Decomposition of SF6 in an RF plasma environment

Sulfur hexafluoride (SFd)-contained gas is a common pollutant emitted during the etching process used in the semiconductor industry. This study demonstrated the application of radio-frequency (RF) plasma in the decomposition of SF6. The decomposition fraction of SF6 [etaSF6 (C(in)-C(out))/C(in) x 100%] and the mole fraction profile of the products were investigated as functions of input power and feed O2/SF6 ratio in an SiO2 reactor. The species detected in both SF6/Ar and SF6/O2/ Ar RF plasmas were SiF4, SO2, Fe2, SO2F2, SOF2, SOF4, S2F10, S2OF10, S2O2F10, and SF4. The results revealed that at 40 W, etaSF6 exceeded 99%, and the reaction products were almost all converted into stable compounds such as SiF4, SO2, and F2 with or without the addition of oxygen. Sulfur oxyfluorides such as SO2F2, SOF2, SOF4, S2OF10, and S2O2F10 were produced only below 40 W. The results of this work can be used to design a plasma/chemical system for online use in a series of a manufacturing process to treat SF6-containing exhaust gases.     

Dwarfism associated with prenatal ventriculomegaly

Two infants with ventriculomegaly diagnosed by ultrasound during the third trimester of pregnancy were noted to have lethal short-limbed dwarfing syndromes at birth. In one instance, a clinical suspicion of hydramnios and in the other follow-up scan for placental localization revealed ventriculomegaly as an unexpected finding. These observations suggest that when ventriculomegaly is detected during prenatal ultrasound evaluation, limb measurements should be included to exclude a dwarfing syndrome as part of the differential diagnosis.     

Predicting the spatial distribution of mangroves in a South African estuary in response to sea level rise,substrate elevation change and a sea storm event

The spatial distribution of mangroves in the Mngazana Estuary under sea level rise induced by climate change, together with different substrate elevation change scenarios was predicted for 2020, 2050 and 2100. The present inundation frequency tolerance range was from 0.8 to 31.2 %, equivalent to substrate elevation thresholds of 1.1 and 1.7 m amsl. These thresholds were measured by field surveys and analysis of a gauge station situated near the mouth of the estuary. The predictions were based on the assumption that the inundation frequency tolerance range of mangrove stands remains constant in the future. Through the use of a digital elevation model an initial increase of 2.10 ha year^?1 was found in mangrove area between present and 2020 (from 122.6 to 143.6 ha). This was due to habitat becoming available that is currently too compacted for seedling establishment to occur. This compaction resulted from human and cattle traffic for grazing. Thereafter there would be a mean loss of 0.66 ha year^?1 from 2020 through 2100. Landward migration of mangroves would not take place due to the elevation limit of adjacent non-mangrove areas. In addition, the loss rate would increase to 1.01 ha year^?1 under insufficient sediment accretion, but would decrease to 0.18 ha year^?1 under thriving mangroves condition. The analysis of sea storm event in September 2008 showed that local water level increased by 28 cm and maximum affected area was 87.0 ha (about 71 % of mangrove stands). The inundation continued over 5 days. The results indicated that the combination impact of sea level rise, substrate elevation change and sea storm would possibly be a threat to tropical African estuaries with large flat intertidal areas and mangroves.     

Controlled sintering for cadmium stabilization by beneficially using the dredged river sediment

● Dredged river sediment was proved as a ceramic precursor rather than a solid waste. ● Cd was stabilized in Cd-Al-Si-O phases at low temperatures via sediment addition. ● < 5% of Cd was leached out from sintered products even after a prolonged time. ● A strategy was proposed to simultaneously reuse wastes and stabilize heavy metals. Cd-bearing solid wastes are considered to be a serious threat to the environment, and effective strategies for their treatment are urgently needed. Ceramic sintering has been considered as a promising method for efficiently incorporating heavy metal-containing solid wastes into various ceramic products. Mineral-rich dredged river sediment, especially Al and Si-containing oxides, can be treated as alternative ceramic precursors rather than being disposed of as solid wastes. To examine the feasibility of using waste sediment for Cd stabilization and the phase transition mechanisms, this study conducted a sintering scheme for the mixtures of CdO and dredged river sediment with different (Al+Si):Cd mole ratios. Detailed investigations have been performed on phases transformation, Cd incorporation mechanisms, elemental distribution, and leaching behaviors of the sintered products. Results showed that Cd incorporation and transformation in the sintered products were influenced by the mole ratio of (Al+Si):Cd. Among the high-Cd series ((Al+Si):Cd = 6:1), CdSiO₃, Cd₂SiO₄, CdAl₂(SiO₄)₂ and Cd₂Al₂Si₂O₉ were predominant Cd-containing product phases, while Cd₂Al₂Si₂O₉ was replaced by CdAl₄O₇ when the mole ratio of (Al+Si):Cd was 12:1 (low-Cd series). Cd was efficiently stabilized in both reaction series after being sintered at ≥ 900 °C, with < 5% leached ratio even after a prolonged leaching time, indicating excellent long-term Cd stabilization. This study demonstrated that both Cd-containing phases and the amorphous Al-/Si-containing matrices all played critical roles in Cd stabilization. A promising strategy can be proposed to simultaneously reuse the solid waste as ceramic precursors and stabilize heavy metals in the ceramic products.     

Effect of crystal size on zinc stabilization in aluminum-rich ceramic matrix

With aluminum as the predominant element, incineration residues from municipal solid waste and sewage sludge may be reused as precursors for zinc stabilization. As solid-state reactions are influenced by the crystal sizes of the reactants, the aluminum-containing components with different crystal sizes in the incineration residues may affect zinc transformation and immobilization. In this study, Al₂O₃ was prepared with a variety of crystal sizes to simulate the aluminum-rich incineration residue matrix, and ZnO was mixed with Al₂O₃ to study the zinc incorporation mechanisms. The crystal sizes of Al₂O₃ were determined using Rietveld refinement. Quantification results showed that ~?30% of zinc was incorporated into the ZnAl₂O₄ spinel when Al₂O₃ with the largest crystal size was used. However, the zinc transformation was enhanced twofold when the Al₂O₃ precursor had the smallest crystal size. This study confirmed the potential enhancement of zinc immobilization by nanoscale crystals in simulated aluminum-rich incineration residues. By improving zinc stabilization efficiencies using poorly crystallized aluminum-containing compounds instead of increasing the energy consumption by increasing the sintering temperatures, we can achieve an economic and environmental win–win scenario for the beneficial utilization of incineration residues of municipal solid waste and sewage sludge.     

Nano-textured polysilicon solar absorption films

Nano-textured polysilicon (poly-Si) solar absorption films are to be applied to the solar receiver of solar thermal electricity Stirling engine. These films were fabricated by deposition of hydrogenated amorphous silicon films (a-Si:H) into poly-Si films, using the pulse-wave modulation plasma and furnace annealing of the a-Si:H films. This is followed by wet etching of poly-Si films into nano-textured structures. The films are then coated with a-SiN_x:H films as the antireflection and protection layers. It was observed that increasing the pulsed plasma turn-on (t_on) time leads to deposition of less dense a-Si:H film with high hydrogen content and void density. This results in films having low dielectric constant and refractive index, and high optical bandgap. Less-dense a-Si:H film can be transferred into large grain size poly-Si film, using annealing. Also, highly rough nano-textured surface structure can be produced, by etching. The denser a-Si:H film, large grain size poly-Si film, and nano-textured surface poly-Si film can enhance the absorbance of sunlight and reduce the emissivity of far infrared light. The nano-textured poly-Si film coated with an a-SiN_x:H layer can effectively increase the absorbance of sunlight to approximately 85% and reduce the emissivity of far infrared light to 49%. The nano-textured poly-Si/a-SiN_x:H films can be used as efficient solar absorption films for solar thermal electricity Stirling engine.     

Photocatalytic inactivation of cyanobacteria with ZnO/gamma-AIO23 composite under solar light

Cyanobacteria were inactivated by using zinc oxide (ZnO)coated on the surface of gamma-AI2O3 as a photocatalyst and combining with sunlight. In vitro experiments indicate that axenic cultures of planktonic cyanobacteria lost their photosynthetic activity after photocatalyzed with sunlight exposure exceeding 24 hr. As for Oscillatoria tenuisa, nearly 92% of the cells lost their photosynthetic activity and the cell morphology was severely damaged during 24 hr of the reaction. However, in the case of Microcystis aeruginosa, lower photocatalytic inactivity efficiency was observed, which was attributed to extracellular polymeric secretions (EPSs) surrounding the cells. With a high dosage ZnO catalyst, the dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentration of the Oscillatoria tenuisa suspension was increased by up to about 190% during photocatalysis. The increased suspension of DOC was attributed to increase liberation of extracellular organic and cell-wall polysaccharides during photocatalysis.     

Economic and health benefits of the co-reduction of air pollutants and greenhouse gases

This study examines the monetary value of social costs—private costs and negative externalities—that could be avoided by energy conservation actions. A novel Air Resource Co-Benefits (ARCoB) model has been developed in this study to assess the comprehensive social benefits of greenhouse gas GHG mitigation policy. The rollback model is used to estimate changes in air pollutant concentrations attributed to the emission reductions. Change in ozone concentration is converted from non-methane hydrocarbons based on the maximum ozone increment reactivity. In addition to saved medical expenditure, years of potential life lost (YPLL) is estimated based on the exposure-response coefficients for mortality and is calculated with abridged life table. Two cases of energy efficiency improvement in different scales are analyzed to estimate the annual co-benefits of abatements of air pollutants and greenhouse gas in 2009: 1) the energy intensity reduction in the industrial sector and 2) energy saving at Taipei Taiwan City Hall. Results indicate the saved energy cost accounted for 66 % and 70 % in the first and second case, respectively, and was a major part of the total benefit from energy conservation. The saved air pollution fee was 7.8–8.5 times lower than the averted health cost of medical expenditure, which was US$10.34 million in the first case, in which there were also averted YPLL of 3,478 person-years or averted deaths of 311 persons per year.     

Metal stabilization mechanism of incorporating lead-bearing sludge in kaolinite-based ceramics

The feasibility and mechanism of incorporating simulated lead-laden sludge into low-cost ceramic products was investigated by observing the reaction of lead with two kaolinite-based precursors under sintering conditions. To investigate the phase transformation process of lead, lead oxide (PbO) mixed with a kaolinite or mullite precursor were fired at 500-950 °C for 3 h. Detailed X-ray diffraction analysis of sintered products revealed that both precursors had crystallochemically incorporated lead into the lead feldspar (PbAl₂Si₂O₈) crystalline structure. By mixing lead oxide with kaolinite, lead feldspar begins to crystallize at 700 °C; maximum incorporation of lead into this structure occurred at 950 °C. However, two intermediate phases, Pb₄Al₄Si₃O₁₆ and a polymorph of lead feldspar, were detected at temperatures between 700 and 900 °C. By sintering lead oxide with the mullite precursor, lead feldspar was detected at temperatures above 750 °C, and an intermediate phase of Pb₄Al₄Si₃O₁₆ was observed in the temperature range of 750-900 °C. This study compared the lead leachabilities of PbO and lead feldspar using a prolonged leaching test (at pH 2.9 for 23 d) modified from the toxicity characteristic leaching procedure. The results indicate the superiority of lead feldspar in stabilizing lead and suggest a promising and reliable strategy to stabilize lead in ceramic products.     

Thermal detoxification of hazardous metal sludge by applied electromagnetic energy

Industrial wastewater sludge was treated by microwave processes to enhance the stabilization of laden copper. The effects of additives, processing time, microwave adsorbents, moisture content, reaction atmosphere, and cooling gas were investigated. The stabilization results were significantly enhanced by metal powder additives, prolonged microwave processing time, proper moisture content, the addition of carbonaceous materials, and a reaction environment with inert gas. It was also found that the moisture content would increase the homogeneity of applied microwave energy, and thus achieve a better overall efficiency between stabilizing agents and copper. The added metal powders may reduce Cu(II) to Cu(0) in the sludge or TCLP. The resulting thermal energy of microwave radiation, and microarcing process and the oxidation heat of Al powder may also assist the transformation of Cu(II) into CuO and CuAl2O4 phases. Part of the sludge was vitrified within inert gas environment when the processing time was longer than 18 min and active carbon dosage was more than 3g. Reduction reactions also occurred in the hybrid microwave processes, leading to the reduction of sulfates and metal ions, and the formation of Cu2S and FeS. Moreover, the microwave radiation can also enhance the feasibility of co-treating of inorganic and organic solid waste.