Overcoming barriers to sustainability by combining conceptual,visual, and networking systems

Sustainability challenges rarely align with the conventional boundaries of our disciplines, institutions and means of communication. To address these challenges amid real-world complexity, we need to think holistically and collaborate across disciplines. In this paper, we synthesise three themes: (1) more integrated conceptual frameworks; (2) digital visual communication which provides fluid expression of complex ideas and perceptions; and (3) online networks which can empower sustainability initiatives and communicate them across social and institutional barriers at a global scale. Each of these tools can help to overcome persistent barriers to sustainability. When used together, they provide a strategic basis for the design of digital collaboration platforms for addressing sustainability challenges. Using design thinking, we developed a Synergy Map which identifies relationships among a number of barriers to sustainability and conceptual and digital tools which help to address them. The Map identifies the potential for synthesising these tools into effective digital artefacts. We provide several examples and identify characteristics of particular value for overcoming barriers to sustainability. Combining new theoretical developments in sustainability sciences with recent advances in communication and networking technologies offers substantial potential for advancing sustainability on multiple fronts.     

Heat dissipation characteristic in the intake grille and radiator of a fuel cell vehicle

ABSTRACT

In this study, a three-dimension (3D) computational model was proposed to investigate the flow and heat transfer characteristics of the intake grilles of two different fuel cell vehicles. The models of the intake grilles were constructed according to the actual sizes of two vehicles, namely, Roewe 950 and Toyota Mirai, considering the heat dissipation unit to simplify the heat transfer model of the vehicle. The results showed that relative to Roewe 950, Mirai intake air flow rate was approximately 10% higher, the heat transfer capacity was approximately 7% higher, and the intake grille area was larger. The coolant outlet temperature of Mirai was lower than that of Roewe 950, which was beneficial for the long term and stable operation of a fuel cell. This comparative study provided guidance for the intake grille and radiator design of fuel cell vehicles. The only difference between fuel cell vehicles on the market and conventional vehicles was that in the former, the internal combustion engine was replaced with a fuel cell stack, which had insufficient heat transfer capacity because of the reducing temperature difference. Increasing the intake grille area and the heat exchange capacity of the radiator were the key issues for the development of fuel cell vehicles. In this study, an optimal window opening angle of the radiator fin of 23° provided a maximal heat transfer coefficient.     

加速溶剂同时萃取和净化-气相色谱-三重四极杆串联质谱测定土壤和沉积物中8种多溴联苯醚

建立了土壤和沉积物中8种多溴联苯醚(PBDEs,BDE-28、BDE-47、BDE-99、BDE-100、BDE-153、BDE-154、BDE-183和BDE-209)加速溶剂同时萃取和净化-气相色谱-三重四极杆串联质谱(ASE-GC-MS-MS)的分析方法。通过优化加速溶剂萃取与弗罗里硅土在线净化和串联质谱多反应监测模式的条件,较好地去除基质干扰,并提高了三重四极杆串联质谱定性的准确性及定量的灵敏性。该方法采用改进的色谱柱能同时分析包括高溴代联苯醚BDE-209在内的8种PBDEs,其浓度范围为1～100 ng/mL(BDE-209为10～1 000 ng/mL),线性良好,线性回归系数均大于0.997。方法检出限为0.004～0.1 ng/g,方法回收率为75%～110%,方法精密度为2.4%～15.6%。适于批量处理土壤和沉积物中含有多组分痕量PBDEs的样品。     

Life cycle of PCBs and contamination of the environment and of food products from animal origin

This report gives a summary of the historic use, former management and current release of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in Germany and assesses the impact of the life cycle of PCBs on the contamination of the environment and of food products of animal origin. In Germany 60,000 t of PCBs were used in transformers, capacitors or as hydraulic oils. The use of PCB oils in these “closed applications”, has been banned in Germany in 2000. Thirty to 50% of these PCBs were not appropriately managed. In West Germany, 24,000 t of PCBs were used in open applications, mainly as additive (plasticiser, flame retardant) in sealants and paints in buildings and other construction. The continued use in open applications has not been banned, and in 2013, an estimated more than 12,000 t of PCBs were still present in buildings and other constructions. These open PCB applications continuously emit PCBs into the environment with an estimated release of 7–12 t per year. This amount is in agreement with deposition measurements (estimated to 18 t) and emission estimates for Switzerland. The atmospheric PCB releases still have an relevant impact on vegetation and livestock feed. In addition, PCBs in open applications on farms are still a sources of contamination for farmed animals. Furthermore, the historic production, use, recycling and disposal of PCBs have contaminated soils along the lifecycle. This legacy of contaminated soils and contaminated feed, individually or collectively, can lead to exceedance of maximum levels in food products from animals. In beef and chicken, soil levels of 5 ng PCB-TEQ/kg and for chicken with high soil exposure even 2 ng PCB-TEQ/kg can lead to exceedance of EU limits in meat and eggs. Areas at and around industries having produced or used or managed PCBs, or facilities and areas where PCBs were disposed need to be assessed in respect to potential contamination of food-producing animals. For a large share of impacted land, management measures applicable on farm level might be sufficient to continue with food production. Open PCB applications need to be inventoried and better managed. Other persistent and toxic chemicals used as alternatives to PCBs, e.g. short chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCPs), should be assessed in the life cycle for exposure of food-producing animals and humans.     

Effect of lower chlorinated hydroxylated-polychlorobiphenyls on development of PC12 cells

Hydroxylated polychlorobiphenyls (OH-PCBs) are major metabolites of PCBs that are widely distributed in the environment. While the effects of penta- to hepta-chlorinated OH-PCBs on neuronal differentiation have been widely reported, those of lower chlorinated OH-PCBs have not been extensively studied. To investigate the effects of lower chlorinated OH-PCBs on neuronal development, we studied the effects of mono- to hexa-chlorinated OH-PCBs on PC12 cells. Morphological changes were examined using an automatic system IN Cell Analyzer. Seventeen of the 20 OH-PCBs investigated promoted neuronal elongation in an OH-PCB concentration-dependent manner, while three OH-PCB congeners suppressed neuronal elongation based on Dunnett’s analysis. In particular, the top five OH-PCBs (4OH-PCB2, 4′OH-PCB3, 4′OH-PCB25, 4′OH-PCB68, and 4′OH-PCB159), which have hydroxyl groups at the para-position and chlorine substitutions at the 2, 4, or 3′ positions, significantly promoted neuronal elongation. Moreover, these neuronal elongations were suppressed by U0126, and phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) 1/2 was observed in PC12 cells treated with 4OH-PCB2, 4′OH-PCB25, and 4′OH-PCB159. Taken together, our results indicate that the effect of OH-PCB on neuronal development is not dependent on the number of chlorine groups but on the chemical structure, and the mitogen-activated kinase kinase (MEK)-ERK1/2 signaling pathway is involved in this process.     

Reduction of sludge formed during a coagulation treatment of Ridomil Gold by means of non-thermal quenched plasma pre-treatment

Chemical coagulation and adsorption, despite many drawbacks, are actually the main techniques used for the removal of pollutants from aqueous solution; however, these techniques are becoming ineffective due to the exponential increase in the amount and complexity of discharged pollutants; thus, the sludge treatment process became a more complex challenge. The present study focuses on the way to reduce the quantity of sludge formed during the removal of Ridomil Gold, a widely used pesticide-fungicide in agriculture. Results revealed that pre-treatment of initial waste solution by the gliding arc (Glidarc), a source of non-thermal plasma, leads to a significant reduction of the sludge formed during the coagulation treatment. For a 20-min pre-treated effluent Glidarc followed by chemical coagulation, there was a reduction in the volume of sludge formed in the order of 90 and 80% for alum and ferric sulfate coagulants respectively without reducing the performance of pesticide removal. Therefore, there is a positive synergism between treatment by chemical coagulation and plasma treatment. These results suggest that the Glidarc can be an effective solution for the reduction of sludge obtained during treatment by coagulation.     

Behavioral intentions toward genetically modified crops in Southwest Iran: a multi-stakeholder analysis

This study examined the influencing factors of the self-reported behavioral intentions toward genetically modified (GM) crops using a multi-stakeholder approach in the Khuzestan Province in Southwest Iran. The study focused on three different groups, including: “agricultural students,” “agricultural private firms’ managers” and “rich-resource farmers.” Data were collected using a researcher-made questionnaire and was analyzed by SPSS (V20) and AMOS (V20). Results indicated that the respondents perceive more benefits than risks for GM crops and that the perception of benefits and risks, respectively, had positive and negative impacts on the self-reported behavioral intention of the respondents. The knowledge of the respondents regarding these crops had positive impacts on perception of benefits. The results showed that both managers and students worried about the food safety and impact of GM crops on human health while farmers worried about the environmental risks of GM crops. The results also revealed that those who are the most conscious about GM crops are more trusted. The findings also showed that the majority of the respondents hold a positive view of the potential of GM crops.     

Natural Resource Use with Vague-Transferability in Property Right

The purpose of this paper is to study the impacts of the vagueness about the transfer of the harvest right on the use of a natural resource. We develop one-period non-cooperative game frameworks to examine whether the choice of the resource owner to be hazy about the transmission of the harvest contract is optimal. In the perfect information situation, we show that it is optimal for the resource owner to forbid the transfer of the harvest right instead of being hazy about it when the transfer fees are lesser than the collected net punishment fines of the monitoring costs even though the resource would be inefficiently used. In particular, we find in this case that the government’s announcement to forbid the transfer of the right should be public. We further show that there are subgame Nash equilibria in the perfect information context and a unique Nash equilibrium in the imperfect information setting. Specifically, we show that, when the transfer fees are greater or equal to the (net) punishment fines, there is a Nash equilibrium both in perfect and imperfect information situations, precisely when the owner chooses to allow the transfer of harvest title and the resource harvester transfers it.     

Improvement of Impact Toughness of Biodegradable Poly(butylene succinate) by Melt Blending with Sustainable Biobased Glycerol Elastomers

Poly(butylene succinate) (PBS) was melt blended with glycerol based polyesters (PGS) synthesized from pure and technical glycerol aiming to improve the impact strength of PBS. It was found that after addition of 30 wt% PGS to PBS its impact strength was significantly increased by 344% (from 31.9 to 110 J/m) and its elongation at break was maintained at 220%. Infrared spectra of the blends showed the presence of hydroxyl groups from the PGS phase suggesting that hydrogen bonding between the phases could be responsible for a good stress transfer and an efficient toughening in the PBS/PGS blends. Scanning electron microscopy imaging showed a good dispersion of PGS phase into PBS with a PGS particle size of 10 μm and less and no agglomeration. Addition of PGS to PBS was shown to be an effective strategy for improvement of PBS impact resistance without serious detrimental effects on its thermal and rheological properties.