Etude cinétique de la structure des populations de Squilla mantis (Crustacea: Stomatopoda) par l'analyse factorielle des correspondances

The structure and evolution of populations of Squilla mantis (Crustacea: Stomatopoda) have been studied, and the statistical techniques used are discussed. Population studies were performed by multivariate analysis. Thirty-three monthly samples comprising 20 length classes of males and females were examined. Males and females display evolutionary cycles: each cycle begins in June/July and proceeds through a succession of evolution and eventual regression, the later being particularly marked every 2 years.     

Optimization of selective pressurized liquid extraction for extraction and in-cell clean-up of PCDD/Fs in soils and sediments

This paper describes the development of methods for selective extraction of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) from soils and sediments, using pressurized liquid extraction with in-cell clean-up (SPLE). Two binary solvent mixtures, viz. dichloromethane/n-heptane (DCM/Hp), and diethylether/n-heptane (DEE/Hp), were evaluated. The SPLE extraction conditions were optimized using central composite face (CCF) design. Three factors were investigated: extraction temperature (60–160 °C), number of extraction cycles (1–3) and time per cycle (2–18 min). The results showed that DCM/Hp (1/1, v/v) and DEE/Hp (1/2, v/v) were the best extraction solvent compositions and that the extraction temperature was a critical factor that needed careful optimization to achieve high extraction efficiency without co-extraction of sulfuric acid. Under the optimal conditions, the SPLE methods provided results with good accuracy and precision. For the sandy soil certified reference material (CRM-529) the quantification results ended up in the range 82–110% as compared to the concentrations obtained by a reference method based on Soxhlet extraction and external column clean-up. Furthermore, for a clay soil (CRM-530) and a sediment reference material (WMS-01), the accuracy (trueness) of the TEQ values were +11% (DCM/Hp) and +8% (DEE/Hp) for CRM-530, +8% and ?7% for WMS-01, respectively. The individual congener concentrations also agreed well with the certified values. These findings show that SPLE is a promising method for combined extraction and clean-up of PCDD/Fs in soil/sediment samples.     

Heavy metals in water and in tissues of himri (Carasobarbus luteus) from Orontes (Asi) River, Turkey

Concentrations of heavy metals (Ag, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb ve Zn) were measured in running water and in tissues (muscle, liver, gill, skin and gonads) of one commercially valuable fish species (Carasobarbus luteus) from the Orontes (Asi) River (Güzelburç region) in Hatay (Southeastern Turkey). Results for levels in water compared with national and international water quality guidelines were found at the highest concentrations in international criteria’s WHO, EC and EPA, but Cd, Cu, Ni and Pb were found to exceed permissible level of drinking water in national criteria TSE-266 whereas Fe, Zn and Cr concentrations were within the permissible levels for drinking. The present study showed a significant seasonal variation (p?p?>?0.05), which showed seasonal variation of only Zn (p?C. luteus were below the permissible limit for human consumption, level of Cu being very close to the permissible limit. Consequently, continuous monitoring of heavy metal concentration in edible freshwater fish will be needed in Orontes River.     

Photocatalytic removal of NO and NO2 using titania nanotubes synthesized by hydrothermal method

In this study, the photocatalysts of titania nanotubes(TNTs) were synthesized at different calcination temperatures using commercial Degussa TiO2(P25) as a precursor. The materials were then characterized by BET, SEM, TEM, and XRD analyses. The photocatalytic reactions with NO and NO2 under UV-A irradiation were both performed. The results showed that the photocatalytic reaction rate of NO was much faster than that of NO2, and the conversion of NO2 to nitrate was the rate-limiting step for photocatalytic removal of NOx if the nitrate produced cannot be removed continuously from the photocatalyst surface. For TNTs calcined at different temperatures, a significant enhancement was observed on the total NOx removal efficiency by TNT calcined at 500°C for both NO and NO2 photocatalytic reaction, which could be attributed to its high anatase crystallinity as well as high surface area. These two factors affect primarily on the NO2conversion step in which the high anatase crystallinity could be responsible for the high efficiency at the beginning, while the high surface area could be accounted for retaining this high efficiency from nitric acid poisoning during the test period.     

Glacial-interglacial changes in the occurrence of Pb, Cd, Cu and Zn in Vostok Antarctic ice from 240 000 to 410 000 years BP

Lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) have been measured by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry in various sections of the 3623 m deep ice core drilled at Vostok, in central East Antarctica. The sections were dated from 240 to 410 kyear BP (Marine Isotopic Stages (MIS) 7.5 to 11.3), which corresponds to the 3rd and 4th glacial-interglacial cycles before present. Concentrations are found to have varied greatly during this 170 kyear time period, with high concentration values during the coldest climatic stages such as MIS 8.4 and 10.2 and much lower concentration values during warmer periods, such as the interglacials MIS 7.5, 9.3 and 11.3. Rock and soil dust were the dominant sources for Pb, whatever the period, and for Zn and Cu and possibly Cd during cold climatic stages. The contribution from volcanic emissions was important for Cd during all periods and might have been significant for Cu and Zn during warm periods.     

Thermodynamic analysis of fatty acid harvesting by novel carbon-based adsorbent

In this study, separation and concentration of fatty acids (FA) from the synthetic food processing wastewater containing low concentration of FA (250 mg/L) were investigated using expanded graphite (EG) as a novel adsorbent at different temperatures (298~318 K). The adsorption results were further analyzed to verify adsorption mechanisms and thermodynamics of FA onto EG. Results show that the adsorption of FA onto EG was explained well by the Langmuir model with the maximum adsorption capacity up to 8.01 g FA/g EG at 298 K, and considerably affected by temperature. The adsorption kinetics fitted with pseudo-second-order kinetic model and the adsorption mechanism analysis showed that the intraparticle diffusion was not the rate-limiting step, but the coalescence of FA droplets played the significant role for novel adsorption of FA onto EG. The calculated activation energy and thermodynamic parameters such as Gibbs free energy change (ΔG⁰), enthalpy change (ΔH⁰), and entropy change (ΔS⁰) indicated that the adsorption of FA onto EG was very feasible, was highly spontaneous, occurred physically, was exothermic in nature, and was stable in aquatic environmental changes. Overall, FA can be effectively harvested and concentrated from the food processing wastewater by EG even at low concentration.     

Optimization of pressure gauge locations for water distribution systems using entropy theory

It is essential to select the optimal pressure gauge location for effective management and maintenance of water distribution systems. This study proposes an objective and quantified standard for selecting the optimal pressure gauge location by defining the pressure change at other nodes as a result of demand change at a specific node using entropy theory. Two cases are considered in terms of demand change: that in which demand at all nodes shows peak load by using a peak factor and that comprising the demand change of the normal distribution whose average is the base demand. The actual pressure change pattern is determined by using the emitter function of EPANET to reflect the pressure that changes practically at each node. The optimal pressure gauge location is determined by prioritizing the node that processes the largest amount of information it gives to (giving entropy) and receives from (receiving entropy) the whole system according to the entropy standard. The suggested model is applied to one virtual and one real pipe network, and the optimal pressure gauge location combination is calculated by implementing the sensitivity analysis based on the study results. These analysis results support the following two conclusions. Firstly, the installation priority of the pressure gauge in water distribution networks can be determined with a more objective standard through the entropy theory. Secondly, the model can be used as an efficient decision-making guide for gauge installation in water distribution systems.