Polyethylene conversion by partial oxidation in supercritical water

This paper gives the results of partial oxidation experiments of polyethylene (PE) in supercritical water (SCW). The experiments were carried out at a reaction temperature of 693K and a reaction time of 30 min using 6 cm³ of a batch-type reactor. The loaded sample weight was 0.3 g and there was 2.52 g water (0.42 g/cm³). The ratio of oxygen atoms to carbon atoms was 0.3. The results show a significant CO formation in O₂–SCW, and the 1-alkene/n-alkane ratio in partial oxidation was higher than that in SCW pyrolysis. These results suggest the possibility of the hydrogenation of hydrocarbon through partial oxidation followed by a water–gas shift reaction. Received: July 19, 2000 / Accepted: September 28, 2000     

Concentrations of organotin compounds in sediment and clams collected from coastal areas in Vietnam

Levels of butyltin (BT) and phenyltin (PT) compounds were determined in sediments and clam Meretrix spp. collected from north and central coastal areas in Vietnam. Concentrations of TBT in sediments ranged from 0.89 to 34 ng g(-1) dry wt and those in clams ranged from 1.4 to 56 ng g(-1) wet wt. The levels of TBT in sediments and clams from Vietnam were within limits reported from other countries. Further, the TBT level in clams was lower than the tolerable average residue level (TARL) estimated based on tolerable daily intake (TDI). Trace amounts of PTs were also found in both sediment and clam samples. In sediments from north and central Vietnam, the concentrations of TBT were highest in the order of Hue (28 ng g(-1) dry wt), Cua Luc (15 ng g(-1) dry wt), Sam Son (6.3 ng g(-1) dry wt), and Tra Co (5.5 ng g(-1) dry wt). Among the clams from north and central Vietnam, the levels of TBT in clams from Cua Luc were dramatically high at 47 ng g(-1) wet wt. TBT formed the principal butyltin species in sediment at all sites studied. The ratios of TBT in sediment were higher among BT compounds at all study sites. Of total BTs, TBT was the dominant species in clams from almost all sites studied. In spatial distribution, TPT showed a pattern similar to TBT, suggesting the use of TPT as an antifouling paint. The partition coefficient between sediment and calms was calculated. The partition coefficients of TBT and TPT were 2.01 (0.56-5.5) and 9.23 (3.1-20), respectively. These results show that sediment-bound TBT is a source of contamination to clams in addition to dissolved TBT.     

Concentrations and compositions of organochlorine contaminants in sediments, soils, crustaceans, fishes and birds collected from Lake Tai, Hangzhou Bay and Shanghai city region, China

Contamination by persistent organochlorines (OCs), such as DDTs, hexachlorocyclohexane isomers (HCHs), chlordane compounds (CHLs), hexachlorobenzene (HCB) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were examined in sediments, soils, fishes, crustaceans, birds, and aquaculture feed from Lake Tai, Hangzhou Bay, and in the vicinity of Shanghai city in China during 2000 and 2001. OCs were detected in all samples analyzed, and DDT and its metabolites were the predominant contaminants in most sediments, soils and biota. Concentrations of p,p'-DDT and ratio of p,p'-DDT to SigmaDDTs were significantly higher in marine fishes than those in freshwater fishes. While the use of DDTs has been officially banned in China since 1983, these results indicate a recent input of technical DDTs into the marine environment around Hangzhou Bay. Comparison of organochlorine concentrations in fishes collected from Lake Tai and Hangzhou Bay suggests the presence of local sources of HCHs, chlordanes and PCBs at Lake Tai. Higher proportions of penta- and hexa-PCB congeners in fishes at Lake Tai may suggest the use of highly chlorinated PCB product, such as PCB(5), around this lake. To our knowledge, this is a first comprehensive study to examine the present status of organochlorine contamination in various environmental media, such as sediments, soils and wildlife, in China.     

木材燃烧过程气相中长寿命自由基的研究

利用研制的防火液对木材进行阻燃处理,通过ＥＳＲ自旋捕捉技术和热分析仪考察其燃烧特性,对木材燃烧后长寿命自由基进行研究。实验结果表明,阻燃处理后木材的燃烧过程中长寿命自由基浓度下降,同时阻燃剂加速木材的热分解,对木材有较好的阻燃效果     

Observations of dugong reproductive behavior in Trang Province,Thailand: further evidence of intraspecific variation in dugong behavior

The seagrass beds at Muk Island and Talibong Island in Thailand are important areas for dugong (Dugong dugon) feeding and reproduction. We used opportunistic observations during aerial surveys to investigate dugong mating behavior in shallow water areas near Talibong Island on three different days. The mating pattern was categorized by five stages: (1) following: the male followed the female, (2) approaching and stimulating: the male approached and muzzled the female, (3) pairing: both male and female swam in parallel, ventral to ventral or dorsal to dorsal side, (4) mounting: the male copulated with the female, and (5) separating: the male and female swam in different directions. Parental care of calves included one observation of a cow embracing her neonatal calf by the flippers.     

Migratory history of the Russian sturgeon Acipenser guldenstadti in the Caspian Sea, as revealed by pectoral fin spine Sr:Ca ratios

Ontogenic patterns of change in pectoral fin spine Sr:Ca ratios were examined in the Russian sturgeon Acipenser guldenstadti from the Caspian Sea. Pectoral fin spine Sr:Ca ratios of the sturgeon fluctuated strongly along the life history transect in accordance with the migration pattern from freshwater to sea (brackish) water habitats, i.e. all specimens exhibited a typical anadromous pattern in the ratio. Several specimens showed two transition points in pectoral fin spine Sr:Ca ratios from low ratios to high, indicating that those specimens had a flexible migration strategy in the ambient water, and could migrate downstream to the Caspian Sea multiple times after spawning.     

Relative contribution of migratory type on the reproduction of migrating silver eels, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Anguilla japonica</Emphasis>, collected off Shikoku Island,Japan

In order to understand the reproductive contribution among migratory types in the Japanese eel, Anguilla japonica, otolith strontium (Sr) and calcium (Ca) concentrations by X-ray electron microprobe analysis were examined for 37 silver eels collected in Kii Channel off Shikoku Island during the spawning migration season. The wide range of otolith Sr:Ca ratios indicated that the habitat use of A. japonica was not obligatory but facultative among fresh, brackish and marine waters during their growth phases after recruitment to the coastal areas as glass eels. Three migratory types, which were categorized as river eels, estuarine eels and sea eels were found. The estuarine eels were dominant (59%), followed by sea eels (22%) and river eels (19%). The low proportion of river eels from the spawning migration season suggested that the estuarine and sea eels inhabiting the nearby coastal areas might make a larger reproductive contribution to the next generation in this area.     

Individual variations in fatty acid composition and concentration as indicators of the nutritional condition of wild pointhead flounder larvae

We investigated the fatty acid compositions and concentrations of wild marine fish larvae with a highly accurate method because our knowledge of them has been seriously limited compared with cultured larvae. This study presents estimates of the fatty-acid-based nutritional condition of individual larvae in the field. Because the pointhead flounder Cleisthenes pinetorum displays relatively high stock size fluctuations, we investigated the developmental change in the fatty acid compositions of the body trunk, head, and eye and the annual fluctuations in the fatty acid concentrations in the trunk. We show that the process of fatty acid accumulation is not uniform across body parts and that the trunk is a better indicator of larval nutritional status than other parts because there is less time lag. Starved larvae with simultaneously high docosahexaenomic acid ratios and low total fatty acid concentrations, as observed in laboratory experiments, are rare in the wild. Thus, starved larvae must be removed rapidly by predators before they can experience a relatively long period of starvation in the wild. Fatty acid accumulation was greater in the larvae of the 2005 year class than in those of the 2006 year class in their first feeding stage, according to the optimal model derived with generalized linear model. A previous study indicated that the 2005 year class showed stronger recruitment than the 2006 year class. We conclude that the fatty acid analysis of wild larvae is a useful index of their nutritional status and mortality, especially in the first feeding stage.     

Detonation characteristics of ammonium nitrate and activated carbon mixtures

To better understand the detonation characteristics of ammonium nitrate (AN) and activated carbon (AC) mixtures, steel tube tests were carried out for AN/AC mixtures of various compositions and different forms of AN (powdered, prilled, phase stabilized and granular), and the detonation velocity was measured. The powdered AN/AC mixtures gave higher detonation velocities than the other AN forms. For all the AN/AC mixtures, the experimentally observed detonation velocities at each loading density were far below the theoretically predicted values calculated by the CHEETAH code based on thermohydrodynamics, exhibiting so-called non-ideal detonation. The lowest detonation velocity of powdered AN/AC mixtures was obtained as D=1.25 km/s for an AC content of 0.1 wt%. This was considered to be close to the critical condition for stable detonation.     

An assessment of selected trace elements in intertidal surface sediments collected from the Peninsular Malaysia

Concentrations of 11 trace elements (V, Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Ag, Cd, Pb, and U) were determined in the intertidal surface sediments of Peninsular Malaysia. The average trace element concentrations are ranked as follows: Zn>V>As>Cr>Pb>Cu>Ni>Co>U>g>Cd. Interim Sediment Quality Guidelines (ISQGs) employed in present study are the Australia and New Zealand joint guideline (ANZECC/ARMCANZ), and the Hong Kong authorities. From the pooled data, none of these trace elements have the average concentration above the ISQG-high values. However, As and Ag average concentrations were over the ISQG-low values. Some elements were found to have the average concentration above the ISQG-high and/or ISQG-low in certain locations, including Kampung Pasir Putih (JPP), Lumut Port (ALP), Kuala Perai (PKP), Port Dickson (NPD), and others. The lowest and highest concentrations in a specific sampling location and maritime area varied among the elements, variations that were greatly affected by natural and anthropogenic activities in a given area. For each trace element, there were various levels of concentration among the sampling locations and maritime areas. These patterns indicated pollutant sources of an element for each area perhaps derived from nearby areas and did not widely distributed to other locations. It is necessary for Malaysia to develop an ISQG for effective quick screening and evaluation of the coastal environment of Peninsular Malaysia.