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Disposal
Kinds of Disposal Terms modified by Disposal Selected AbstractsHAZARDOUS WASTE DISPOSAL: A WASTE-FUEL BLENDING APPROACHPRODUCTION AND OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT, Issue 3 2003A. DALE FLOWERS The disposal of hazardous wastes creates major economic and environmental problems. One productive use of hazardous wastes is to blend them into fuel, which mitigates damage to the environment by recycling waste into fuel and reducing fossil-fuel consumption. Operations personnel face a daunting task of efficiently blending hazardous waste into fuel, while simultaneously maintaining environmental regulatory requirements. This research develops a goal-programming approach to the waste-fuel-blending process that considers the diverse objectives of fuel managers. A realworld case study at a cement kiln illustrates the effectiveness of this approach, where the implementation followed principles of team building and quality management. [source] Pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs): Disposal, scientific, and regulatory challengesENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT, Issue 1 2010Kathleen Gibson First page of article [source] OPTIMIZATION OF PERMEABILIZATION PROCESS FOR LACTOSE HYDROLYSIS IN WHEY USING RESPONSE SURFACE METHODOLOGYJOURNAL OF FOOD PROCESS ENGINEERING, Issue 3 2009GURPREET KAUR ABSTRACT To overcome the permeability barrier and prepare whole cell biocatalysts with high activities, permeabilization of Kluyveromyces marxianus var. lactis NCIM 3566 in relation to, -galactosidase activity was optimized using cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) as permeabilizing agent. Permeabilized whole cells can be advantageous over pure enzyme preparations in terms of cost-effectiveness and increased stability maintained by the intracellular environment. Response surface methodology (RSM) was applied to optimize concentration of CTAB, temperature and the treatment time for maximum permeabilization of yeast cells. The optimum operating conditions for permeabilization process to achieve maximum enzyme activity obtained by RSM were 0.06% (w/v) CTAB concentration, 28C temperature and process duration of 14 min. At these conditions of process variables, the maximum value of enzyme activity was found to be 1,334 IU/g. The permeabilized yeast cells were highly effective and resulted in 90.5% lactose hydrolysis in whey. PRACTICAL APPLICATION , -Galactosidase is one of the most promising enzymes, which has several applications in the food, fermentation and dairy industry. However, the industrial applications of , -galactosidase have been hampered by the costs involved in downstream processing. The present investigation was focused on developing the low-cost technology for lactose hydrolysis based on permeabilization process. Disposal of lactose in whey and whey permeates is one of the most significant problems with regard to economics and environmental impact faced by the dairy industries. Keeping this in view, lactose hydrolysis in whey has been successfully performed using permeabilized Kluyveromyces marxianus cells. Hydrolysis of lactose using , -galactosidase converts whey into a potentially very useful food ingredient, which has immense applications in food industries. Its use has increased significantly in recent years, mainly in the dairy products and in digestive preparations. Lactose hydrolysis causes several potential changes in the manufacture and marketing of dairy products, including increased solubility, sweetness and broader fermentation possibilities. [source] Strategies for Meeting EU End-of-Life Vehicle Reuse/Recovery TargetsJOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL ECOLOGY, Issue 4 2006Paulo Ferrćo Summary Disposal of end-of-life vehicles (ELVs) is a relatively new focus of the European policy community. Technical requirements for car design and minimum reuse and recovery rates for end-of-life vehicles are the subject of a recent European Union directive on ELVs. This directive is expected to induce changes in the infrastructure required for ELV processing, and presents a substantial challenge to maintaining such an infrastructure as economically viable. This paper assesses current and emerging ELV recycling technologies, in order to provide guidelines for the development of future ELV recycling strategies. Emphasis is given to technologies dedicated to automobile shredder residue (ASR) recovery, as an alternative/complement to more labor-intensive dismantling activities. The ultimate goal is to develop a vision of the type of ASR processing technology that could emerge in the future. The analysis is based on a model developed to simulate ELV processing infrastructures, and shredding data are taken from full-scale experiments. The results obtained show that ASR mechanical separation and recycling technologies may enable more extensive recycling and contribute to achieving European Union recycling targets, and can thus be considered as far more promising than technologies based on energy recovery. [source] Policy Design and the Acceptability of Environmental Risks: Nuclear Waste Disposal in Canada and the United StatesPOLICY STUDIES JOURNAL, Issue 1 2000Michael E. Kraft This article examines the controversial process of developing high-level nuclear waste disposal policy in Canada, with some comparison to experience in the United States. It argues that a policy design perspective can assist in understanding the difficult social and political issues associated with waste disposal and the environmental and health risks that it poses. I examine several critical questions related to such an endeavor and link them to long-term goals of building a sustainable society. Success in formulating and implementing a nuclear waste policy in Canada will depend on the nation's capacity to create requisite processes of public participation. Particularly important are those actions that can help the public understand and assess environmental risks, including related ethical and social issues, and build public trust and confidence in the siting processes and the implementing agencies. [source] Re-use of equipment between patients receiving total intravenous anaesthesia: a postal survey of current practice,ANAESTHESIA, Issue 6 2003M. J. Halkes Summary In order to establish current practice with regard to the reuse of infusion equipment between patients receiving total intravenous anaesthesia (TIVA), a postal survey of 393 consultants was carried out. Additionally, consultants' awareness of relevant guidelines was assessed. Overall, 46% of consultants change all equipment between cases, 37% change one-way valves and 17% change distal lengths of the infusion tubing. Only 13% of consultants reported knowledge of any guidelines. In the absence of any data relevant to the current techniques of administering TIVA, the level of risk associated with the reuse of infusion components is impossible to quantify. Disposal of all equipment between cases incurs a 26% greater cost when compared to changing one-way valves alone. Variation in practice between consultants creates the potential for system errors. Practice should be standardised and, to comply with the published guidelines, should involve disposal of all equipment between cases. [source] Joint Production with ,Restricted Free Disposal'METROECONOMICA, Issue 1 2001Christian Lager A single production system with constant returns can produce any level and composition of demand by appropriate intensities of the cost-minimizing processes. Hence, in the long run, products can never be in excess supply and there exists a system of prices of production which is semipositive and independent of demand. These (and other) properties do not, in general, carry over to joint production systems where one or several processes produce two or more different products. The proportions in which products emerge will generally be different from those in which they are required for use. The usual approach to that problem is to apply the rule of ,free goods'. This assumption may be applied to goods which, if they are left where they are and as they are, cause neither costs nor benefits. But it cannot be applied to outworn machines, scrap, wastes or pollutants and is therefore not generally applicable. The present paper aims at finding conditions for the existence of cost-minimizing systems for cases where this crucial assumption either is completely absent or is substituted by the assumption of ,restricted free disposal', i.e. by the assumption that excess production is permitted up to a certain tolerated limit. It will be proved that the conditions for the existence of cost-minimizing systems with free disposal carry over to systems with restricted free disposal. [source] The challenge of hazardous waste management in a sustainable environment: insights from electronic recovery lawsCORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT, Issue 1 2005J. Halluite Abstract New and pending regulations requiring product take-back by manufacturers at the time of disposal are intended to create a new era of industrial ecology and environmental sustainability. However, the intended benefits of the current legislation can be confounded by obsolescence in product design based upon advances in science and technology and also by the introduction of more environmentally benign product designs. Recent changes in legislation are identified and, based upon an extensive industry survey, their resultant likely impacts on consumer electronics are considered. This industry study illustrates that unless the impacted products simultaneously possess both stable designs and input requirements then significant secondary environmental issues related to the waste storage will be encountered. Inherently, these issues cause serious societal problems when hazardous substances are involved , which is the case with many products from the electronics industry. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [source] Smart regulation and enforcement of illegal disposal of electronic wasteCRIMINOLOGY AND PUBLIC POLICY, Issue 3 2010Judith Van Erp First page of article [source] Combination therapy using metformin or thiazolidinediones and insulin in the treatment of diabetes mellitusDIABETES OBESITY & METABOLISM, Issue 6 2005Suzanne M. Strowig The biguanide, metformin, sensitizes the liver to the effect of insulin, suppressing hepatic glucose output. Thiazolidinediones such as rosiglitazone and pioglitazone enhance insulin-mediated glucose disposal, leading to reduced plasma insulin concentrations. These classes of drugs may also have varying beneficial effects on features of insulin resistance such as lipid levels, blood pressure and body weight. Metformin in combination with insulin has been shown to significantly improve blood glucose levels while lowering total daily insulin dose and body weight. The thiazolidinediones in combination with insulin have also been effective in lowering blood glucose levels and total daily insulin dose. Triple combination therapy using insulin, metformin and a thiazolidinedione improves glycaemic control to a greater degree than dual therapy using insulin and metformin or insulin and a thiazolidinedione. There is insufficient evidence to recommend the use of metformin or thiazolidinediones in type 1 diabetic patients. Although these agents are largely well tolerated, some subjects experience significant gastrointestinal problems while using metformin. Metformin is associated with a low risk of lactic acidosis, but should not be used in patients with elevated serum creatinine or those being treated for congestive heart failure. The thiazolidinediones are associated with an increase in body weight, although this can be avoided with careful lifestyle management. Thiazolidinediones may also lead to oedema and are associated with a low incidence of hepatocellular injury. Thiazolidinediones are contraindicated in patients with underlying heart disease who are at risk of congestive heart failure and in patients who have abnormal hepatic function. The desired blood glucose-lowering effect and adverse event profiles of these agents should be considered when recommending these agents to diabetic patients. The potential for metformin or the thiazolidinediones to impact long-term cardiovascular outcomes remains under investigation. [source] Minor long-term changes in weight have beneficial effects on insulin sensitivity and ,-cell function in obese subjectsDIABETES OBESITY & METABOLISM, Issue 1 2002A. M. Rosenfalck SUMMARY Aim To evaluate the long-term effect of changes in body composition induced by weight loss on insulin sensitivity (SI), non-insulin mediated glucose disposal, glucose effectiveness (SG) and ,-cell function. Design Glucose metabolism was evaluated before and after participation in a two-year weight loss trial of Orlistat vs. placebo, combined with an energy and fat restricted diet. Subjects Twelve obese patients (11 women, 1 man), age 45.8 ± 10.5 years, body weight (BW) 99.7 ± 13.3 kg, BMI 35.3 ± 2.8 kg/m2. Measurements At inclusion and 2 years later an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and a frequently sampled intravenous glucose tolerance test (FSIGT) were performed. Body composition was estimated by a dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) whole body scanning. Results The patients obtained varying changes in BW ranging from a weight loss of 17.8 kg to a weight gain of 6.0 kg. Corresponding changes in fat mass (FM) varied from a 40% reduction to a 19% increase. A significant decrease in both fasting (p =,0.038) and 2 h (p =,0.047) blood glucose at OGTT was found. The improvement in insulin sensitivity (SI) estimated by means of Bergmans Minimal Model, was significantly and linearly correlated to change in total FM (r = , 0.83, p =,0.0026). A multiple regression analysis showed that changes in truncal FM was the strongest predictor of change in SI explaining 67% of the variation. First phase insulin response (AIRg) remained unchanged whereas insulin disposition index increased significantly (p =,0.044). At inclusion five patients had impaired glucose tolerance of which four, who lost weight, were normalized at the retest 2 years later. Conclusion In obese subjects long-term minimal or moderate changes in weight were found to be linearly associated with changes in insulin sensitivity. In obese subjects with impaired glucose tolerance even a minor weight loss was able to normalize glucose tolerance. [source] Losartan modifies glomerular hyperfiltration and insulin sensitivity in type 1 diabetesDIABETES OBESITY & METABOLISM, Issue 6 2001S. Nielsen Aim: The effect of the angiotensin II receptor antagonist losartan on renal haemodynamics and insulin-mediated glucose disposal was examined in normotensive, normoalbuminuric type 1 diabetic patients using a double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over design. Methods: Diurnal blood pressure, glomerular filtration rate (GFR, determined using [125I]-iothalamate), renal plasma flow (RPF, determined using [131I]-hippuran) and urinary albumin excretion rate (UAE) were measured, and a hyperinsulinaemic, euglycaemic clamp with indirect calorimetry was performed in nine patients (age 30 ± 7 years (mean ±,s.d.), HbA1c 8.1 ± 1.1%) following 6 weeks' administration of either losartan 50 mg/day or placebo. Results: Diurnal blood pressure was significantly reduced after losartan compared with placebo (122/70 ± 11/8 vs. 130/76 ± 12/6 mmHg, p <,0.05). A significant decline in GFR (133 ± 23 vs. 140 ± 22 ml/min, p < 0.05) and filtration fraction (FF; GFR/RPF) (24.6 ± 3.5 vs. 26.2 ± 3.6%, p <,0.05) was observed in the losartan vs. placebo groups. RPF and UAE did not change. Isotopically determined glucose disposal rates were similar after losartan and placebo in the basal (2.61 ± 0.53 vs. 2.98 ± 0.93 mg/kg/min) and insulin-stimulated states (6.84 ± 2.52 vs. 6.97 ± 3.11 mg/kg/min). However, the glucose oxidation rate increased significantly after losartan vs. placebo in the basal state (1.72 ± 0.34 vs. 1.33 ± 0.18, mg/kg/min, p <,0.01) and during insulin stimulation (2.89 ± 0.75 vs. 2.40 ± 0.62 mg/kg/min, p <,0.03). Basal and insulin-stimulated non-oxidative glucose disposal tended to decrease after losartan; however, this was not significant. Endogenous glucose production and lipid oxidation were unchanged after treatment and similarly suppressed during hyperinsulinaemia. Glycaemic control, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol and triglycerides were stable in both losartan and placebo groups. Conclusions: Losartan reduces blood pressure, glomerular hyperfiltration and FF, and improves basal and insulin-stimulated glucose oxidation in normotensive, normoalbuminuric type 1 diabetic patients. [source] The vasodilatory actions of insulin on resistance and terminal arterioles and their impact on muscle glucose uptakeDIABETES/METABOLISM: RESEARCH AND REVIEWS, Issue 1 2004Lucy H. Clerk Abstract Whether a discrete vascular action of insulin in skeletal muscle integrally participates in insulin-mediated glucose disposal has been extensively examined but remains a contentious issue. Here, we review some of the data both supporting and questioning the role of insulin-mediated increases in limb blood flow in glucose metabolism. We advance the hypothesis that controversy has arisen, at least in part, from a failure to recognize that insulin exerts at least three separate actions on the peripheral vasculature, each with its own characteristic dose and time responsiveness. We summarize how, viewed in this manner, certain points of contention can be resolved. We also advance the hypothesis that an action on the precapillary arteriole may play the dominant role in mediating perfusion-dependent effects of insulin on glucose metabolism in muscle. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Predictors of insulin sensitivity in Type 2 diabetes mellitusDIABETIC MEDICINE, Issue 7 2002E. Bonora Abstract Aims To identify the independent predictors of insulin sensitivity in Type 2 diabetes, and to establish whether isolated Type 2 diabetes (i.e. diabetes without overweight, dyslipidaemia and hypertension) is a condition of insulin resistance. Methods We examined 45 patients with non-insulin-treated Type 2 diabetes undergoing a 4-h euglycaemic hyperinsulinaemic clamp (20 mU/m2 per min) combined with 3H-3-D-glucose and 14C-U-glucose infusions and indirect calorimetry. We also examined 1366 patients with non-insulin-treated Type 2 diabetes randomly selected among those attending the Diabetes Clinic and in whom insulin resistance was estimated by Homeostasis Model Assessment (HOMA-IR). Results In the 45 patients undergoing glucose clamp studies, insulin-mediated total glucose disposal (TGD) was independently and negatively associated with systolic blood pressure (standardized , coefficient = ,0.407, P = 0.003), plasma triglycerides (,= ,0.355, P = 0.007), and HbA1c (,= ,0.350, P = 0.008). The overall variability of TGD explained by these variables was 53%. Overweight diabetic subjects with central fat distribution, hypertension, hypertriglyceridaemia and poor glycometabolic control had insulin-mediated TGD values markedly lower than their lean counterparts without hypertension, with normal triglycerides, and with good glycometabolic control (16 ± 5 vs. 31 ± 10 µmol/min per kg lean body mass, P < 0.01). Nevertheless, the latter still were markedly insulin-resistant when compared with sex- and age-matched non-diabetic control subjects (31 ± 10 vs. 54 ± 13 µmol/min per kg lean body mass, P < 0.01). In the 1366 Type 2 diabetic patients of the epidemiological study, HOMA-IR value was independently associated with HbA1c (, = 0.283, P < 0.0001), plasma triglycerides (, = 0.246, P < 0.0001), body mass index (, = 0.139, P < 0.001), waist girth (, = 0.124, P < 0.001) and hypertension (, = 0.066, P = 0.006). Conclusion Overweight, central fat distribution, dyslipidaemia, hypertension and poor glycometabolic control are strong independent predictors of insulin resistance in Type 2 diabetes. However, reduced insulin sensitivity can be found even when Type 2 diabetes is isolated and well controlled. Diabet. Med. 19, 535,542 (2002) [source] Testing Times: Questions concerning assessment for school improvementEDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY AND THEORY, Issue 3 2009Nick Peim Abstract Contemporary education now appears to be dominated by the continual drive for improvement measured against the assessment of what students have learned. It is our contention that a foundational relation with assessment organises contemporary education. Here we draw on a ,way of thinking' that is deconstructive in its intent. Such thinking makes clear the vicious circularity of the argument for improvement, wherein assessment valorised in discourses of improvement provides not only a rationalisation for improvement via assessment, but also the very means of achieving such possibilities via targets grounded in limited specifications of assessment. On reading Heidegger's ,question concerning technology' we sought to reconsider the vicious circle of improvement in relation to Being. We claim that the means-ends driven technology of assessment, rather than being at our disposal and under our control, only serves to reveals the Real to us in accordance with the restricting principle of reason. The principle of reason, we argue, grounds ,Enframing' that ranks and orders the very beings of education as objects to produce an objective ,world as picture', rather than opening the possibility of their identity as belongings with a movement of difference. So, ,improvement' becomes normative and binding for institutions and practices on grounds of the principle of assessment, and renders agents of education as functionaries of ,Enframing'. [source] Electrophoresis on a microfluidic chip for analysis of fluorescence-labeled human rhinovirusELECTROPHORESIS, Issue 24 2007Viliam Kolivo Abstract We report the analysis of human rhinovirus serotype 2 (HRV2) on a commercially available lab-on-a-chip instrument. Due to lack of sufficient native fluorescence, the proteinaceous capsid of HRV2 was labeled with Cy5 for detection by the red laser (,ex 630,nm) implemented in the instrument. On the microdevice, electrophoresis of the labeled virus was possible in a BGE without stabilizing detergents, which is in contrast to conventional CE; moreover, analysis times were drastically shortened to the few 10,s range. Resolution of the sample constituents (virions, a contaminant present in all virus preparations, and excess dye) was improved upon adaptation of the separation conditions, mainly by adjusting the SDS concentration of the BGE. Purity of fractions from size-exclusion chromatography after labeling of virus was assessed, and affinity complex formation of the labeled virus with various recombinant very-low-density lipoprotein receptor derivatives differing in the number of concatenated V3 ligand binding repeats was monitored. Virus analysis on microchip devices is of particular interest for experiments with infectious material because of easy containment and disposal of samples. Thus, the employment of microchip devices in routine analysis of viruses appears to be exceptionally attractive. [source] Potential Applications of Oxidoreductases for the Re-oxidation of Leuco Vat or Sulfur Dyes in Textile DyeingENGINEERING IN LIFE SCIENCES (ELECTRONIC), Issue 3 2008F. Xu Abstract Conventional textile dyeing by vat and sulfur dyes includes reduction and re-oxidation steps (with chemical reductants and oxidants), so that the insoluble dyes can be solubilized in the dyeing solution, adsorbed by the fabric, and fixed onto the dyed fabric. The treatments often involve hazardous chemicals, expensive catalysts, or conditions that are suboptimally effective, energy-intensive, caustic, or polluting. Improving these steps with enzyme technology could be of significant interest in terms of better dyeing, handling of hazardous chemicals, disposal of waste, or production economy. The idea of an enzymatic re-oxidation step for vat and sulfur dyeings was tested under simplified laboratory conditions. Selected vat and sulfur dyes, including Vat Blue,43, Vat Orange,7, Vat Green,3, Vat Orange,2, Vat Red,13, Vat Yellow,2, and Sulfur Black,1, were first chemically reduced. The reduced (leuco) dyes were then re-oxidized by aerated buffer solutions or H2O2, in the presence or absence of an oxidoreductase, selected from seven laccases from Myceliophthora thermophila, Scytalidium thermophilum, Coprinus cinereus, Trametes villosa, Rhizoctonia solani, Pycnoporus cinnabarinus, Botrytis cinerea, a bilirubin oxidase from Myrothecium verrucaria, and a heme peroxidase from Coprinus cineresu. It was shown that the enzymes were able to catalyze and accelerate the re-oxidation of the reduced dyes, even when they were adsorbed on cotton fabric, by dissolved air (O2) or H2O2. Small redox-active mediators could facilitate the enzymatic re-oxidation. For Sulfur Black,1, a higher conversion of the leuco dye was achieved with laccase-catalyzed re-oxidation. The further development of this potential enzyme application is discussed. [source] Salt-water recycling for brine production at road-salt-storage facilitiesENVIRONMENTAL PROGRESS & SUSTAINABLE ENERGY, Issue 4 2009G. Michael Fitch Abstract This research investigates the storm-water quality at road-salt-storage facilities located at Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) winter maintenance locations and investigates the feasibility of a sustainable solution to better manage the salt-contaminated storm-water runoff. Collection ponds are currently used at most salt-storage sites to contain highly saline runoff and prevent its release into the environment. During a synoptic, winter-time sampling, chloride-ion concentrations in these ponds were found to be significantly greater than state and federal regulatory guidelines for surface-water-quality criteria, with individual values exceeding 2000 mg/L. The pond water is currently treated as a waste product by VDOT, resulting in significant costs for disposal. However, this saline pond water can potentially be recycled to produce concentrated brine solutions, which can then be used by VDOT for either prewetting dry salt during application to roadways or for direct brine application. Laboratory and field tests have been performed using a bench-scale brine generation system to quantify the effects of hydraulic retention time, temperature, and influent-water quality on system performance. Results of these studies have found that the storm-water runoff captured in collection ponds requires no pretreatment before entering the brine generation system and can effectively produce brine at the target salt concentration. Results of a cost-benefit analysis indicate that it is possible under multiple scenarios to recover the investment capital of implementing brine generation at all VDOT winter maintenance locations, typically within a 4-year horizon. © 2009 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Environ Prog, 2009 [source] Bioethanol from agricultural waste residuesENVIRONMENTAL PROGRESS & SUSTAINABLE ENERGY, Issue 1 2008Pascale Champagne Abstract Under the Kyoto Protocol, the Government of Canada has committed to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by 6% from 1990 levels between 2008 and 2012. Ethanol-blended gasolines have the potential to contribute significantly to these emission reductions. Ethanol is derived from biologically renewable resources and can be employed to replace octane enhancers and aromatic hydrocarbons or oxygenates. To date, the ethanol production industry in Canada is comprised mainly of small-scale plants producing ethanol primarily from agricultural crops as feedstock. Research interests in the area of bioethanol production from organic waste materials emerged in the late 1980. Significant advances in lignocellulosic material extraction and enzymatic hydrolysis have been reported in the last decade, however, continued research efforts are essential for the development of technically feasible and economically viable large-scale enzyme-based biomass-to-ethanol conversion processes. This research aims to develop and test an enzyme-based biomass-to-ethanol conversion process, which employs organic waste materials, such as livestock manures, as alternative sources of cellulosic material feedstock. The source of the livestock manure, manure management practices and cellulose extraction procedures have a significant impact on the quantity and quality of the cellulosic materials derived. As such, raw feedstock materials must be carefully characterized to assess the impact of these factors on the yield of bioethanol and residual end products. The success of cellulose-to-ethanol conversion processes for cellulose extracted from these waste materials as feedstock is generally a function of cellulose fiber pretreatment, enzyme selection and operating conditions. These will differ depending on the source of the waste material feedstock. The long-term benefits of this research will be to introduce a sustainable solid waste management strategy for a number of livestock manure and other lignocellulosic waste materials; contribute to the mitigation in greenhouse gases through sustained carbon and nutrient recycling; reduce the potential for water, air, and soil contamination associated with land disposal of organic waste materials; and to broaden the feedstock source of raw materials for the ethanol production industry. © 2007 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Environ Prog, 2008 [source] A life cycle assessment of mechanical and feedstock recycling options for management of plastic packaging wastesENVIRONMENTAL PROGRESS & SUSTAINABLE ENERGY, Issue 2 2005Floriana Perugini Abstract Life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology is generally considered one of the best environmental management tools that can be used to compare alternative eco-performances of recycling or disposal systems. It considers the environment as a whole, including indirect releases, energy and material consumption, emissions in the environment, and waste disposal and follows each activity from the extraction of raw materials to the return of wastes to the ground (cradle-to-grave approach). The study refers to the whole Italian system for recycling of household plastic packaging wastes. The aim was to quantify the overall environmental performances of mechanical recycling of plastic containers in Italy and to compare them with those of conventional options of landfilling or incineration and of a couple of innovative processes of feedstock recycling, low-temperature fluidized bed pyrolysis, and high-pressure hydrogenation. The results confirm that recycling scenarios are always preferable to those of nonrecycling. They also highlight the good environmental performance of new plastic waste management schemes that couple feedstock and mechanical recycling processes. © 2005 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Environ Prog, 2005 [source] Zeolite synthesis employing alkaline waste effluents from the aluminum industryENVIRONMENTAL PROGRESS & SUSTAINABLE ENERGY, Issue 2 2002A. La Iglesia Zeolites 4A, 13X, Y, and HZSM5 have been synthesized from alkaline residues from aluminum finishing plants. These residues could contain concentrations of sodium aluminate and sodium hydroxide between 200 and 300 Kg/m3, and small concentrations of heavy metal cations (Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, and Zn). These contaminants make handling and disposal of these residues difficult. However, the physicochemical properties of the synthesized zeolites (cation exchange capacity of 3 mmol g,1, specific surface area between 600,900 m2g,1, particle size distribution between 0.5,2 ,m and whiteness of 97%) make them useful as detergents and catalysts. Analysis of the chemical composition of the raw materials and the reaction products demonstrates that the heavy metal cation content in the synthesized zeolites is low enough to allow their industrial use (lower than that of the original residues). Therefore, the production of various types of zeolites for industrial use could be used for the elimination of these residues from the aluminum industry. [source] Oxidative stress, defense response, and early biomarkers for lead-contaminated soil in Vicia faba seedlings,ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY & CHEMISTRY, Issue 4 2008Cheng-Run Wang Abstract Chemical analyses and biological measurements were investigated in leaves of Vicia faba seedlings exposed to extraneous lead (Pb) at 0 to 2,000 mg/kg of soil for a month. The results showed that superoxide radical (O,,2) production, increased along with total Pb in leaves and available Pb in soil, resulted in enhancement of malondialdehyde and carbonyl groups. Antioxidant enzymes, including corresponding isoenzymes and heat shock protein 70 (hsp 70), were also enhanced to some extent. Significant changes were detected in the patterns and intensities of guaiacol peroxidase isoenzymes, while superoxide dismutase, catalase, and ascorbate peroxidase isoenzymes only changed intensities. Superoxide dismutase activities increased with the increase of extraneous Pb at 0 to 500 mg/kg of soil and tended to decline thereafter, which might be responsible for the decrease of hydrogen peroxide and accumulation of O,,2. Guaiacol peroxidase and ascorbate peroxidase enzymes were upregulated to become major scavengers of excess hydrogen peroxide on the condition of decreased catalase activities. Levels of hsp 70 were well correlated with Pb contents in leaves (r = 0.777), O,,2 accumulation (r = 0.985, p < 0.01), and carbonyl groups (r = 0.920, p < 0.01) under extraneous Pb at 0 to 250 mg/kg of soil, suggesting that hsp 70 induced by O,,2 was possibly involved in disposal of denatured proteins. The results showed that O,,2, hsp 70, and guaiacol peroxidase isoenzymes had the most sensitive responses in the seedlings and these parameters could be potential early biomarkers of soil Pb contamination. [source] Phytosanitary measures in the European Union: a call for more dynamic risk management allowing more focus on real pest risks Case study: Potato spindle tuber viroid (PSTVd) on ornamental Solanaceae in EuropeEPPO BULLETIN, Issue 3 2008M. B. De Hoop After fifteen years of harmonisation of phytosanitary measures in the European Union, today's legislation has become increasingly stagnant, complex and detailed. The recent finding of Potato spindle tuber viroid in ornamental plants in the Netherlands and other Member States illustrates the struggle to take prompt emergency measures when specific knowledge is not available. It is proposed that the European Commission should take the initiative to organise the process of pest risk analysis from beginning to end. In addition, the Commission should have budgets at their disposal for instantaneous research to generate the required data and fill in knowledge gaps. Such policy enables evaluation of emergency measures and implementation of permanent requirements on the basis of scientific data within a short period, thereby creating a dynamic legislation that focuses on real pest risks. [source] Opportunities and constraints in the adaptation of technology for the diagnosis of bacterial plant diseases , experience from Tanzania,EPPO BULLETIN, Issue 3-4 2000R. Black In order to improve diagnostic services and plant quarantine capabilities in Tanzania, the techniques of semi-selective media, the BACTID system, metabolic profiling (Biolog), indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) were assessed for suitability with the existing facilities for the diagnosis and detection of plant-pathogenic bacteria of vegetables. Field-collected samples as well as farmers' own and commercial germplasm were used in studies involving Ralstonia solanacearum, Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis and Xanthomonas campestris pv. vesicatoria in Solanaceae and X. c. pv. campestris in Brassicaceae. Each of the techniques was used successfully with one or more of the target pathogens; each had advantages depending on the speed, sensitivity and specificity required, as well as the costs of carrying out the diagnosis. However, constraints emerged relating to the use and disposal of materials such as plastic Petri dishes and toxic substances. The more familiar underlying constraints of high cost and poor availability of consumables and erratic water and electricity supply continued to present problems. These problems will be discussed in relation to the development of an integrated and sustainable approach to the provision of routine diagnostic services. [source] Effects of short-term training on insulin sensitivity and skeletal muscle glucose metabolism in Standardbred horsesEQUINE VETERINARY JOURNAL, Issue S36 2006L. STEWART-HUNT Summary Reasons for performing study: Increased insulin sensitivity occurs after a period of exercise training, but the mechanisms underlying this training-associated increase in insulin action have not been investigated. Objective: To examine the effects of short-term endurance training (7 consecutive days) and a subsequent period of inactivity (5 days) on whole body insulin sensitivity and GLUT-4 protein and the activities of glycogen synthase (GS) and hexokinase (HK) in skeletal muscle. It was hypothesised that training would increase insulin sensitivity in association with increased GLUT-4 protein and activities of GS and HK, but that these changes would be transient, returning to baseline after 5 days of inactivity. Methods: Seven mature Standardbred horses completed training consisting of 7 consecutive days of 45 min of treadmill exercise at a speed that elicited 55% of pretraining maximal aerobic capacity (VO2peak). Insulin sensitivity was determined by rate of glucose disposal (M) during the last 60 min of a 120 min euglycaemic-hyperinsulinaemic clamp (EHC) performed before (-2 days) and at 1 and 6 days following training. VO2peak was measured before (UT) and after (TR) training and the period of inactivity (IA). Results: Training resulted in a 9% increase in mean VO2peak (P<0.05) that was maintained following inactivity (IA). Mean M values were more than 2-fold higher (P<0.05) in TR than in UT. Mean M was also higher (P<0.05) in IA when compared to UT. GLUT-4 protien abundancewas more than 10-fold higher in TR and IA (P<0.001) than in UT. Pre-EHC GS activity and GS fractional velocity were increased (P<0.05) in TR when compared to UT and IA. Pre-EHC HK activity was increased (P<0.05) in IA when compared to UT and TR. Muscle glycogen was 66% lower (P<0.05) in TR than in UT and IA. Conclusions: Short-term training resulted in increases in whole body insulin sensitivity, and GLUT-4 protein content and glycogen synthase activity in skeletal muscle. The enhancements in insulin sensitivity, GLUT-4 protein and glycogen synthase activity were still evident after 5 days of inactivity. Potential relevance: Insulin resistance in equids has been associated with obesity and predisposition to laminitis. Regular physical activity may mitigate risk of these conditions via enhancement of insulin sensitivity and/or control of bodyweight. [source] Alkaline neutralization of crude soybean oil by various adsorbentsEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF LIPID SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, Issue 3 2008Sukran Kuleasan Abstract The effect of sodium hydroxide in neutralization was increased by using various adsorbents. NaOH in various concentrations was attached to the particles of Kieselguhr, Celite and Bentonite. The neutralization reaction was performed at ambient temperature, and different reaction times were applied. The soap formed after reaction was removed by centrifugation; thus, washing and drying steps were omitted. The amount of remaining soap, the acidity and color of oils were determined after each treatment. According to the results, free fatty acid neutralization in crude oil was achieved by Kieselguhr application. In this process, 9.5% NaOH was applied for 60,min of reaction time. The free fatty acid content of crude oil was decreased from 0.56 to 0.14%, and the remaining soap was found at 34,mg/kg after centrifugation. The use of adsorbents increased the efficiency of NaOH in the neutralization reaction and in the removal of soap from the neutralized oil. Neutralization with support material is a new and promising approach. The application is energy saving, more practical and in accordance with the strict environmental legislation about waste disposal. [source] Design of an estimator of the kinematics of AC contactorsEUROPEAN TRANSACTIONS ON ELECTRICAL POWER, Issue 7 2009Jordi-Roger Riba Ruiz Abstract This paper develops an estimator of the kinematics of the movable parts of any AC powered contactor. This estimator uses easily measurable electrical variables such as the voltage across the coil terminals and the current flowing through the main coil of the contactor. Hence, a low cost microcontroller would be able to implement a control algorithm in order to reduce the undesirable phenomenon of contact bounce, which causes severe erosion of the contacts and dramatically reduces the electrical life and reliability of the contacts. To develop such an estimator is essential to have at our disposal a robust model of the contactor. Therefore, a rigorous parametric model that allows us to predict the dynamic response of the AC contactor is proposed. It solves the mechanic and electromagnetic coupled differential equations that govern the dynamics of the contactor by applying a Runge,Kutta-based solver. Several approaches have been described in the technical literature. Most of them are based on high cost computational finite elements method or on simplified parametric models. The parametric model presented here takes into account the fringing flux and deals with shading rings interaction from a general point of view, thus avoiding simplified assumptions. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Age-related analysis of insulin resistance, body weight and arterial pressure in the Zucker fatty ratEXPERIMENTAL PHYSIOLOGY, Issue 1 2009Francesco Di Nardo The evolution with ageing of insulin resistance, body weight (BW) and mean arterial pressure (MAP) was studied in a group of Zucker fatty rats (ZFRs, n= 22), between 7 and 16 weeks of age, compared with an age-matched control group of Zucker lean rats (ZLRs, n= 22). The minimal model of glucose kinetics was applied to estimate glucose effectiveness, SG, and insulin sensitivity, SI, from insulinaemia and glycaemia measured during a 70 min intravenous glucose tolerance test. No correlation was found between SG and age in both ZFR and ZLR groups. No significant changes in mean SG between the two groups indicated no alteration of glucose-mediated glucose disposal. Estimates of SI from individual ZFRs were independent of age and, on average, showed 83% reduction (P < 0.001) compared with the ZLR group. Despite the lack of alteration of SI with age, the ZFR group showed an age-related increase of MAP, which correlated with increasing BW (r = 0.71 and P < 0.001). These results support the hypothesis that in our ZFRs, as a suitable genetic model of obesity and hypertension, insulin resistance is fully established at the age of 7 weeks and remains practically unaltered until at least the sixteenth week. An age-related increase in arterial pressure, observed in this strain, relates more properly to increasing BW, rather than insulin resistance. Development of hypertension with increasing age and BW may result from an enhanced insulin-mediated activity of the sympathetic nervous system, as observed in our previously reported study. [source] Aerobic biodegradation of the chloroethenes: pathways, enzymes, ecology, and evolutionFEMS MICROBIOLOGY REVIEWS, Issue 4 2010Timothy E. Mattes Abstract Extensive use and inadequate disposal of chloroethenes have led to prevalent groundwater contamination worldwide. The occurrence of the lesser chlorinated ethenes [i.e. vinyl chloride (VC) and cis -1,2-dichloroethene (cDCE)] in groundwater is primarily a consequence of incomplete anaerobic reductive dechlorination of the more highly chlorinated ethenes (tetrachloroethene and trichloroethene). VC and cDCE are toxic and VC is a known human carcinogen. Therefore, their presence in groundwater is undesirable. In situ cleanup of VC- and cDCE-contaminated groundwater via oxidation by aerobic microorganisms is an attractive and potentially cost-effective alternative to physical and chemical approaches. Of particular interest are aerobic bacteria that use VC or cDCE as growth substrates (known as the VC- and cDCE-assimilating bacteria). Bacteria that grow on VC are readily isolated from contaminated and uncontaminated environments, suggesting that they are widespread and influential in aerobic natural attenuation of VC. In contrast, only one cDCE-assimilating strain has been isolated, suggesting that their environmental occurrence is rare. In this review, we will summarize the current knowledge of the physiology, biodegradation pathways, genetics, ecology, and evolution of VC- and cDCE-assimilating bacteria. Techniques (e.g. PCR, proteomics, and compound-specific isotope analysis) that aim to determine the presence, numbers, and activity of these bacteria in the environment will also be discussed. [source] New concepts of microbial treatment processes for the nitrogen removal in wastewaterFEMS MICROBIOLOGY REVIEWS, Issue 4 2003Ingo Schmidt Abstract Many countries strive to reduce the emissions of nitrogen compounds (ammonia, nitrate, NOx) to the surface waters and the atmosphere. Since mainstream domestic wastewater treatment systems are usually already overloaded with ammonia, a dedicated nitrogen removal from concentrated secondary or industrial wastewaters is often more cost-effective than the disposal of such wastes to domestic wastewater treatment. The cost-effectiveness of separate treatment has increased dramatically in the past few years, since several processes for the biological removal of ammonia from concentrated waste streams have become available. Here, we review those processes that make use of new concepts in microbiology: partial nitrification, nitrifier denitrification and anaerobic ammonia oxidation (the anammox process). These processes target the removal of ammonia from gases, and ammonium-bicarbonate from concentrated wastewaters (i.e. sludge liquor and landfill leachate). The review addresses the microbiology, its consequences for their application, the current status regarding application, and the future developments. 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