Uncovering the evolution of tin use in the United States and its implications

• US tin use decreases as the GDP value added by manufacturing sector increases. • Global and China’s tin use increases as the GDP added by manufacturing increases. • A sigmoid curve can fit the US tin use data well. • US tin use patterns is not due to the finite tin reserves or resources. • Policies, substitutions, etc. play key roles in the changing tin use patterns. Tin is of key importance to daily life and national security; it is considered an essential industrial metal. The United States (US) is the world’s largest economy and consumer of natural resources. Therefore, the analysis of historical tin use in the US is helpful for understanding future tin use trends in the world as a whole and in developing countries. Time series analysis, regression analysis with GDP or GDP/capita, and historical data fitted with logistic and Gompertz models are employed in this study. Historical tin use in the US shows three stages—increase-constant-decrease, as GDP per capita has increased. Tin use in the US is negatively correlated with the GDP value added by the manufacturing sector, while the use of tin worldwide and in China continues to increase along with the GDP value added by the manufacturing sector. Although a sigmoid curve can fit the US tin use data well, that use is not directly related to the limited tin reserves or resources. Rather, policies, economic restructuring, substitutions, new end-use markets, etc. have played key roles in the changing tin use patterns. This work contributes to understanding future tin use at both the global and national levels: tin use will continue to increase with GDP at the global level, but use patterns of tin at the national level can be changed through human intervention.     

Levels of tin in core sediments along the Alexandria Coast, Egypt

Tin concentrations were determined in surface and core sediments from three hot spots along the Alexandria coast, namely: Abu-Qir Bay, Eastern Harbour, and Western Harbour. The mean concentrations in surface sediment were 2.434, 3.212, and 5.572 μg/g dry weight for Abu-Qir Bay, Eastern Harbour, and Western Harbour, respectively. A sharp decrease in tin level in core sediments with depth was observed in almost all locations except for core 4 in Abu-Qir Bay and core 17 in the Eastern Harbour, where the sub-sample at the 5 cm level recorded the highest tin concentrations.     

Optical and Chemical Methods of Metal Ash Analysis and Tin Recovery

‘Metal ash’ presents a waste disposal problem in most of the developing countries as the industries employ obsolete technologies. In this paper we describe analysis of tin ash, zinc ash and aluminium ash by means of optical methods, such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), electron probe micro analysis (EPMA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and chemical methods. The results of tin ash obtained by XRD method matched well with the cassiterite, a naturally occurring mineral of tin. ICP-MS studies reveal the presence of a large number of tracer metals, which may cause pollution by tertiary dispersion and this aspect is discussed. Conversely, the data generated by chemical methods are limited. However, the methods are simple and cost-effective. Then, they can easily be adopted by low-budget industries. Simple and cost-effective process to recover tin from tin ash is described. It is based on heating tin ash with sodium cyanide to about 900°C to separate tin component from the metal ash. The process recovers good quality tin and offers a very high yield. The process can be scaled up to small pilot plant.     

粤东一个类型独特的锡矿床

作者对西岭凤地山锡矿床的成矿地质条件,特别是火山构造、岩浆演化与成矿的关系进行了研究,认为:西岭锡矿是一个与火山侵出相碎斑熔岩时、空、成因关系密切的次火山热液脉状锡矿床。根据西岭锡矿的地质环境和成矿物理化学条件、矿质、水介质来源建立了理想的成矿模式。进而指出粤东斑岩锡矿的远景。西岭锡矿类型的确定,对粤东和赣南火山岩地区锡矿普查具有重要意义。     

碘酸钾氧化甲基绿褪色光度法测定痕量锡

研究了稀磷酸介质中痕量锡催化碘酸钾氧气甲基绿的褪色反应及动力学条件，建立了高灵敏度测定痕量锡的新催化光度法．方法的灵敏度为２．４×１０－１２ｇ／ｍＬ，线性范围为０～０．１２μｇ／Ｌ．用于人发、水样及矿石中痕量锡的测定，结果满意．     

氢化物发生-原子荧光法测定环境水样中痕量锡

以醋酸 醋酸钠缓冲溶液为反应酸介质 ,应用氢化物发生 原子荧光法 (HG AFS)测定环境水样中痕量 Sn。该方法同 HCl为反应酸测 Sn方法相比 ,不仅扩大了酸浓度测定范围 ,某些阳离子干扰也降至最小或消除。其相对标准偏差(RSD)小于 3% ;回收率在 94 4 %～ 1 0 0 %之间 ;检测限为 0 76 μg L。     

Utilizing transparent and conductive SnO2 as electron mediator to enhance the photocatalytic performance of Z-scheme Si-SnO2-TiOx

• A novel Z-scheme Si-SnO₂-TiO_x with SnO₂ as electron mediator is first constructed. • Transparent and conductive SnO₂ can pass light through and promote charge transport. • V_O from SnO₂ and TiO_x improve photoelectrochemical performances. • Efficient photocatalytic degradations originate from the Z scheme construction. Z-scheme photocatalysts, with strong redox ability, have a great potential for pollutants degradation. However, it is challenging to construct efficient Z-scheme photocatalysts because of their poor interfacial charge separation. Herein, by employing transparent and conductive SnO₂ as electron mediator to pass light through and promote interfacial charge transportation, a novel Z-scheme photocatalyst Si-SnO₂-TiO_{x (1<x<2)} was constructed. The Z-scheme photocatalyst displayed an order of magnitude higher photocurrent density and a 4-fold increase in open-circuit potential compared to those of Si. Moreover, the onset potential shifted negatively for approximately 2.2 V. Benefiting from these advantages, this Z-scheme Si-SnO₂-TiO_x exhibited efficient photocatalytic performance toward phenol degradation and mineralization. 75% of the phenol was degraded without bias potential and 70% of the TOC was removed during phenol degradation. Other typical pollutants such as bisphenol A and atrazine could also be degraded without bias potential. Introducing a transparent and conductive electron mediator to construct Z-scheme photocatalyst gives a new sight to the improvement of photocatalytic performance in Z scheme.     

流动注射氯化亚锡还原光度法测定水中总磷

建立了流动注射氯化亚锡还原光度法测定水中总磷的方法.改进了氯化亚锡的配制方法,优化了试验条件,方法检出限为0.02 mg/L,精密度与准确度均符合要求.应用该方法测定天然水样,分析速度加快,结果令人满意.     

不同混合基体改进剂在涂钼石墨管测定细颗粒物中锡的应用研究

细颗粒物(PM2.5)是目前环境相关研究的焦点对象之一,但如何客观有效的分析检测细颗粒物的金属组分,却缺乏相关国家标准规范支撑,对应研究亦鲜见报道.利用美国PE公司AAnalyst600型石墨炉原子吸收仪进行实验,研究几种不同混合基体改进剂在涂钼石墨管石墨炉原子吸收法测定细颗粒物(PM2.5)中锡的影响,发现利用硝酸钯-钼酸铵混合溶液为基体改进剂测定锡,方法的相对标准偏差为1.8%~4.5%,空白回收率为95.4%~97.8%,实际样品回收率为87.3%~98.5%.能够满足国家实验室分析质控要求.适用于细颗粒物中微量锡的测定.     

Uranium and thorium in soils,mineral sands,water and food samples in a tin mining area in Nigeria with elevated activity

The activity concentrations of uranium and thorium have been determined in soils and mineral sands from the Nigerian tin mining area of Bisichi, located in the Jos Plateau, and from two control areas in Nigeria (Jos City and Akure) using high-purity germanium detectors (HPGe). High resolution sector field inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy (HR-SF-ICP-MS) was used to determine uranium and thorium in liquids and foodstuffs consumed locally in the mining area. The activities of uranium and thorium measured in the soils and mineral sands from Bisichi ranged from 8.7 kBq kg⁻¹ to 51 kBq kg⁻¹ for ²³⁸U and from 16.8 kBq kg⁻¹ to 98 kBq kg⁻¹ for ²³²Th, respectively. These values were significantly higher than those in the control areas of Jos City and Akure and than the reference values reported in the literature. They even exceeded the concentrations reported for areas of high natural radioactive background. Radionuclide concentrations in samples of the local foodstuffs and in water samples collected in Bisichi were found to be higher than UNSCEAR reference values. The results reveal the pollution potential of the mining activities on the surrounding areas.