Survey on readability of online information for upgrading understandability of biomass energy technology

Waste management contributes to renewable energy such as biodiesel production from processes of various types of biomass including vegetable oils, animal fats, and waste of edible oil. Successful waste management effort is influenced by people concern about benefit of waste management including for renewable energy from biomass. It involves their understanding initiated by literacy on biomass energy. To help increase literacy on waste recycle and biomass energy technology, we study readability of online information regarding biomass energy in Indonesian language (Bahasa Indonesia). Indonesia is considered as one of biomass-rich country with a little utilization for energy. The readability is studied by combining two approaches: measurement by readability standard and survey on readability confirming measurement by the standard. This study focuses on the confirmation survey readability standard measured on biomass online information in Indonesian language. In the survey, 19 online text materials were read by respondents and they were asked to give their impression whether the texts are easy or difficult to understand. From this study, what factors influence understandability of text information are shown. The results could be a guidance for preparing text information to raise people concern on waste recycle and renewable energy in general.     

Solubility parameters for determining optimal solvents for separating PVC from PVC-coated PET fibers

Poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) in PVC-coated poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) fabrics can be separated through dissolution in a suitable solvent, leaving only the PET fibers. We investigated the solubility of PVC in 30 solvents using swelling tests. The results were compared with those obtained using the Hansen, Gutmann, Swain, E _T(30), and Kamlet–Taft parameters. For this purpose, Gaussian plots of the PVC swellability versus solubility parameter were used to decide the applicability of the solubility parameter system. Only Gutmann’s electron acceptor–donor parameter (AN + DN) and the Kamlet–Taft parameters β and π* could describe the PVC-solvent system satisfactorily. Tetrahydrofuran (THF), methyl ethyl ketone (MEK), N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF), cyclohexanone, and cyclopentanone were tested for separating PVC from PET at different temperatures. THF dissolved PVC at 20 °C, while cyclohexanone and cyclopentanone did so at 40 °C. Traces of PVC remained on the PET fibers when DMF was used. Complete dissolution of PVC was not achieved at any temperature with MEK. The present work shows that solubility parameters are a helpful tool for the search for suitable solvents. It shows also that solubility parameters have to be selected carefully, since their usefulness depends strongly on the polymer properties.     

H and O isotopic differences in typhon and urban-induced heavy rain in Tokyo

Stable isotope ratios of hydrogen and oxygen of water are useful tracers of the hydrological cycle. For example, isotopes monitor the evapotranspiration in vegetated areas, local snow ice processes and stream water flow processes. δ¹⁸O and δD in rainwater reflect the processes of evaporation, condensation and precipitation. Heavy rains thus modify the stable isotope ratio of ground water, stream water and transpiration water vapor. However, the controlling factors of δ¹⁸O and δD are not clear. Here we analyzed the inorganic ion concentration and stable isotope ratio in 38 normal rainwater and 15 heavy rainwater samples were collected in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan, during four years from October 2012 to December 2015. Results show a decrease in δ¹⁸O and δD values with the total rainfall amount, thus highlighting the amount effect. δ¹⁸O and δD volume-weighted mean values in typhoon heavy rain were higher than the values estimated from amount effect, whereas δ¹⁸O and δD volume-weighted mean values in urban-induced heavy rain were lower. Typhoon heavy rain has high Na⁺ ratio and stable isotope ratios, while urban-induced heavy rain has low Na⁺ ratio and stable isotope ratio.     

Brominated flame retardants and polychlorinated biphenyls in human breast milk from several locations in India: potential contaminant sources in a municipal dumping site

This study investigated the status of contamination of organohalogen compounds (OCs) such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and brominated flame retardant (BFRs), including polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and hexabromocyclododecanes (HBCDs) in human milk samples from several locations in India. The levels of OCs were significantly higher in the milk of mothers living in and near municipal dumping site than other locations indicating that the open dumping sites for municipal wastes act as potential sources of these contaminants in India. The PCB concentrations observed in this study tended to decrease compared to those in the matched locations reported previously, probably due to the restriction of technical PCB usage in India. PBDE levels in human milk were two to three folds lower than those of PCBs in all the sampling locations investigated. Congener profiles of PCBs and PBDEs were different between samples from the dumping site mothers and general populations in other areas suggesting the presence of region-specific sources and pathways. HBCDs were detected in human milk from only two sites, with much lower concentrations and detection frequencies compared to PCBs and PBDEs. When hazard quotients (HQs) of PCBs and PBDEs were estimated for infant health risk, the HQs in some milk samples from the dumping site exceeded the threshold value (HQ > 1) of PCBs, indicating the potential risk for infants in the specific site.     

Zinc tolerance and uptake by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Arabidopsis halleri ssp. gemmifera</Emphasis> grown in nutrient solution

Background, aim, and scope  

Zinc is an essential micronutrient element but its concentrations found in contaminated soils frequently exceed those required by the plant and soil organisms, and thus create danger to animal and human health. Phytoremediation is a technique, often employed in remediation of contaminated soils, which aims to remove heavy metals or other contaminants from soils or waters using plants. Arabidopsis (A.) halleri ssp. gemmifera is a plant recently found to be grown vigorously in heavy metal contaminated areas of Japan and it contained remarkably high amount of heavy metals in its shoots. However, the magnitude of Zn accumulation and tolerance in A. halleri ssp. gemmifera need to be investigated for its use as a phytoremediation plant.     

Radium geochemistry in Na-Cl type groundwater in Niigata Prefecture, Japan

Radium isotopes in 23 Na-Cl type groundwater sampled mainly from deep wells in Niigata Prefecture, which is the site of the largest oil- and gas-fields in Japan, were measured along with U isotopes, chemical components and hydrogen and oxygen isotope ratios to elucidate the distribution and behavior of Ra in a brackish environment underground. Also analyzed were U and Th isotopes in 38 rock samples collected from outcrops at 17 locations. Ra-226 concentrations (8.86-1637 mBq kg⁻¹) of groundwater samples roughly correlated with total dissolved solid (TDS) concentrations and other alkaline earth contents. Their ²²⁸Ra/²²⁶Ra activity ratios (0.32-5.2) were similar to or higher than the ²³²Th/²³⁸U activity ratios (0.6-1.7) in the rocks. The most likely transport mechanism of Ra isotopes into groundwater was due to their α-recoil from the solid phase, probably from the water-rock interface where Th isotopes had accumulated, and adsorption/desorption reaction based on the increase in ²²⁶Ra contents with TDS.     

Dietary patterns and blood levels of PCDDs, PCDFs, and dioxin-like PCBs in 1656 Japanese individuals

The association between dietary patterns and blood dioxin levels has not been fully investigated. The present study population consisted of 755 men and 901 women (aged 15-73 years) living in 90 different areas of 30 prefectures of Japan. Dietary habits were assessed by inquiring about the consumption frequency of 28 foods, food groups and beverages. In addition, the blood levels of 29 polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), polychlorinated dibenzo-furans (PCDFs), and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyl (DL-PCBs) congeners were determined by high-resolution gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. The median total toxicity equivalent (TEQ) in the blood, which was calculated on the basis of the toxicity equivalency factors of WHO (2005), was 16 pg TEQ g⁻¹ lipid. Principal component analysis identified five dietary patterns: Healthy diet (high intake of vegetables and fruits); Meat/High fat intake (high intake of meat, meat products, and eggs); Seafood and Alcohol (high intake of fish, shellfish, and alcoholic beverages); Miscellaneous; and Milk products and Alcohol intake (high intake of milk, Milk products, and alcoholic beverages). After adjusting for sex, age, body mass index, and smoking habits, the Seafood and Alcohol pattern scores were significantly related to higher blood levels of total TEQ and PCDDs/PCDFs/DL-PCBs, and the Milk products and Alcohol pattern scores were correlated with higher blood levels of DL-PCBs. More detailed analysis showed that the intake frequencies for alcoholic beverages and seafood were independently and positively associated with total TEQ and the TEQ of PCDFs and DL-PCBs. The association between alcoholic beverage intake and PCDDs was also significant. Analysis of dietary patterns may be useful for identifying the dietary characteristics of individuals with a high dioxin body burden.     

Radiation Effects on Blends of Poly(ε-Caprolactone) and Diatomites

Poly(-caprolactone) (PCL) was blended with diatomaceous earth (diatomite) and irradiated with -rays to introduce cross-linking between PCL molecules or both components. The unwashed diatomite containing a little of a volatile component showed high efficiency of introduction of cross-linking, whereas that with no volatile component showed low efficiency of introduction of cross-linking. Elongational viscosity, melt viscosity, and modulus of PCL/diatomite blend irradiated at various doses were significantly improved. Enzymatic degradation of the PCL/diatomite blend became faster than that of the PCL, though that of the blend irradiated became slower.