A multilevel study of the relationships between diversity training,ethnic discrimination and satisfaction in organizations

The prevalence of diversity training has not been matched by empirical research on its effectiveness. Among the most notable gaps are an absence of attention to its impact on discrimination and limited consideration of organizational‐level factors. Results from employee surveys across 395 healthcare organizations reveal an effect of the extent of diversity training in organizations on ethnic minorities' experiences of discrimination. In addition, the results demonstrate that the consequences of ethnic discrimination for individuals' job attitudes are influenced by organizational‐level phenomenon. These findings highlight the importance of attending to ethnic discrimination as an outcome of diversity training with implications for employee attitudes. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Biodegradation and Ecotoxicity of Polyethylene Films Containing Pro-Oxidant Additive

The worldwide accumulation of non-degradable plastic materials, such as plastic bags, is one of the most important environmental concerns nowadays. The use of degradable materials is an option to mitigate the environmental impact generated by the consumption of plastics. One of the technologies used for the manufacture and use of degradable plastics is the use of pro-degradant additives that are incorporated in conventional plastics to promote their degradation under certain conditions. The aim of this study is to evaluate the process of oxidation, biodegradation and potential ecotoxicity of polyethylene films containing an oxo-degradable additive, according to the standard ASTM D-6954. This method establishes a procedure in which the samples are subjected to consecutive steps of accelerated oxidation, biodegradation by composting and ecotoxicity assessment. Furthermore, the effect of the presence of printing ink in the polyethylene samples with oxo-degradable additive was evaluated, and the results were compared with those obtained for samples of conventional polyethylene and polylactic acid. After 180 days of laboratory controlled composting, the samples reached the following percentages of biodegradation: polylactic acid, 41 %; printed oxo-degradable polyethylene, 32.24 %; oxo-degradable polyethylene, 25.84 %; printed polyethylene, 18.23 % and polyethylene, 13.48 %. The cellulose sample used as a control was mineralized in 58.45 %. Ecotoxicity assessment showed that the products of biodegradation of the samples tested, did not generate a negative effect on germination or development of the vegetal species studied. Under proper waste management conditions, these plastics can be used as an option to decrease the environmental impact of plastic films.     

PLA Chemical Recycling Process Optimization: PLA Solubilization in Organic Solvents

The recycling of used, post-industrial and post-consumer PLA is crucial to reduce both the consumption of renewable resources for the monomer synthesis and the environmental impact related to its production and disposal. Several processes are actually available: among these, there is a particular interest on the chemical recycling of PLA with production of its monomer. The aim of this work is to analyse the PLA dissolution behaviour in different organic solvents (acetone and Ethyl lactate) at different water concentrations in order to optimize the chemical depolymerisation process of PLA. New experimental data are presented and a kinetic model is provided for a first analysis. Preliminary results suggest that acetone based solvents (i.e., acetone water mixtures at various concentrations) are more effective to solubilize the PLA rather than the Ethyl-lactate based solvent. Anyway, an increase of water concentration in the solvent phase, determines both a reduction of the solvent power and a reduction of mass transport coefficient for the two solvents tested.     

ERD of Residual TCE DNAPL Achieving Nondetect from a Single Injection of Food‐Grade Waste

Residual dense nonaqueous phase liquid (DNAPL) composed of trichloroethene (TCE) was identified in a deeper interval of an overburden groundwater system at a manufacturing facility located in northern New England. Site hydrostratigraphy is characterized by two laterally continuous and transmissive zones consisting of fully‐saturated fine sand with silt and clay. The primary DNAPL source was identified as a former dry well with secondary contributions from a proximal aboveground TCE storage tank. A single additive‐injection mobilization in 2001 utilizing a food‐grade injectate formulated with waste dairy product and inactive yeast enhanced residual TCE DNAPL destruction in situ by stimulating biotic reductive dechlorination. The baseline TCE concentration was detected up to 97,400 μg/L in the deeper interval of the overburden groundwater system, and enhanced reductive dechlorination (ERD) achieved >99 percent reduction in TCE concentrations in groundwater over nine years with no evidence of sustained rebound. TCE concentrations have remained nondetect below 2.0 μg/L for the last five consecutive sampling rounds between 2013 and 2015. ERD utilizing a food‐grade injectate is a green remediation technology that has destroyed residual DNAPL at the site and achieved similar results at other residual DNAPL sites during both pilot‐ and full‐scale applications. ©2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Evaluation of California's graduated driver licensing program

Problem: California's graduated driver licensing (GDL) program was implemented to reduce the high crash risk of teenage drivers. The program enhancements made in 1998 were evaluated in this study using methods that rule out the noticeable downward trend in California teen's fatal/injury crash rates as a possible explanation for any observed crash reductions that could otherwise be mistaken for program effects. Method: Monthly per capita fatal/injury crash rates for 15-to-17-year-olds and proportional representations of 16–17-year-olds' nighttime and passenger crashes were analyzed using intervention time series analysis. Results: After removing trend, seasonality, and transition effects in the data, no overall reductions in fatal/injury crashes for 15–17-year-olds or 16-year-olds (separately) were found to be associated with the 1998 program enhancements, suggesting no overall exposure reduction effect of the longer instruction permit period nor increased competency associated with the higher number of required practice hours. However, the 12-month nighttime and 6-month passenger restrictions were found to be associated with annual savings of 55 and 816 fatal/injury crashes, respectively. Discussion: Finding no overall impact of the 1998 GDL enhancements was not surprising given findings of an earlier survey suggesting that California teens and parents were largely already practicing program requirements prior to implementation and were not fully complying with the program requirements afterwards. Though the observed crash savings associated with the restrictions were of modest size, this is the first study to evidence a direct positive impact of the passenger restriction component of GDL programs. Larger reductions could be realized if the nighttime restriction started earlier and parents/law enforcement could be motivated to better enforce these restrictions. Impact on Industry: The findings provide support for passenger and nighttime restriction components of GDL programs.     

Graft Copolymerization of Methyl Acrylate onto Cellulosic Biofibers: Synthesis,Characterization and Applications

Graft copolymerization of cellulosic biopolymers with synthetic polymers is of enormous interest because of its application in biofiltration, biosorption, biomedical, biocomposites and various other eco-friendly materials. Synthesis of graft copolymers of methyl acrylate onto mercerized Grewia optiva biofibers using ferrous ammonium sulfate–potassium per sulfate as redox initiator in air was carried out. Different reaction parameters such as amount of solvent, monomer concentration, initiator molar ratio, reaction time and reaction temperature were optimized to get the maximum percentage of grafting. The graft copolymers thus formed were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, differential thermal analysis and differential thermogravimetric techniques. A plausible mechanism for explanation of the graft copolymerization reactions pattern shown is offered. The effect of grafting percentage on the physico–chemical properties of raw as well as grafted Grewia optiva biofibers has also been investigated. The graft copolymers have been found to be more moisture resistant and also showed better chemical and thermal resistance. Green polymer composites were also successfully prepared through compression molding technique by using grafted Grewia optiva biofibers as reinforcement.     

Integrating multi-criteria evaluation techniques with geographic information systems for landfill site selection: a case study using ordered weighted average

This paper presents a GIS-based multi-criteria decision analysis approach for evaluating the suitability for landfill site selection in the Polog Region, Macedonia. The multi-criteria decision framework considers environmental and economic factors which are standardized by fuzzy membership functions and combined by integration of analytical hierarchy process (AHP) and ordered weighted average (OWA) techniques. The AHP is used for the elicitation of attribute weights while the OWA operator function is used to generate a wide range of decision alternatives for addressing uncertainty associated with interaction between multiple criteria. The usefulness of the approach is illustrated by different OWA scenarios that report landfill suitability on a scale between 0 and 1. The OWA scenarios are intended to quantify the level of risk taking (i.e., optimistic, pessimistic, and neutral) and to facilitate a better understanding of patterns that emerge from decision alternatives involved in the decision making process.     

PET from Used Beverage Bottles: A Material for Preparation of Biologically Degradable Copolyesters

Poly(ethylene terephthalate) from used colorless beverage bottles was solvolyzed by ethane-1,2-diol. Hydroxyl end-groups present in the mixture of polyols formed were used to initiate the polymerization of ??-caprolactone (CLO) at 190?°C. Polycondensation (190?°C) of the reaction mixture containing an equilibrium amount of lactone corresponding to the reaction temperature yield an aliphatic?Caromatic copolyester. A variety of copolyesters containing 20?C60?mol. % CLO structural units was prepared. The microstructure of their macromolecules was analyzed using ¹H?NMR spectroscopy. Copolyesters were characterized by thermal analysis and tensile tests and their biodegradation potential was checked by the composting test.     

Estimating Remediation and Contaminant Respiration Emissions for Alternatives Comparisons at Petroleum Spill Sites

Greenhouse gas emissions assessments for site cleanups typically quantify emissions associated with remediation and not those from contaminant biodegradation. Yet, at petroleum spill sites, these emissions can be significant, and some remedial actions can decrease this additional component of the environmental footprint. This article demonstrates an emissions assessment for a hypothetical site, using the following technologies as examples: excavation with disposal to a landfill, light nonaqueous‐phase liquid (LNAPL) recovery with and without recovered product recycling, passive bioventing, and monitored natural attenuation (MNA). While the emissions associated with remediation for LNAPL recovery are greater than the other considered alternatives, this technology is comparable to excavation when a credit associated with product recycling is counted. Passive bioventing, a green remedial alternative, has greater remedial emissions than MNA, but unlike MNA can decrease contaminant‐related emissions by converting subsurface methane to carbon dioxide. For the presented example, passive bioventing has the lowest total emissions of all technologies considered. This illustrates the value in estimating both remediation and contaminant respiration emissions for petroleum spill sites, so that the benefit of green remedial approaches can be quantified at the remedial alternatives selection stage rather than simply as best management practices. ©2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Preparation and Characterization of Three Different Derivatized Potato Starches

The use of native starch as a thermoplastic polymer is limited by its fragility and high water absorption. Due to the presence of several hydroxyl groups in its structure, water acts as a natural plasticizer of starch, modifying its properties. It is necessary to chemically modify starch molecules by replacing hydroxyl groups with other functional groups to reduce water absorption. Chemical modification of starch granules also alters its swelling and gelatinization behavior. In this contribution we describe the chemical modification of starch and its influence on its hydrophilicity and heat resistance. Acetic acid, maleic anhydride and octanoyl chloride were used as derivatizing reagents. The effectiveness of the treatments was evaluated by means of infrared spectroscopy. Different tests were conducted in order to evaluate the influence of the different chemical modifications on starch structure and properties. Results showed that the treatments effectively reduced starch moisture susceptibility, while substantially altering other properties such as amylose content, swelling power, solubility, and heat resistance. Finally, films were prepared from native and derivatized starch and their surface polarity was evaluated.