Performance evaluation of reverse logistics enterprise – an agent-based simulation approach

Reverse logistics (RL) has been applied in many industries and sectors since its conception. Unlike forward logistics, retracing consumer goods from the point of consumption to the point of inception is not a well-studied process. It involves many uncertainties such as time, quality and quantity of returns. The returned products can be remanufactured, have parts harvested, or be disposed safely. It is important to implement these activities in a cost-effective manner. The aim of this research is to measure the performance of the RL enterprise with the help of an agent-based simulation model. The major entities in the RL network are considered as Agents that can act independently. There are several different agents: collector agent, sorting-cum-reuse agent, remanufacturing agent, recycler agent, supplier agent and distributor agent. The individual performances of the agents are measured and recommendations are given to improve their performance, leading to the enhancement of the total performance of the RL enterprise. The approach is applied to a case study involving cell phone remanufacturing.     

3种镉超富集植物毛状根体系对镉胁迫响应的比较

近年来,转基因毛状根组织被越来越多地应用于重金属和有机污染物的植物修复技术研究中,已成为进行污染物毒性响应机制研究的便捷的实验室工具。为了探究龙葵、油菜、芥菜3种镉(cadmium,Cd)超富集植物对Cd毒性胁迫响应的差异,以诱导出的3种植物毛状根为研究材料,从毛状根的生长状态、富集Cd的能力、根组织细胞的凋亡程度和抗氧化酶活性等方面进行了探讨。结果表明:Cd浓度为0~50μmol·L-1时,龙葵、油菜、芥菜毛状根受Cd毒害的影响都不明显;Cd浓度为75~100μmol·L-1时,龙葵、油菜、芥菜毛状根均表现出对Cd胁迫的防御响应。在较高的Cd浓度(100μmol·L-1)下,龙葵毛状根的生物量受Cd毒害的影响最小,芥菜次之,油菜受影响最大;同时龙葵毛状根富集的Cd含量最高(745.0μg·g-1),芥菜次之(681.4μg·g-1),油菜最差(505.2μg·g-1)。龙葵、油菜、芥菜毛状根在Cd胁迫下的细胞凋亡水平均随Cd浓度的升高而升高,当Cd浓度为100μmol·L-1时,龙葵毛状根比油菜和芥菜毛状根的细胞凋亡程度均低。同时3种植物毛状根在不同浓度Cd处理下抗氧化酶活性的变化有一定差异。从上述结果综合来看,龙葵毛状根受Cd毒害的影响最小、富集Cd的能力最好,是进一步开展Cd超富集植物转基因改造研究的较好的实验室载体。     

重金属Cr(Ⅵ)、Pb及Cu胁迫对双齿围沙蚕体腔细胞的DNA损伤

为探讨重金属Cr(Ⅵ)、Pb以及Cu对沙蚕体腔细胞DNA的毒性效应,以双齿围沙蚕为受试动物,重金属按不同剂量水平,Cr(Ⅵ):10、100和200 mg· L-1,Pb:5、50和100 mg·L-1,Cu:1、10和20 mg· L-1,分别胁迫沙蚕24 h,以不加任何重金属离子的海水为对照,采用单细胞凝胶电泳技术,检测其体腔细胞DNA损伤程度.结果表明,与空白对照组相比,3种重金属离子的各浓度组都能引起沙蚕体腔细胞DNA损伤,且3种重金属胁迫浓度与细胞DNA损伤程度之间存在显著的剂量-效应关系.双齿围沙蚕可以作为单细胞凝胶电泳的实验材料用于重金属所致环境污染的生物监测指示生物.     

A real-time simulating non-isothermal mathematical model for the passive feed direct methanol fuel cell

In order to understand the complex transport phenomena in a passive direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC), a theoretical model is essential. The analytical model provides a computationally efficient framework with a clear physical meaning. For this, a non-isothermal, analytical model for the passive DMFC has been developed in this study. The model considers the coupled heat and mass transport along with electrochemical reactions. The model is successfully validated with the experimental data. The model accurately describes the various species transport phenomena including methanol crossover and water crossover, heat transport phenomena, and efficiencies related to the passive DMFC. It suggests that the maximum real efficiency can be achieved by running the cell at low methanol feed concentration and moderate current density. The model also accurately predicts the effect of various operating and geometrical parameters on the cell performance such as methanol feed concentration, surrounding temperature, and polymer electrolyte membrane thickness. The model predictions are in accordance with the findings of the other researchers. The model is rapidly implementable and can be used in real-time simulation and control of the passive DMFC. This comprehensive model can be used for diagnostic purpose as well.     

Improving photostability and efficiency of polymeric luminescent solar concentrators by PMMA/MgO nanohybrid coatings

MgO nanocrystals were synthesized and doped with different concentrations in poly(methylmethacrylate) (PMMA) to prepare hybrid organic-inorganic coatings based on polymer nanohybrid thin films. The nanoparticles were found to be spherical with 62 nm diameter as determined by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and atomic force microscope (AFM). The coatings were characterized by spectroscopic tools such as optical absorption, transmission and fluorescence spectroscopy. The prepared nanohybrid films were spin-coated on cost-effective luminescent PMMA substrates doped with highly efficient luminescent dyes luminescent solar concentrators (LSCs). The outdoor photostability tests demonstrated enhanced protection against UVA radiation for coated LSCs compared to bare LSC substrates. The current–voltage characteristics of commercially produced LSC prototypes showed that the poor UV response of monocrystalline silicon solar cell can be improved by for LSCs coated by PMMA/MgO nanohybrid films which act as luminescent down shifting layer (LDSL).     

好氧颗粒污泥自生动态膜生物反应器处理碱减量印染废水

自生动态膜生物反应器(SFDMBR)接种颗粒污泥启动,研究溶解氧浓度和水力停留时间对该反应器处理碱减量印染废水的影响。自生动态膜生物反应器形成稳定的动态膜后,出水浊度小于10 NTU,系统对浊度的去除率在90%以上,溶解氧和水力停留时间对反应器出水浊度基本无影响。系统对废水色度的去除率随着溶解氧浓度的提高和水力停留时间的延长而增加,但是系统对色度的去除效率一般不超过40%。溶解氧浓度由0.3 mg/L逐渐增大至2.4 mg/L,COD的去除率由40%提升至80%,而当溶解氧浓度大于1.0 mg/L后,UV254的去除率达到95%。水力停留时间在8~48 h时,COD去除效率由65%逐渐上升至85%左右;水力停留时间在8~32 h,UV254去除效率为68%~93%,超过32 h后水力停留时间对UV254去除效率的影响已不明显。     

Monitoring Environmental Impact in the Upper Sonoran Lifestyle: A New Tool for Rapid Ecological Assessment

Characterized by expensive housing, high socioeconomic status, and topographic relief, Upper Sonoran Lifestyle communities are found primarily along the Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) in the Phoenix, Arizona metro area. Communities like these sprawl into the wildlands in the United States Southwest, creating a distinct urban fringe. This article, through locational comparison, introduces and evaluates a new field assessment tool for monitoring anthropogenic impact on soil–vegetation interactions along the well-maintained multi-use recreational trails in Upper Sonoran Lifestyle region. Comparing data from randomly selected transects along other multi-use trails with data from a control site revealed three key indicators of anthropogenic disturbances on soil–vegetation interactions: soil disturbance, vegetation disturbance, and vegetation density. Soil and vegetation disturbance displayed an average distance decay exponent factor of −0.60, while vegetation density displayed a reverse decay average of 0.60. Other important indicators of disturbance included vegetation type, biological soil crusts, and soil bulk density. The predictive ability of this new field tool enhances its applicability, offering a powerful rapid ecological assessment method for monitoring long-term anthropogenic impact in the Upper Sonoran Lifestyle, and other sprawling cities along the WUI.     

微生物燃料电池改性阳极处理PTA废水

探讨了不同改性阳极对微生物燃料电池(microbial fuel cell,MFC)产电性能及其对MFC处理难降解废水能力的影响.以单室空气阴极为基础,利用0.1 g电气石、质量分数75%二氧化锰/埃洛石纳米管(manganese bioxide/halloysite nanotube,MnO_2/HNT)和多壁碳纳米管-羧基(multi-walled carbon nanotube-carboxyl,MWCNT-COOH)对MFC阳极进行修饰.结果表明,不同改性阳极的MFC对含精对苯二甲酸(purified terephthalic acid,PTA)废水的去除率均高于70%,且化学需氧量(chemical oxygen demand,COD)去除率在79%以上.相较于其他几种改性阳极,以MWCNT-COOH改性材料作阳极的MFC产生的最大输出电压最高,获得的最大功率密度最高,分别为529 mV和252.73 mW·m~(-2).     

Performance of low temperature Microbial Fuel Cells (MFCs) catalyzed by mixed bacterial consortia

Microbial Fuel Cells(MFCs) are a promising technology for treating wastewater in a sustainable manner. In potential applications, low temperatures substantially reduce MFC performance. To better understand the effect of temperature and particularly how bioanodes respond to changes in temperature, we investigated the current generation of mixed-culture and pure-culture MFCs at two low temperatures, 10°C and 5°C. The results implied that the mixed-culture MFC sustainably performed better than the pure-culture(Shewanella) MFC at 10°C, but the electrogenic activity of anodic bacteria was substantially reduced at the lower temperature of 5°C. At 10°C, the maximum output voltage generated with the mixed-culture was 540–560 m V, which was 10%–15% higher than that of Shewanella MFCs. The maximum power density reached 465.3 ± 5.8 m W/m~2 for the mixed-culture at10°C, while only 68.7 ± 3.7 m W/m~2 was achieved with the pure-culture. It was shown that the anodic biofilm of the mixed-culture MFC had a lower overpotential and resistance than the pure-culture MFC. Phylogenetic analysis disclosed the prevalence of Geobacter and Pseudomonas rather than Shewanella in the mixed-culture anodic biofilm, which mitigated the increase of resistance or overpotential at low temperatures.     

AOX contamination status and genotoxicity of AOX-bearing pharmaceutical wastewater

Adsorbable organic halogens(AOX) are a general indicator for the total amount of compounds containing organically bonded halogens. AOX concentrations and components were investigated along the wastewater treatment process in four large-scale pharmaceutical factories of China, and genotoxicity based on the SOS/umu test was also evaluated. The results showed that AOX concentrations in wastewater of four factories ranged from 4.6 to 619.4 mg/L, which were high but greatly different owing to differences in the raw materials and products. The wastewater treatment process removed 50.0%–89.9% of AOX, leaving 1.3–302.5 mg/L AOX in the effluents. Genotoxicity levels ranged between 2.1 and 68.0 μg 4-NQO/L in the raw wastewater and decreased to 1.2–41.2 μg 4-NQO/L in the effluents of the wastewater treatment plants(WWTPs). One of the main products of factory I, ciprofloxacin, was identified as the predominant contributor to its genotoxicity. However, for the other three factories, no significant relationship was observed between genotoxicity and detected AOX compounds.