Characterizing emissions from open burning of military food waste and ration packaging compositions

Emissions from open burning of military food waste and ration packaging compositions were characterized in response to health concerns from open burning disposal of waste, such as at military forward operating bases. Emissions from current and prototype Meals, Ready-to-Eat (MREs), and material options for their associated fiberboard packaging were quantified to assess contributions of the individual components. MREs account for 67–100% of the particulate matter (PM), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and -furans (PCDDs/PCDFs) emissions when burned in unison with the current fiberboard container and liner. The majority of the particles emitted from these burns are of median diameter 2.5 µm (PM_2.5). Metal emission factors were similar regardless of waste composition. Measurements of VOCs and PAHs indicate that targeted replacement of MRE components may be more effective in reducing emissions than variation of fiberboard-packaging types. Despite MRE composition variation, equivalent emission factors for PM, PAH, VOC, and PCDD/PCDF were seen. Similarly, for fiberboard packaging, composition variations exhibited essentially equivalent PM, PAH, VOC, and PCDD/PCDF emission factors amongst themselves. This study demonstrated a composition-specific analysis of waste burn emissions, assessing the impact of waste component substitution using military rations.     

Modification of ecological footprint evaluation method to include non-renewable resource consumption using thermodynamic approach

This study is to modify the ecological footprint methodology by incorporating non-renewable or abiotic resources as an additional category. The use of abiotic resources can be quantified as global hectare by using thermodynamic approaches. A detailed case study on various countries including Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Japan, USA, and Vietnam shows the advantage of using the new modified ecological footprint (EF) as an indicator for sustainable development. The modified EF includes not only biotic resources, but also the abiotic resources. The case study indicates that the modified EF differs from the traditional EF up to 123% in the case of Belgium, and 90% in the case of Australia. For developing countries such as Brazil and Vietnam, the differences are relatively smaller (21% for Brazil and 9.4% for Vietnam). The estimated total ecological footprint of the world using the new method implies more serious problems associated with over consumption than using results from the original ecological footprint method.     

Profile and removal of endocrine disrupting chemicals by using an ER/AR competitive ligand binding assay and chemical analyses

An estrogen receptor (ER)/androgen receptor (AR) ligand competitive binding assay (ER/AR-binding assay) and chemical analyses were used to evaluate the endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) behavior of two municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) (K and S). In the influents, estrone (E1), androsterone (A), androstenedione (AD), BPA (bisphenol A), NP (nonylphenol) and daidzein (DZ) were detected in high amounts with subsequent 24 h-average concentrations of 350, 1000, 29, 1300, 3900, and 5700 ng/L in K-WWTP and of 310, 620, 59, 1600, 2600, and 8400 ng/L in S-WWTP. The estrogenic (androgenic) activity as 17 -estradiol (E2) equivalents (EEQ) or testosterone (Te) equivalents (TEQ) was consequently 620 ng E2/L (570 ng Te/L) and 580 ng E2/L (800 ng Te/L) for the two WWTPs. The removal e ciencies of the above mentioned sole target chemicals were 51%–100% for K-WWTP and 55.6%–100% for S-WWTP. The removal e ciencies of EEQ were about 73% for both WWTPs, while the removal e ciencies of TEQ were 62.1% for K-WWTP and 98.4% for S-WWTP. In addition, chemical-derived EEQ were about 1.2%–52.4% of those by ER-binding assay for K-WWTP and the corresponding ratios were 1.3%–83.3% for S-WWTP, while chemical derived TEQ were less than 3% of values measured by the AR-binding assay for both WWTPs.     

Sperm competition promotes diversity of sperm bundles in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Ohomopterus</Emphasis> ground beetles

Diversification of sperm morphology has been investigated in the context of sperm competition, but the adaptive significance of sperm bundles is still unclear. In analyzing 10 taxa of the genus Carabus subgenus Ohomopterus and one related Carabus ground beetles, we found that dimorphic sperm bundles occurred in most species with varied degrees of bimodality, whereas sperm were generally monomorphic. Comparative analyses with phylogenetically independent contrasts revealed that the sizes of large and small sperm bundles evolved more rapidly than, and were not correlated with, the length of sperm, suggesting more intense selection on sperm bundle sizes and their independent responses to different evolutionary forces. The size of large sperm bundles was positively correlated with male genital morphology (pertinent to displacement of rival spermatophores) and postcopulatory guarding duration as well as male body length, suggesting that larger sperm bundles have been favored when the risk of spermatophore displacement is high. Larger sperm bundles may be advantageous because of their ability to migrate more rapidly into the spermatheca. In contrast, no clear association was detected between the small sperm bundle size and mating traits despite its rapid diversification. The present study provides the first record of heteromorphic sperm bundles, the diversity of which may be promoted by sperm competition.     

Erythrocyte supply from the spleen and hemoconcentration in hypoxic yellowtail

Hematocrit and hemoglobin concentration of yellowtail blood elevated more than 30% during severe hypoxia for 35 or 40 min. About 40% of the hematocrit elevation is considered to have been caused by erythrocyte supply from the spleen, and about 60% by hemoconcentration due to water shift out of the circulating plasma. Osmotic swelling of erythrocytes is considered not to have occurred, judging from the constant level in the saturation index of the blood.     

Response surface method for modeling the removal of carbon dioxide from a simulated gas using water absorption enhanced with a liquid-film-forming device

This paper presents the results from using a physical absorption process to absorb gaseous CO_2mixed with N_2using water by producing tiny bubbles via a liquid-film-forming device(LFFD)that improves the solubility of CO_2in water.The influence of various parameters—pressure,initial CO_2concentration,gas-to-liquid ratios,and temperature—on the CO_2removal efficiency and its absorption rate in water were investigated and estimated thoroughly by statistical polynomial models obtained by the utilization of the response surface method(RSM)with a central composite design(CCD).Based on the analysis,a high efficiency of CO_2capture can be reached in conditions such as low pressure,high CO_2concentration at the inlet,low gas/liquid ratio,and low temperature.For instance,the highest removal efficiency in the RSM–CCD experimental matrix of nearly 80%occurred for run number 20,which was conducted at 0.30 MPa,CO_2concentration of 35%,gas/liquid ratio of 0.71,and temperature of 15°C.Furthermore,the coefficients of determination,R~2,were 0.996 for the removal rate and 0.982 for the absorption rate,implying that the predicted values computed by the constructed models correlate strongly and fit well with the experimental values.The results obtained provide essential information for implementing this method properly and effectively and contribute a promising approach to the problem of CO_2capture in air pollution treatment.     

Contamination of butyltin and phenyltin compounds in the marine environment of Otsuchi Bay, Japan

Butyltin (BT) and phenyltin (PT) compounds were measured in seawater, sediment, and biological samples collected from coastal areas of Otsuchi Bay, Japan. Tributyltin (TBT) compounds in seawater, sediment, plankton, mussels, scallops and fish were in the range of 0.008-0.074 microg liter(-1), 0.01-0.64 mg (kg dry wt)(-1), 0.24-9.8 mg (kg dry wt)(-1), 0.04-0.18 mg (kg wet wt)(-1), 0.10-0.13 mg (kg wet wt)(-1) and 0.01-0.02 mg (kg wet wt)(-1), respectively. Trace amount of PTs were found in seawater. The highest concentrations of TBT and triphenyltin (TPT) were found near a shipyard. Triorganotin compounds were more dominant than their metabolites. A positive correlation was observed between the concentrations of TBT and TPT in the mussels. Concentrations of TBT and TPT in mussels were high in the upper intertidal zone, and decreased toward the water.     

Transportation of organic matter to the sea floor by carrion falls of the giant jellyfish <Emphasis Type="Italic">Nemopilema nomurai</Emphasis> in the Sea of Japan

The fate of the giant jellyfish Nemopilema nomurai after death was examined in the southwest Sea of Japan. The density of dead jellyfish was greater than that of live animals. The dead animals are heavier than the Japan Sea Proper Water which occurs deeper than 200 m, suggesting that dead jellyfish sink to the sea floor. The sea floor survey, conducted with a towed video tape recorder (VTR) monitoring system between mid September and mid October, observed a total of 138 jellyfish during 28 of 29 operations. The density of carrion ranged between 0.2 and 5.1 individuals/1,000 m² (mean ± SE = 1.1 ± 0.2). Ophiuroids occurred abundantly at 23 jellyfish carcasses and a sea anemone was observed attached to five carcasses. The VTR surveys confirmed that carrion sinks to the sea floor not only during the winter, the normal end of life for medusae, but also during the fall. A trap survey baited with medusae was also employed, and four different species were sampled with the traps: the snow crab (Chionoecetes opilio), a shrimp (Pandalopsis japonica), the ivory shell (Buccinum striatissimum) and an ophiuroid (Ophiura sarsii). Much of the trap bait remained (49–68% weight-mean = 60.3%) during the 23 h soak-time, and the reduction in weight was greater than that observed by bacterial decomposition, suggesting benthic animals consume dead organisms. The present study indicates that dead N. nomurai sink to the sea floor continuously and were subsequently consumed by benthic scavengers.     

Mechanical properties of shotcrete with addition of sugarcane bagasse fiber and ash

Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management - Shotcrete is a sprayed concrete placed on steep slopes that have been widely used because it can prevent surface weathering and erosion, and in...