Potential energy production from organic waste and its environmental and economic impacts at a tertiary institution in Palestine

Municipal solid waste (MSW) is one of the most well-known biomass resources that can be utilized to produce renewable energy. Numerous countries are plagued by the proliferation of waste, particularly organic waste that can be utilized for energy recovery. Palestine suffers from inefficient solid waste management, and only recently have a few projects focused on bioenergy production been implemented. Throughout the years, the city of Tulkarm experiences power outages which cause a challenge to the Palestine Technical University-Kadoorie campus in Tulkarm. Thus, the possibility of energy recovery from the organic portion in Palestine Technical University-Kadoorie was evaluated. The analysis of an economic impact included discussions of a number of economic aspects, including Levelized cost of energy, internal rate of return, present worth, annual worth, and payback period. On the other hand, a carbon dioxide savings analysis and gas emission were evaluated. The outcomes of the energy optimization demonstrated that the suggested system could supply the institution with an average of roughly 7 MWh of electrical energy. According to the economic study, this project offers 0.25 million dollars in present value, 0.144 million dollars in annual value, a 13 percent internal rate of return, a payback period of 6 years, and a levelized cost of energy of 0.11 dollars for each kWh generated. Additionally, the environmental assessment revealed that this system might reduce CO₂ emissions by around 8,343,778 tons. For effective waste management, energy recovery, and emission reduction, it is advised to implement anaerobic digestion technology.     

三峡水库蓄水期不同调度方案对洞庭湖出口水位的影响

洞庭湖水情受到长江和四水的综合影响，因此三峡水库蓄水运行必将对洞庭湖出口水位产生影响。通过构建模型对洞庭湖出口的水位过程进行模拟，以三峡出库日均流量、洞庭湖四水合成日均流量为输入，城陵矶站日水位过程为输出，以量化和分析城陵矶水位变化受三峡水库调度的影响。通过三峡入库流量代替出库流量，还原自然状态下的水位过程，并根据各调度方案计算的出库流量模拟各调度方案下城陵矶的水位变化过程。对比各调度方案下三峡水库蓄泄水对洞庭湖出口水位的影响可以发现：各蓄水方案对洞庭湖出口水位都造成了一定的影响，起蓄时间较早的方案影响时间较长，整体上平均水位变化也较大，但起蓄后水位变化较为平缓；起蓄时间较晚的方案影响时间较短，整体上平均水位变化相对较小，但起蓄后水位变化较为剧烈。考虑到不同年份和不同来水类型情况对洞庭湖出口水位的影响存在差异，各蓄水方案的优劣需要具体分析和讨论     

Could curcumin ameliorate titanium dioxide nanoparticles effect on the heart? A histopathological,immunohistochemical, and genotoxic study

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The evaluation of the toxicological effects of titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2NPs) is increasingly important due to their growing occupational...     

Occurrence,sources, and ecological risks of PBDEs,PCBs, OCPs,and PAHs in surface sediments of the Yangtze River Delta city cluster,China

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in 25 surface sediments in three cities (Nantong, Wuxi, and Suzhou) in the Yangtze River Delta, eastern China were measured. The mean concentrations were 378, 45.8, 1.98, 4,002 ng/g for PBDEs, OCPs, PCBs, and PAHs, respectively. Their levels in the sediments in the three cities were generally consistent with the city industrialization. PBDEs and OCPs were markedly dominated by deca-BDE (>90 %) and DDTs (>70 %). A principle component analysis of the analytes identified three major factors suggesting different sources of the contaminants in the sediments. PBDEs and the organic carbon in the sediments have common sources from industrial activities; whereas OCPs and PCBs, correlated with the second factor, were mainly from historical sources. The third factor with loadings of PAHs is indicative of various combustion sources. Ecological risk assessment indicated that the potential highest risk is from DDTs, for which 22 sites exceed the effects range low (ERL) values and three sites exceed the effects range median (ERM) value.     

Polychlorinated biphenyls and organochlorine pesticides in various bird species from northern China

Little data are available on organochlorine contamination in Chinese terrestrial birds of prey. This study examined the presence of PCBs, DDTs and other organochlorine pesticides in various raptors from northern China. DDE exhibited the highest concentrations among targeted compounds. Greatest levels (23.5-1020 mg/kg lipid weight) were observed in Eurasian sparrowhawks. This may be due to their stopover in southeastern China, where high DDT and dicofol applications have been documented. Residential kestrels exhibited much lower DDE, but similar PCB and HCH concentrations. ΣTEQs and PCB-126/-77 concentration ratios exhibited significant positive correlations with ΣPCB concentrations, respectively. Similar results were also demonstrated by a meta-analysis of previously published data across avian species. Possible hepatic sequestration of coplanar PCB-77, -126, -169 and -118 was observed as liver TEQs increased in Eurasian sparrowhawks. These observations may indicate an induction of CYP1A enzymes, as a result of elevated contamination in some species.     

Pollution characterization and diurnal variation of PBDEs in the atmosphere of an E-waste dismantling region

Diurnal air samples were collected from the E-waste dismantling region Guiyu and the underwear industry region Chendian. This was the first report to present the diurnal variation of PBDEs in the atmosphere. The average concentrations of 11 PBDE congeners were 11,742 pg m⁻³ in the daytime, and 4830 pg m⁻³ at night in Guiyu, while the concentrations were lower in Chendian with 376 pg m⁻³ in the daytime, and 237 pg m⁻³ at night. BDE-209 accounted for 22% and 31.3% of the total PBDEs in Guiyu and Chendian, respectively. The diurnal variation trends of BDE-47, -99, -153, -183, and -209 were also analyzed in detail in the two regions.     

The Sustainable Development of ICTs in China： An Empirical Study of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises

The wide application of new information and communication technologies （ICTs） has been argued to be critical to business success of small and medium-sized enterprises （SMEs）, especially to those in the developing countries. Drawing upon existing literature, this article will examine the determinants of ICTs application in SMEs in China based on data collected from interviews with top managers and/or owners of 70 SMEs. We identify 20 factors affecting ICTs application in SMEs in China and divide them into four broad categories, namely pressures, firm specific factors, technical factors and local milieu. We also pay special attention to the Chinese business environment affecting ICTs application. Our analysis shows that local ICT infrastructure, external pressures from competitors and ICT knowledge of employees are the determinants of Internet application by SMEs, while product characteristics and market target are important factors of e-commerce adoption.     

三维电极法深度处理维生素生产废水

采用三维电极法对维生素废水进行深度处理,分别以钛涂钌铱板、铁板和不锈钢板作为电极阳极,石墨板作为电极阴极,柱状活性炭作为粒子电极,结果表明,当以钛涂钌铱板作为阳极,以粒径为1 mm的柱状活性炭作为粒子电极时电解效果最好,COD和色度去除率最高。实验选择电解电压、电极板间距、电解时间和初始pH值作为主要影响因素进行正交实验,实验研究证明,各因素的影响大小为电解电压>电极板间距>电解时间>初始pH值,得到的最佳参数组合分别为:电解电压为10 V,电极板间距为8 cm,电解时间为20 min,初始pH值为4,得到COD和色度最大去除率分别为59.5%和93.57%。