is being conducted to evaluate the proposed technique. We applied the techniques in two data sets, the rst one, is a dataset of ammonia oxidation, considering linear predictor and the other one was the percentage of dry matter in maize, considering linear predictor and nonlinear. The results obtained for the oxidation ammonia data indicated that the model considering linear predictor, tted well to the data, if we consider the exclusion of some possible inuential points. The proposed correction for the density of Pearson residuals, showed better results. Observing the results for the dry matter data, the best results were obtained for a model with a specied nonlinear predictor.

Magister Scientiae - MSc / This project "An application of multiple regression in exchange rate arrangement" focused on the processes followed by different countries when choosing an exchange rate regime for currency stabilization. It analyses the consequences faced by emerging markets as a result of changes in volatility of developed countries&rsquo; currencies (American Dollar, Japanese Yen, EURO, British Pound and the Canadian Dollar). / South Africa

The overall objective of this thesis is to develop methods for fault detection and diagnosis for ground source heat pumps that can be used by servicemen to assist them to accurately detect and diagnose faults during the operation of the heat pump. The aim of this thesis is focused to develop two fault detection and diagnosis methods, sensitivity ratio and data-driven using principle component analysis. For the sensitivity ratio method model, two semi-empirical models for heat pump unit were built to simulate fault free and faulty conditions in the heat pump. Both models have been cross-validated by fault free experimental data. The fault free model is used as a reference. Then, fault trend analysis is performed in order to select a pair of uniquely sensitive and insensitive parameters to calculate the sensitivity ratio for each fault. When a sensitivity ratio value for a certain fault drops below a predefined value, that fault is diagnosed and an alarm message with that fault appears. The simulated faults data is used to test the model and the model successfully detected and diagnosed the faults types that were tested for different operation conditions. In the second method, principle component analysis is used to drive linear correlations of the original variables and calculate the principle components to reduce the dimensionality of the system. Then simple clustering technique is used for operation conditions classification and fault detection and diagnosis process. Each fault is represented by four clusters connected with three lines where each cluster represents different fault intensity level. The fault detection is performed by measuring the shortest orthogonal distance between the test point and the lines connecting the faults’ clusters. Simulated fault free and faulty data are used to train the model. Then, a new set of simulated faults data is used to test the model and the model successfully detected and diagnosed all faults type and intensity level of the tested faults for different operation conditions. Both models used simple seven temperature measurements, two pressure measurements (from which the condensation and evaporation temperatures are calculated) and the electrical power, as an input to the fault detection and diagnosis model. This is to reduce the cost and make it more convenient to implement. Finally, for each models, a user friendly graphical user interface is built to facilitate the model operation by the serviceman.

No description available.

La gestió de l'aigua residual és una tasca complexa. Hi ha moltes substàncies contaminants conegudes però encara moltes per conèixer, i el seu efecte individual o col·lgectiu és difícil de predir. La identificació i avaluació dels impactes ambientals resultants de la interacció entre els sistemes naturals i socials és un assumpte multicriteri. Els gestors ambientals necessiten eines de suport pels seus diagnòstics per tal de solucionar problemes ambientals.Les contribucions d'aquest treball de recerca són dobles: primer, proposar l'ús d'un enfoc basat en la modelització amb agents per tal de conceptualitzar i integrar tots els elements que estan directament o indirectament involucrats en la gestió de l'aigua residual. Segon, proposar un marc basat en l'argumentació amb l'objectiu de permetre als agents raonar efectivament. La tesi conté alguns exemples reals per tal de mostrar com un marc basat amb agents que argumenten pot suportar diferents interessos i diferents perspectives. Conseqüentment, pot ajudar a construir un diàleg més informat i efectiu i per tant descriure millor les interaccions entre els agents. En aquest document es descriu primer el context estudiat, escalant el problema global de la gestió de la conca fluvial a la gestiódel sistema urbà d'aigües residuals, concretament l'escenari dels abocaments industrials. A continuació, s'analitza el sistema mitjançant la descripció d'agents que interaccionen. Finalment, es descriuen alguns prototips capaços de raonar i deliberar, basats en la lògica no monòtona i en un llenguatge declaratiu (answer set programming).És important remarcar que aquesta tesi enllaça dues disciplines: l'enginyeria ambiental (concretament l'àrea de la gestió de les aigües residuals) i les ciències de la computació (concretament l'àrea de la intel·ligència artificial), contribuint així a la multidisciplinarietat requerida per fer front al problema estudiat. L'enginyeria ambiental ens proporciona el coneixement del domini mentre que les ciències de la computació ens permeten estructurar i especificar aquest coneixement. / Wastewater management is a very complex task. There is a high number of known and an increasing number of unknown pollutants whose individual and collective effects are very difficult to predict. Identifying and evaluating the impacts of environmental problems resulting from the interactions between our social system and its natural environment is a multifaceted critical issue. Environmental managers require tools to support their diagnoses for solving these problems. The contributions of this research work are twofold: first, to propose the use of an agent-based modelling approach in order to conceptualize and integrate all elements that are directly or indirectly involved in wastewater management. Second, to propose a framework based on argumentation that allows to reason effectively. The thesis provide some real examples to show that an agent-based argumentation framework can deal with multiple interests and different agents' perspectives and goals. This help to build a more effective and informed dialog in order to better describe the interaction between agents. In this document we first describe the context under study, scaling down the global river basins system to the urban wastewater systems and giving some more details for the specific scenario of industrial wastewater discharges. Then, we analyze the system in describing intelligent agents that interact. Finally, we propose some reasoning and deliberation prototypes by using an argumentation framework founded on non-monotonic logics (i.e. permitting to learn things that were previously not known) and the answer set programming specification language (i.e. a declarative programming language). It is important to remark that this thesis links two disciplines: environmental engineering (specifically the area of wastewater management) and computer science (specifically the area of artificial intelligence), contributing to the required multidsciplinarity needed to confront the complexity of the problem under study. From environmental engineering we obtain the domain knowledge whereas the computer science field permits us to structure and specify this knowledge.

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are one of the main groups of odour causing compounds in Waste Water Treatment Plants (WWTP). Adsorption technology is already established, in recent years the interest for the optimization of the costs associated with this technique has grown significantly. In particular, there are different options, from the use of low cost adsorbents, to reducing costs associated with carbon regeneration process. In this thesis, the adsorption of the three VOCs on sewage sludge based adsorbents was studied. It was proved that adsorbents obtained by chemical activation of sewage sludge with alkaline hydroxides are comparable to commercial activated carbons (ACs). Likewise, the adsorption of multicomponent gaseous streams was also studied. Related to the ACs regeneration, it was proposed a regeneration treatment of VOC saturated ACs with H2O2 based on advanced oxidation processes (AOP). The influence of the surface chemistry of ACs in this regeneration process was also studied. / Los compuestos orgánicos volátiles (COVs) son unos de los principales compuestos causantes de olores en las emisiones de EDARs. La adsorción es una técnica ampliamente utilizada para la eliminación de COVs en corrientes gaseosas y en los últimos tiempos ha crecido significativamente el interés para la optimización de los costes relacionados con esta técnica. En esta tesis se estudió el proceso de adsorción tres COVs en adsorbentes preparados a partir de lodos de EDAR, comprobando que adsorbentes obtenidos mediante activación química de lodos de depuradora son comparables a carbones activados comerciales (CAs). También se estudió la adsorción de corrientes multicomponente de COVs. En referencia a la regeneración del carbón activado, se propuso un tratamiento de regeneración con H2O2 de CAs saturados con COVs basado en los procesos avanzados de oxidación. Asimismo se estudió la influencia de la química superficial de los CAs en el proceso de regeneración con H2O2.