Viscoelastic Characterization and Degradation Stability Investigation of Poly(butylene-adipate-co-terephthalate) – Calcium-Phosphate Glass Composites

Journal of Polymers and the Environment - In this work new biodegradable composite materials based on poly(butylene-adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) reinforced with water-soluble calcium-phosphate...     

Effect of heavy metals on the production of several laccase isoenzymes by Trametes versicolor and on their ability to decolourise dyes

The white-rot fungus Trametes versicolor growing in submerged culture on a basal medium, with barley bran as a carbon source, produced two laccase isoenzymes LacI and LacII. The addition of metal ions to the culture medium was performed to improve the total laccase activity and to determine the effect on the production of laccase isoenzymes. From all the tested metals, only Cu2+ increased laccase activity (up to 12-fold with respect to control cultures) and T. versicolor in presence of all metals produced the two isoenzymes in different proportion with ratios of activity (LacI/LacII) varying between 0.11 and 0.51. This factor played an important role in the decolourisation of the textile dye Indigo Carmine.     

The influence of climate and dam construction on the Ibera wetlands, Argentina

The purpose of this work is to assess the impact on the Esteros del Ibera wetland ecosystem caused by the Yacyreta dam, a large hydroelectric power plant on the Parana River, Argentina, in comparison to other factors of environmental change. The project of the dam started around 1970. The power plant began operating in 1994. In 1989, the neighboring Ibera wetland ecosystem showed a substantial increase in the water level for which several different causes were conceivable, including climate change and the dam construction. We analyzed all existing hydrometeorological data and studied other changes that were observed in this ecosystem. A water balance model was used to analyze different scenarios. Increased groundwater inflow, generated since the construction of the dam, appears to be affecting the wetland more than any other factor. The study has implications for the assessment of global and regional consequences of building dams.

Are CO2 Emissions Stationary After All? New Evidence from Nonlinear Unit Root Tests

Environmental Modeling & Assessment - This study applies a large battery of state-of-the-art nonlinear unit root tests to examine the stationarity properties of carbon dioxide emission series...