Effect of Crystalline and Amorphous Structures on Biodegradability of Poly(Tetramethylene Succinate)

The effect of orientation in the amorphous and crystalline regions on the biodegradability of PTMS [poly(tetramethylene succinate)] was studied using the amorphous orientation function, birefringence, and crystallinity. The crystalline and amorphous intrinsic lateral sonic moduli, E _t,c ⁰ and E _t,am ⁰ , were 2.61 × 10³ and 0.41 × 10³ MPa, respectively. Using the data on birefringence, crystalline and amorphous orientation function (f and f _am), crystallinity, and sonic modulus of the oriented PTMS fibers, the intrinsic birefringence of the crystalline ( _c ⁰ ) and amorphous ( _am ⁰ ) regions were evaluated to be 0.0561 and 0.0634, respectively. The biodegradabilities of oriented PTMS films were reduced as the elongation increased, i.e., the amorphous orientation increased. At low elongation (100 and 150%), however, biodegradabilities remained unchanged when the degradation test was performed in activated sludge, which was attributed to the amorphous orientation occurring even at 100% elongation, though the amorphous orientation direction was perpendicular to the fiber axis.     

Design and fabrication of a laminated thermoforming tool with enhanced features

Thermoforming is a popular manufacturing process for creating useful shapes out of heated thermoplastic sheets using a porous tool under differential pressure. For large, heavy-gauge parts, thermoforming tools are typically made by CNC machining a billet of material or sand casting from an inexpensive master pattern. Although these tooling methods are well established, it is difficult to incorporate enhanced tool functionality such as conformal cooling channels, embedded sensors, unimpeded vacuum channel placement, and customized thermal mass. Profiled Edge Laminas (PEL), a rapid tooling method based on profiling, assembling, and clamping an array of thick layers, is ideally suited for tools used for thermoforming large, heavy-gauge parts and requiring enhanced features. This paper describes how the PEL tooling method can be applied to the design and fabrication of a thermoforming tool and demonstrates the entire process through a case study. Tooling design guidelines and analytical models for predicting conformal channel and vacuum line performance are included. The ease with which multiple-zone conformal cooling/heating channels, vacuum lines, and temperature sensors are incorporated into the tool is also highlighted. Specifically, a 46-layer aluminum PEL tool clamped together with bolts is successfully designed, fabricated, and demonstrated for thermoforming a 0.3×0.4×0.4 m part made from a PVC/Acrylic blend based on the outlined method. The tool incorporates three independent cooling zones sealed by a polymer sealant, three embedded temperature sensors, and an elaborate matrix of vacuum channels. All tool features and the basic geometry were machined into each individual lamina in the same set-up by 2D abrasive waterjet machining, and the final tool surface was CNC-machined. The PEL tooling method is successfully applied to the manufacture of a large, heavy-gauge thermoformed part intended for production.     

Tracing lead pollution sources in abandoned mine areas using stable Pb isotope ratios

This study focused on Pb isotope ratios of sediments in areas around an abandoned mine to determine if the ratios can be used as a source tracer. For pretreatment, sediment samples were dissolved with mixed acids, and a multi-collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (MC-ICP-MS, Nu plasma II) was used to investigate the Pb isotopic composition of the samples. The measured isotope ratios were then corrected for instrumental mass fractionation by measuring the ²⁰³Tl/²⁰⁵Tl ratio. Repeated measurements with the NIST SRM 981 reference material showed that the precision of all ratios was below 104 ppm (±2σ) for 50 ng/g. The isotope ratios (²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁶Pb) found were 0.85073?±?0.0004~0.85373?±?0.0003 for the main stream, while they were 0.83736?±?0.0010 for the tributary and 0.84393?±?0.0002 for the confluence. A binary mixing equation for isotope ratios showed that the contributions of mine lead to neighboring areas were up to 60 %. Therefore, Pb isotope ratios can be a good source tracer for areas around abandoned mines.     

A real-time monitoring and assessment method for calculation of total amounts of indoor air pollutants emitted in subway stations

Subway systems are considered as main public transportation facility in developed countries. Time spent by people in indoors, such as underground spaces, subway stations, and indoor buildings, has gradually increased in the recent past. Especially, operators or old persons who stay in indoor environments more than 15 hr per day usually influenced a greater extent by indoor air pollutants. Hence, regulations on indoor air pollutants are needed to ensure good health of people. Therefore, in this study, a new cumulative calculation method for the estimation of total amounts of indoor air pollutants emitted inside the subway station is proposed by taking cumulative amounts of indoor air pollutants based on integration concept. Minimum concentration of individual air pollutants which naturally exist in indoor space is referred as base concentration of air pollutants and can be found from the data collected. After subtracting the value of base concentration from data point of each data set of indoor air pollutant, the primary quantity of emitted air pollutant is calculated. After integration is carried out with these values, adding the base concentration to the integration quantity gives the total amount of indoor air pollutant emitted. Moreover the values of new index for cumulative indoor air quality obtained for 1 day are calculated using the values of cumulative air quality index (CAI). Cumulative comprehensive indoor air quality index (CCIAI) is also proposed to compare the values of cumulative concentrations of indoor air pollutants. From the results, it is clear that the cumulative assessment approach of indoor air quality (IAQ) is useful for monitoring the values of total amounts of indoor air pollutants emitted, in case of exposure to indoor air pollutants for a long time. Also, the values of CCIAI are influenced more by the values of concentration of NO2, which is released due to the use of air conditioners and combustion of the fuel. The results obtained in this study confirm that the proposed method can be applied to monitor total amounts of indoor air pollutants emitted, inside apartments and hospitals as well. Implications: Nowadays, subway systems are considered as main public transportation facility in developed countries. Time spent by people in indoors, such as underground spaces, subway stations, and indoor buildings, has gradually increased in the recent past. Especially, operators or old persons who stay in the indoor environments more than 15 hr per day usually influenced a greater extent by indoor air pollutants. Hence, regulations on indoor air pollutants are needed to ensure good health of people. Therefore, this paper presents a new methodology for monitoring and assessing total amounts of indoor air pollutants emitted inside underground spaces and subway stations. A new methodology for the calculation of cumulative amounts of indoor air pollutants based on integration concept is proposed. The results suggest that the cumulative assessment approach of IAQ is useful for monitoring the values of total amounts of indoor air pollutants, if indoor air pollutants accumulated for a long time, especially NO2 pollutants. The results obtained here confirm that the proposed method can be applied to monitor total amounts of indoor air pollutants emitted, inside apartments and hospitals as well.     

Effects of biochar addition on greenhouse gas emissions and microbial responses in a short-term laboratory experiment

Biochar application to soil has drawn much attention as a strategy to sequester atmospheric carbon in soil ecosystems. The applicability of this strategy as a climate change mitigation option is limited by our understanding of the mechanisms responsible for the observed changes in greenhouse gas emissions from soils, microbial responses, and soil fertility changes. We conducted an 8-wk laboratory incubation using soils from PASTURE (silt loam) and RICE PADDY (silt loam) sites with and without two types of biochar (biochar from swine manure [CHAR-M] and from barley stover [CHAR-B]). Responses to addition of the different biochars varied with the soil source. Addition of CHAR-B did not change CO and CH evolution from the PASTURE or the RICE PADDY soils, but there was a decrease in NO emissions from the PASTURE soil. The effects of CHAR-M addition on greenhouse gas emissions were different for the soils. The most substantial change was an increase in NO emissions from the RICE PADDY soil. This result was attributed to a combination of abundant denitrifiers in this soil and increased net nitrogen mineralization. Soil phosphatase and N-acetylglucosaminidase activity in the CHAR-B-treated soils was enhanced compared with the controls for both soils. Fungal biomass was higher in the CHAR-B-treated RICE PADDY soil. From our results, we suggest CHAR-B to be an appropriate amendment for the PASTURE and RICE PADDY soils because it provides increased nitrogen availability and microbial activity with no net increase in greenhouse gas emissions. Application of CHAR-M to RICE PADDY soils could result in excess nitrogen availability, which may increase NO emissions and possible NO leaching problems. Thus, this study confirms that the ability of environmentally sound biochar additions to sequester carbon in soils depends on the characteristics of the receiving soil as well as the nature of the biochar.     

Simulating Urban-Scale Air Pollutants and Their Predicting Capabilities over the Seoul Metropolitan Area

Abstract

Urban-scale air pollutants for sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter >10 μm, and ozone (O₃) were simulated over the Seoul metropolitan area, Korea, during the period of July 2-11, 2002, and their predicting capabilities were discussed. The Air Pollution Model (TAPM) and the highly disaggregated anthropogenic and the biogenic gridded emissions (1 km × 1 km) recently prepared by the Korean Ministry of Environment were applied. Wind fields with observational nudging in the prognostic meteorological model TAPM are optionally adopted to comparatively examine the meteorological impact on the prediction capabilities of urban-scale air pollutants. The result shows that the simulated concentrations of secondary air pollutant largely agree with observed levels with an index of agreement (IOA) of >0.6, whereas IOAs of ～0.4 are found for most primary pollutants in the major cities, reflecting the quality of emission data in the urban area. The observationally nudged wind fields with higher IOAs have little effect on the prediction for both primary and secondary air pollutants, implying that the detailed wind field does not consistently improve the urban air pollution model performance if emissions are not well specified. However, the robust highest concentrations are better described toward observations by imposing observational nudging, suggesting the importance of wind fields for the predictions of extreme concentrations such as robust highest concentrations, maximum levels, and >90th percentiles of concentrations for both primary and secondary urban-scale air pollutants.     

Removal ratio of gaseous toluene and xylene transported from air to root zone via the stem by indoor plants

This work was designed to investigate the removal efficiency as well as the ratios of toluene and xylene transported from air to root zone via the stem and by direct diffusion from the air into the medium. Indoor plants (Schefflera actinophylla and Ficus benghalensis) were placed in a sealed test chamber. Shoot or root zone were sealed with a Teflon bag, and gaseous toluene and xylene were exposed. Removal efficiency of toluene and total xylene (m, p, o) was 13.3 and 7.0 μg·m^?3·m^?2 leaf area over a 24-h period in S. actinophylla, and was 13.0 and 7.3 μg·m^?3·m^?2 leaf area in F. benghalensis. Gaseous toluene and xylene in a chamber were absorbed through leaf and transported via the stem, and finally reached to root zone, and also transported by direct diffusion from the air into the medium. Toluene and xylene transported via the stem was decreased with time after exposure. Xylene transported via the stem was higher than that by direct diffusion from the air into the medium over a 24-h period. The ratios of toluene transported via the stem versus direct diffusion from the air into the medium were 46.3 and 53.7 % in S. actinophylla, and 46.9 and 53.1 % in F. benghalensis, for an average of 47 and 53 % for both species. The ratios of m,p-xylene transported over 3 to 9 h via the stem versus direct diffusion from the air into the medium was 58.5 and 41.5 % in S. actinophylla, and 60.7 and 39.3 % in F. benghalensis, for an average of 60 and 40 % for both species, whereas the ratios of o-xylene transported via the stem versus direct diffusion from the air into the medium were 61 and 39 %. Both S. actinophylla and F. benghalensis removed toluene and xylene from the air. The ratios of toluene and xylene transported from air to root zone via the stem were 47 and 60 %, respectively. This result suggests that root zone is a significant contributor to gaseous toluene and xylene removal, and transported via the stem plays an important role in this process.     

Identification of potential biomarkers for diazinon exposure to Japanese Medaka (Oryzias latipes) using annealing control primers

A new differential display-polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method based on annealing control primers was used to screen and identify potential biomarkers from differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in medaka exposed to sub-lethal concentration of diazinon (100 ppb). Among the differentially expressed genes identified, the majority were in functional categories of protein biosynthesis, transport and metabolism according to the gene ontology classification. The differential expression of ribosomal protein genes was quantified by real time PCR. The genes encoding ribosomal proteins including L3 and S17 were selected as potential biomarkers for diazinon exposure in medaka fish.     

Public willingness to pay for eradicating a harmful marine organism: the case of Aurelia aurita in South Korea

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Aurelia aurita (AA), a legally registered harmful marine organism in South Korea, is damaging marine human leisure activities, local residents’...