Physicochemical characterization of forest and sugarcane leaf combustion's particulate matters using electron microscopy, EDS, XRD and TGA

Physical characteristics and quantitative elemental composition of PM and residual ash produced from sugarcane leaves (SCL) combustion were investigated using TEM-EDS compared with forest leaves (FRL). SEM-EDS was used to analyze the microstructure and chemical composition of biomass raw leaves and PM. XRD analysis was also performed to investigate the characterization of the crystalline nanostructure, structure of PM, and residual ash compared to the TEM image processing method. The oxidation kinetics of biomass raw materials, PM, and residual ash were investigated by TGA. The morphology of fine and ultrafine agglomerate structure of SCL soot and residual ash are not significantly different from the FRL soot and residual ash. The average diameter sizes of single primary nanoparticles of SCL and FRL soot are approximately 37 nm and 35 nm, while the sizes of residual ash are about 18 nm and 22 nm, respectively. The single primary nanoparticles of soot are mainly composed of curve line crystallites of carbon fringes, while residual ash is composed of straight-line lattice fringes. The average fringe lengths of SCL and FRL soot are about 1.25 nm and 1.04 nm from the outer shell and 0.89 nm and 0.74 nm from the inner core. The interlayer spacing of curve line carbon fringes of SCL and FRL soot is approximately 0.359 nm and 0.362 nm by the TEM image analysis and it was matched with XRD analysis. The biomass PMs are mainly composed of soot, Si, Ca, and K compounds: SiO₂, CaCO₃, and KCl.     

Contaminants in water, sediment and fish biomonitor species from natural and artificial estuarine habitats along the urbanized Gold Coast, Queensland

Metal and pesticide contaminants were measured in water, sediment and fish species in various Gold Coast waterways, Queensland. With the exception of Cu, metal concentrations in water, measured using the diffuse gradients in a thin film (DGT) technique, complied with relevant Australian guidelines. Cu concentrations in these waterways have been related to recreational vessel activities previously. All sediment metal concentrations measured were below the national guidelines, although Cu, Zn and Pb were found to vary significantly between habitat types. Evidence of spikes in sediment pesticide concentrations (some banned over 50 years ago) was observed in some artificial residential waterways. Heavy metals and pesticides were measured in the tissue (muscle, gills and liver) of three economically important species of fish, with different feeding strategies (partly herbivore Arrhamphus sclerolepis, carnivore Acanthopagrus australis, detritivore Mugil cephalus). We tested the hypothesis that fish accumulate different amounts of contaminants from wetland habitats affected by different intensities of anthropogenic activities (i.e., marinas, artificial residential canals, artificial residential lakes, estuaries and natural, vegetated waterways). Significantly higher concentrations of Cu were found in the gills of each fish species from marinas compared to fish caught in other waterways. Furthermore, fish caught in canals had the second highest Cu and natural waterways the lowest. These results support the stated hypothesis for Cu and furthermore indicate that these fish species are suitable as biomonitors in estuarine waterways. Metal and pesticide concentrations in the edible muscle tissue of all fish complied with the Australian Food Standard Code recommended limits for human consumption, apart from As which is likely to be due to bioconcentration of lower toxicity organo-As species. These results indicate a low health risk for humans consuming fish, in terms of contaminant levels. The accumulated body of evidence on contaminants within Gold Coast waterways generally suggests that there are no major threats of metal or pesticide contamination, except for marina facilities which are a major source of Cu which also accumulates in fish. Water quality threats are also highlighted in residential canals, presumably as a consequence of their hydrological design.     

用决策支持手段、学习机会和信息技术帮助贯彻清洁生产

本文对能够帮助从国家到企业各级清洁生产系统落实的决策支持手段,提出了基本看法.在根据每个人不同的能力、潜力和发展变化提供相应的学习内容和机会的时候,如何促使和帮助个人参加清洁生产教育并超过计划,正是本文要应对的挑战.电子学习系统能够极大限度地利用现有信息.     

Modelling mixing height from routinely measured surface and upper air meteorological data

A one‐dimensional model is developed for the estimation of hourly mixing height values from routinely measured upper air and surface meteorological data. A diagnostic technique is used in the model to calculate the convective and mechanically induced mixing height values under different atmospheric, and day and night‐time conditions. In the scheme, for the day‐time hours, the mixing height is determined as the larger of the convective and mechanically induced mixing height values. For the night‐time hours, only the mechanically induced mixing height values are considered. Three‐hourly mixing height values are modelled using once‐a‐day upper air temperature profile data (from radio‐sonde) and three‐hourly surface meteorological data. The spatial and temporal variation of mixing height are modelled in the Brisbane airshed and their relationship with the atmospheric stability, solar radiation and transport wind speed is developed.     

A global security approach towards implementing sustainable development in southern Africa

SUMMARY

An interactive and incremental developmental approach to sustainable development is proposed. It requires broad public participation, is based on the development of a shared value system for civic society and norms which determine the behaviour of states. It is aimed at building commitment rather than directing change. This is achieved by simultaneoulsy harnessing the notions of ‘positive human survival’ adopted from Global Security theory and a co-evolutionary approach to human socio-economic constructs. Modern threats to Nation States can be regarded as ‘threats without enemies’, are not compatible with traditional views of sovereignty, and confronting such threats frequently requires co-operative behaviour and good neigbourliness from states. Principles likely to underpin an evolving shared value system for Nation states and civil society include: democracy, equity and diversity. In order to deal with the uncertainty of evolving socio-economic constructs and the conceptual pluralism inherent in modern societies, public agencies need to develop significant mediation, negotiation and facilitation skills. This view has significant implications for National and Regional policy, and the democratisation of information and the development of early warning capabilities about potential threats to human security are pivotal.     

Photocatalytic degradation of aqueous methyl-tert-butyl-ether (MTBE) in a supported-catalyst reactor

Contamination of groundwater by methyl-tert-butyl ether (MTBE) poses increasing problems to water companies. Here we demonstrate the feasibility of using a cylindrical, supported-catalyst reactor for photocatalytic degradation of MTBE in water. It was shown that photocatalytic degradation of MTBE follows pseudo first-order kinetics. The maximum reaction rate constant observed was 0.47 hr^–1. The reaction rate increases linearly with increasing light intensity. It was also found that the reaction rate is linearly proportional to the ratio of catalyst surface area to volume of reactor. Complete degradation of MTBE was reached with an excess supply of oxygen.     

URBAN SERVICE PRICING AND LAND USE: SOME PRELIMINARY RESULTS1

ABSTRACT The use of public policy variables to control urban land use has been suggested or implied by a number of authors. This paper presents a conceptual foundation for doing so and the results of some empirical analyses based on this conceptual foundation. The method developed appears to constitute an alternative to more expensive approaches to the analysis of the relation between policy variables and land use. The empirical results tend to support earlier suggestions advanced by other researchers.     

The national incinerator testing and evaluation program two-stage incinerator combustion tests

In this paper the summary results of tests conducted at the P.E.I. energy-from-waste facility, a two-stage incinerator, are presented. Extensive data on refuse feed, ash, emissions and operating conditions will provide the most significant body of information yet available for energy from waste facilities.     

APPLICATIONS OF A GIS FOR MODELING THE SENSITIVITY OF WATER RESOURCES TO ALTERATIONS IN CLIMATE IN THE GUNNISON RIVER BASIN,COLORADO1

ABSTRACT: The Gunnison River drains a mountainous basin in western Colorado, and is a large contributor of water to the Colorado River. As part of a study to assess water resource sensitivity to alterations in climate in the Gunnison River basin, climatic and hydrologic processes are being modeled. A geographic information system (GIS) is being used in this study as a link between data and modelers - serving as a common data base for project personnel with differing specialties, providing a means to investigate the effects of scale on model results, and providing a framework for the transfer of parameter values among models. Specific applications presented include: (1) developing elevation grids for a precipitation model from digital elevation model (DEM) point-elevation values, and visualizing the effects of grid resolution on model results; (2) using a GIS to facilitate the definition and parameterization of a distributed-parameters, watershed model in multiple basins; and (3) nesting atmospheric and hydrologic models to produce possible scenarios of climate change.     

Climate change and coastal vulnerability assessment: scenarios for integrated assessment

Coastal vulnerability assessments still focus mainly on sea-level rise, with less attention paid to other dimensions of climate change. The influence of non-climatic environmental change or socio-economic change is even less considered, and is often completely ignored. Given that the profound coastal changes of the twentieth century are likely to continue through the twenty-first century, this is a major omission, which may overstate the importance of climate change, and may also miss significant interactions of climate change with other non-climate drivers. To better support climate and coastal management policy development, more integrated assessments of climatic change in coastal areas are required, including the significant non-climatic changes. This paper explores the development of relevant climate and non-climate drivers, with an emphasis on the non-climate drivers. While these issues are applicable within any scenario framework, our ideas are illustrated using the widely used SRES scenarios, with both impacts and adaptation being considered. Importantly, scenario development is a process, and the assumptions that are made about future conditions concerning the coast need to be explicit, transparent and open to scientific debate concerning their realism and likelihood. These issues are generic across other sectors.