Novel Tough Crystalline Blends of Polylactide with Ethylene Glycol Derivative of POSS

Blending of polylactide (PLA) with low stereoregularity and polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane grafted with arms of poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether, acting as a plasticizer, allowed us previously to obtain a novel stable elastomeric-like material. The present contribution focuses on the properties of semi-crystalline PLA plasticized with this compound. Melt blends of PLA with 5–15 wt% of the plasticizer, were compression molded, quenched and annealed, which enabled cold-crystallization. The glass transition temperature of the blends and their drawability depended on their crystallinity and plasticizer content. The best ductility was reached at the plasticizer content of 15 wt%; the achieved strain at break was 6.5 (650%) and 1.3 (130%), for the quenched and annealed material, respectively. The latter value exceeded 20 times the strain at break of neat crystalline PLA. The tensile toughness of the annealed 15 wt% blend was 12 times larger than that of crystalline PLA. Moreover, annealing of 15 wt% blend improved its yield strength by 40%. Despite the two peaks of the loss modulus, indicating the two glass transitions in this blend, no heterogeneities were found by scanning electron microscopy, indicating that the plasticizer enriched phase formed instead of distinct inclusions of the plasticizer.     

The quest for environmental justice in China: citizen participation and the rural–urban network against Panguanying’s waste incinerator

Environmental distribution conflicts (EDCs) related to the construction and operation of waste incinerators have become commonplace in China. This article presents a detailed case study of citizen opposition to an incinerator in the village of Panguanying, Hebei Province. Drawing on in-depth fieldwork, we show how this case was notable, because it transcended the local arena to raise bigger questions about environmental justice, particularly in relation to public participation in siting decisions, after villagers exposed fraudulent public consultation in the environmental impact assessment. An informal network between villagers and urban environmental activists formed, enabling the Panguanying case to exert influence far beyond the village locality. This network was critical in creating wider public debate about uneven power and substandard public participation in siting disputes, a central feature in many Chinese EDCs. By transcending local specificities and exposing broader, systemic inadequacies, this case became instrumental in supporting “strong sustainability”.     

Preparation of Viscose Fibres Stripped of Reactive Dyes and Wrinkle-Free Crosslinked Cotton Textile Finish

The chemical recycling of cellulosic fibres may represent a next-generation fibre–fibre recycling system for cotton textiles, though remaining challenges include how to accommodate fibre blends, dyes, wrinkle-free finishes, and other impurities from finishing. These challenges may disrupt the regeneration process steps and reduce the fibre quality. This study examines the impact on regenerated viscose fibre properties of a novel alkaline/acid bleaching sequence to strip reactive dyes and dimethyloldihydroxyethyleneureas (DMDHEU) wrinkle-free finish from cotton textiles. Potentially, such a bleaching sequence could advantageously be integrated into the viscose process, reducing the costs and environmental impact of the product. The study investigates the spinning performance and mechanical properties (e.g., tenacity and elongation) of the regenerated viscose fibres. The alkaline/acid bleaching sequence was found to strip the reactive dye and DMDHEU wrinkle-free finish from the cotton fabric, so the resulting pulp could successfully be spun into viscose fibres, though the mechanical properties of these fibres were worse than those of commercial viscose fibres. This study finds that reactive dyes and DMDHEU wrinkle-free finish affect the viscose dope quality and the regeneration performance. The results might lead to progress in overcoming quality challenges in cellulosic chemical recycling.     

The effect of an active steering system on city bus drivers’ muscle activity

City bus drivers spend hours driving under time pressure, in congested traffic and in a monotonous sitting position. This leads to unhealthy working conditions, especially in terms of physical and psychological stress. The aim of this study is to investigate whether an active steering system can alleviate the musculoskeletal stress involved in manoeuvring a bus. Twenty bus drivers drove a city bus equipped with the Volvo dynamic steering (VDS) support system in real traffic. Steering effort was evaluated with electromyography and with a questionnaire. Compared to baseline, VDS significantly reduced the required muscle activity by on average 15–25% while turning, and up to 68% in the part of the manoeuvre requiring maximum effort. The bus drivers believed that VDS will help reduce neck and shoulder problems, and they expressed a desire to have VDS installed in their own bus.     

Correction to: Keeping pace with forestry: Multi-scale conservation in a changing production forest matrix

Ambio - In the original published article, the sentence “Nevertheless, semi-natural forest remnants continue to be harvested and fragmented (Svensson et al. 2018; Jonsson et al. 2019), and...     

Toxicity of pesticides toward human immune cells U-937 and HL-60

Abstract

The industrialization of the agricultural sector has significantly increased the use of chemicals such as pesticides. Therefore, exposure to them is unavoidable, which makes it necessary to assess their safety for humans at actual exposure doses. This paper aims to determine toxicity of three types of pesticides toward human immune cells (HL-60 and U-937): glyphosate (GLY), deltamethrin (DEL), and chlorothalonil (CHL). Cell viability, membrane integrity, inflammation induction, and antioxidant activity were evaluated to determine differences in cellular response to the tested plant protection agents. In experimental models, all tested substances caused increased mortality of cells after only 24?h. Cell membrane damage was recorded under DEL and CHL influences. The largest disintegration of the cell membrane was due to the action of 100?μg/mL DEL for U-937 and CHL at 1?μg/mL for HL-60. GLY at a concentration of 3,600?μg/mL caused significant peroxidation of U-937 cells’ lipids. CHL-induced inflammation in both types of cells tested. DEL and GLY also induced antioxidant activity in cells. These results lead to the conclusion that the tested pesticides act cytotoxically to the cells of the human immune system in doses to which both farmers and consumers are exposed.