Is risk analysis a useful tool for improving process safety?

To improve safety one has to know where risks are. For determining risks, hazards have to be identified and representative accident scenarios defined. This needs effort and technique. Man is quite limited in foresight without having experience and lessons from the past. For knowing the risk of an incidental, undesired event both its severity and probability has to be estimated. Then ways to reduce risk become clear. In a process plant risks are many and it is not possible to remove them all. One has to attribute priorities. Intuitive and qualitative methods can do much, but plant complexity may be large and communication on risk may become difficult without formal methodology. Quantitative risk analysis offers much, but has its weaknesses and drawbacks. The required effort is considerable, specialists are needed, and variability in answers is large. Yet, a model built to go along with the life of an installation and updated periodically may be very useful. This paper presents an overview of the demand, problems encountered, possible remedies, and an outlook on useful improvement and extension of risk analysis methodology, including decision making.     

Healthcare waste management in Asia

The risks associated with healthcare waste and its management has gained attention across the world in various events, local and international forums and summits. However, the need for proper healthcare waste management has been gaining recognition slowly due to the substantial disease burdens associated with poor practices, including exposure to infectious agents and toxic substances. Despite the magnitude of the problem, practices, capacities and policies in many countries in dealing with healthcare waste disposal, especially developing nations, is inadequate and requires intensification. This paper looks upon aspects to drive improvements to the existing healthcare waste management situation. The paper places recommendation based on a 12 country study reflecting the current status. The paper does not advocate for any complex technology but calls for changes in mindset of all concerned stakeholders and identifies five important aspects for serious consideration. Understanding the role of governments and healthcare facilities, the paper also outlines three key areas for prioritized action for both parties – budget support, developing policies and legislation and technology and knowledge management.     

Nanodiagnostics for plant pathogens

Rapid detection technologies with high sensitivity and selectivity for plant pathogens are essential to prevent disease spread and minimize losses to assure optimal productivity and food security. Traditional laboratory techniques such as microscopy and culture are time-consuming, labour intensive and require complex sample handling. Immunological and molecular techniques have advanced but have some issues related to rapidity, signal strength and instrumentation. The integration of immunological and molecular diagnostics with nanotechnology systems offers an option where all detection steps can be accommodated on a portable miniaturized device for rapid and accurate detection of plant pathogens. The sensitive nature of functionalized nanoparticles can be used to design phytopathogen detection devices with smart sensing capabilities for field use. This review summarizes the current status and future prospects of nanotechnology for detection and diagnosis of plant pathogens.     

Implementation obstacles of the ICZM protocol and mitigation efforts

After the signing of the ICZM Protocol in the Mediterranean (Madrid, 21 January 2008) its implementation became the main focus of interest for the future. Several obstacles on the way to implementation are briefly analysed, starting with the ratification process, the competence for the implementation and the availability of financial resources to put the Protocol requirements in place. A list of mitigation actions is proposed in order to overcome these obstacles. The ways in which the Centre responsible for assisting the countries can implement this legal instrument (i.e. PAP/RAC) is elaborated in the second part of the paper. This includes the preparation of a stocktaking report to allow for defining the starting point for ICZM in the Mediterranean, elaboration of an explanatory guide of the text of the Protocol, as well as guidelines for the definition of a coastal setback. Equally important is awareness-raising and training for the implementation of the Protocol.     

Photochemical decomposition of tetrachlorovinphos

The photochemical degradation of tetrachlorovinphos in solvents and as a solid has been investigated. Photoproducts have been isolated and characterized by spectroscopic methods and comparison with authentic samples. The rate of phototransformation of this compound has also been studied.     

Effect of Diffusiophoresis and Thermophoresis on the Overall Particle Collection Efficiency of Spray Droplet Scrubbers

The overall particle collection efficiencies of spray scrubbers using monodisperse droplets of 100,500, and 1000 microns diameter were calculated for the cases of evaporating and condensing droplets. The properties of the gas at the inlet to the spray scrubber were maintained constant at 150°F, 100% relative humidity, and 1 atmosphere pressure. At the liquid entrance to the spray scrubber, the water droplet temperature was 50° F for the condensing case and 180° F for the evaporating case. The liquid to gas flow rate ratio for all the calculations was held constant at 4 gal/1000 acf. The gas velocity in the co-current spray tower was 1 ft/sec in the downwind direction. The calculation results show that for the particles in the 0.01 to 10 Mm diameter range, the overall spray scrubber particle collection efficiency is greater with the cooler 50°F water (condensing case) than with the warmer 180°F water (evaporating case). The effect of diffusiophoresis and thermophoresis is noticeable for all the water droplet sizes considered, but is more significant for the larger water droplets. This greater effect for the larger water droplets compared to the smaller droplets is due to the longer existence of the temperature and water vapor concentration gradients between the water droplets and the surrounding gas.     

Preparation and Properties of Propylene Glycol Plasticized Wheat Protein Isolate Novel Green Films

Novel bio-based green films were prepared using wheat protein isolate (WPI) by solution casting method using Propylene Glycol as a plasticizer for packaging applications. The effect of the plasticizer content (10, 15, 20 and 25 wt%) on mechanical properties (tensile strength, young’s modulus and  % of elongation) was investigated. A thermal degradation and phase transition of the prepared WPI was assessed by means of TGA and DSC analysis. The results showed that the tensile strength and young’s modulus decreased and  % of elongation increased with increasing PG content. The ATR-FTIR and SEM were used for structural characterization and morphology of the films, respectively. FTIR studies reveals that the intensity of the bands corresponding to the amide groups increases with increasing PG content tending to increase protein–PG interactions. Further, the glass transition temperature was decreased and the thermal stability of the WPI was found to be increased by plasticization. The overall thermal stability of the films was improved and is attributed to the increase in mobility of the polymer chains.     

Enrichment and isolation of endosulfan-degrading microorganism from tropical acid soil

Endosulfan (6,7,8,9,10,10-hexachloro-1,5,5a,6,9,9a-hexahydro-6,9-methano-2,3,4-benzo-dioxathiepin-3-oxide) is a cyclodiene organochlorine currently used as an insecticide all over the world and its residues are posing a serious environmental threat. This study reports the enrichment and isolation of a microbial culture capable of degrading endosulfan with minimal production of endosulfan sulfate, the toxic metabolite of endosulfan, from tropical acid soil. Enrichment was achieved by using the insecticide as sole sulfur source. The enriched microbial culture, SKL-1, later identified as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, degraded up to 50.25 and 69.77 % of α and β endosulfan, respectively in 20 days. Percentage of bioformation of endosulfan sulfate to total formation was 2.12% by the 20th day of incubation. Degradation of the insecticide was concomitant with bacterial growth reaching up to an optical density of 600 nm (OD600) 2.34 and aryl sulfatase activity of the broth reaching up to 23.93 μg pNP/mL/hr. The results of this study suggest that this novel strain is a valuable source of potent endosulfan–degrading enzymes for use in enzymatic bioremediation. Further, the increase in aryl sulfatase activity of the broth with the increase in degradation of endosulfan suggests the probable involvement of the enzyme in the transformation of endosulfan to its metabolites.