Modes of water manipulation by the lobate ctenophore Leucothea sp.

Examination of the lobate ctenophore Leucothea sp. has revealed new patterns of swimming and water manipulation in addition to the typical ctenophore mode of slow swimming with ctene plate (comb) ciliary propulsion. We distinguish between slow ctene propulsion and rapid ctene propulsion; the latter is accomplished by an increased ciliary beat that produces a coupled vortex wake, resulting in jet propulsion. The large oral lobes both capture prey and provide undulatory muscular propulsive power. The auricles exhibit distinct phasic synchrony and aphasic or sculling motions that generate small vortices in the water which facilitate prey capture. Distinctive papillae covering the exterior of Leucothea sp. may be chemo- or mechano-sensory structures. The integration of all of these structures results in an organism that is more complex behaviorally than might be expected on the basis of its superficially simple and delicate body plan. Field work involved blue-water diving in the waters of the California Bight during June and July, 1985.     

Debromination of hexabromobenzene by its co-grinding with CaO

A hexabromobenzene (HBB, C6Br6) powder was subjected to co-grinding with excess CaO powder in air using a planetary ball mill to investigate mechanochemical debromination of the HBB sample. The reaction proceeds smoothly with an increase in both grinding time and molar ratio of CaO addition. The co-grinding enables us to debrominate HBB, forming CaBr2, C and CaCO3 besides excess CaO in the product. CaBr2 in the product tends to absorb moisture from the atmosphere to form CaBr2 x nH2O. The reaction yield is quantitatively evaluated by measuring the amount of water-soluble bromide through water washing and the amount of unreacted HBB through toluene washing. It is found that almost 100% of debromination is achieved by 6 h grinding with the molar ratio kept constant at 2:1. Radicals are detected in the ground products, possibly due to rupture in the covalent bonds of C-C and C-Br in HBB.     

Quantitative assessment of the Japanese “local production for local consumption” movement: a case study of growth of vegetables in the Osaka city region

This study aimed to assess Japan’s recent “local production for local consumption” (LPLC) movement, with a special focus on vegetables in the Osaka city region of central Japan. After collecting statistics and spatial data, we conducted a multi-scale analysis of vegetable production and consumption along with the associated energy consumption, using geographical information system software at three spatial scales along the vegetable flow paths: national, regional, and local. Vegetables consumed in the Osaka city region came from prefectures throughout Japan, and we mapped the foodshed within this region at 1-km spatial resolution, as well as the distribution of farmland, farmers’ and other markets. We also conducted a scenario analysis for reduced energy consumption through organic farming and the utilization of abandoned farmland near a city to replace food imports from distant areas. We found that the large majority of vegetables consumed in the Osaka city region currently come from remote prefectures, and that this is associated with a high level of energy consumption. Inside the Osaka city region, peri-urban vegetable farming contributes to regional vegetable provision, resulting in an approximately 70 % production/consumption ratio within an 80-km radius of the urban center; if all of the area of abandoned farmland were restored to production, this ratio would increase to approximately 75 %. Organic farming activities that bring together farmers and urbanites are emerging in many parts of the study area, contributing to increased LPLC. Scenario analysis suggested that a decrease of more than 1 × 10⁶ GJ of energy inputs could be achieved through wider adoption of local organic farming for local consumption and complete utilization of abandoned farmland in the Osaka city region.     

Activity and emission inventory of open waste burning at the household level in developing countries: a case study of Semarang City

Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management - In this study, total burned household waste and the potential emissions released from waste burning in Semarang City, Indonesia, were estimated....     

Cracking styrene derivative polymers in decalin solvent with metal-supported carbon catalysts

The cracking of styrene derivative polymers dissolved in decalin was conducted with metal-supported carbon catalysts under an inert gas atmosphere to recover monosubstituted styrene or monosubstituted ethylbenzene in higher yields than is obtained by pyrolysis, and to elucidate the detailed reaction mechanisms in the solvent. Poly-(4-methylstyrene), poly-(4-t-butylstyrene), poly-(α-methylstyrene), and polystyrene were used. In decalin without a catalyst, each polymer was decomposed into the monomer, dimer, and trimer derived from the corresponding polymer except for poly-(α-methylstyrene), which was decomposed into the monomer and styrene. By using metal-supported carbon, the olefinic compounds derived from the corresponding polymer were thoroughly hydrogenated to the saturated form in a nitrogen atmosphere by a hydrogen transfer reaction from decalin, which was simultaneously dehydrogenated to tetralin and naphthalene with the evolution of hydrogen gas. In comparison with metal species, Pd- and Ru-supported carbon catalysts maintained the hydrogenation activity for a longer time and with a lower evolution of hydrogen than Pt or Rh. The dehydrogenation of decalin was mainly observed not on the metal surfaces, but on the carbon surfaces over Pd-supported carbon. Stabilization of the monomers will be able to suppress the coking which occurs with repolymerization in long running process. Received: July 19, 2000 / Accepted: March 16, 2001     

Multi criteria decision analysis to develop an optimized municipal solid waste management scenario: a case study in Ulaanbaatar,Mongolia

Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management - Since to 1990, Urbanization has occurred due to an increase in the number of unpredicted citizens and migration from the countryside to...     

Spatial simulation and LCA evaluation on the plastic waste recycling system in Tianjin

With the rapid economic development in China, the amount of plastic waste (PW) generated has greatly increased and much of the waste is currently not treated. To reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from recycling of PW, we estimated the PW flow and considered methods to improve the household PW recycling system in Tianjin by adjusting processes during transportation and establishing a PW recycling factory in Zi’ya Industrial Park. The goal of the study was to identify reasonable improvements for the recycling system and clarify the environmental load. Geographic information system (GIS) technology was used to simulate transport processes for comparing GHG emissions from the transport processes between the present case and an improved case. Life cycle assessment (LCA) was used to compare GHG emissions between a projected scenario and a baseline scenario. Estimated GHG emissions during transport processes in the improved case were reduced by about 12,197 t CO₂ eq per year compared to the present case, equivalent to about 65.9 % of the total emissions in the present case. GHG emissions in the projected scenario were about 101,738 t CO₂ eq less per year than the baseline scenario, equivalent to about 75.5 % of the total emissions in the baseline scenario.     

Community-based solid waste bank program for municipal solid waste management improvement in Indonesia: a case study of Padang city

Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management - Indonesia has a regulation UU No. 18/2008 which changes the paradigm from waste dumping to recycling. The purpose of this study is to understand...     

Speciation of the radioactive nuclides in incinerator fly ash of municipal solid waste using sequential extractions

Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management - The radioactive nuclides in the incinerator fly ashes from municipal solid waste sampled in June 2006 were analyzed with γ-ray spectrometry....