Development of SuperSmart Grids for a more efficient utilisation of electricity from renewable sources

If Europe is serious about reaching its target to keep global mean temperature increase below 2 °C, it must strive for a 100% renewable electricity system by 2050. The SuperSmart Grid approach combines what is often perceived as two exclusive alternatives: wide area power generation and decentralised power generation. We argue that by combining these, in fact, complementary measures, it is possible to address the crucial issue of renewable generation—fluctuating supply—in a comprehensive as well as in a technologically and economically viable manner. Thus, the SuperSmart Grid simultaneously can contribute to energy security, climate security, social security, and national security.     

Prenatal karyotyping in malformed fetuses

Experience with prenatal karyotyping of 237 fetuses with sonographic evidence of malformation is reported. Abnormal karyotype was found in 40 cases (16-8 per cent): chromosomal aberrations were found in 19 of the 178 fetuses with an isolated structural anomaly (10-6 per cent) and in 21 of the 59 fetuses with multiple malformations (35-6 per cent). Detailed cytogenetic and morphological information concerning fetuses affected by omphalocele, duodenal atresia, hydrocephalus, multicystic kidney, unilateral hydronephrosis and cystic hygroma is reported. The need for a very careful ultrasound evaluation of fetal anatomy in these pregnancies is stressed, as the risk of a chromosomal anomaly depends mainly on the existence of more than one ultrasonically diagnosed structural defect.     

Optimisation of a microbial bioassay for contaminated soil monitoring: bacterial inoculum standardisation and comparison with Microtox assay

This work represents the first step to set up a toxicity testing procedure and to evaluate the sensitivity of the test microorganism to several classes of environmental pollutants. First, three different techniques were employed to standardise the microbial inoculum, then two different toxicity assessment protocols have been compared: Microtox and a dehydrogenase (DHase) activity inhibition test. The main goal was the optimisation of a microbial bioassay based on the dehydrogenase activity (DHase) inhibition in Pseudomonas fluorescens bacterial strain ATCC 13525. Triphenyl tetrazolium chloride (TTC) was used as electron acceptor and its reduction produces Triphenyl formazane (TPF). The P. fluorescens DHase inhibition bioassay was investigated for being a reliable and rapid method for assessing toxicity. The optimisation of the operating conditions resulted in a repeatable bioassay. Then, P. fluorescens and Vibrio fischeri sensitivity were firstly compared by testing Zn++, one of the reference compounds for Microtox test. In addition, other compounds (Ni++, Cd++, Cu++, phenol) were also tested with both bioassays. A high statistical significance of data was obtained with the logistic curve. The present work has demonstrated that P. fluorescens is as sensitive as Microtox culture (V. fischeri), for some of the metal ions. With reference to organic compounds, the lower sensitivity of P. fluorescens to phenol makes its use difficult in organic polluted samples.     

Investigation of the complexation of metal-ions by strong ligands in fresh and marine water

SCOPE: The detection and investigation of metal ions bound in strong complexes in natural waters is a difficult task, due to low concentration of the metal ions themselves, and also of the strong ligands, which, moreover, are often not of a well-defined composition. Here, a method is proposed for the investigation of the speciation of metal ions in natural waters. OBJECTIVE AND METHOD: It is based on the sorption of metal ions on strongly sorbing ion exchange resins, i.e. complexing resins. For this reason the method is called Resin Titration. It has been shown in previous investigations that the concentration of metal ion totally sorbed by a particular resin, and its reaction coefficient in the solution phase in the presence of the resin, can be determined from the sorption data using a simple relationship. Here, a data treatment (the Ruzic linearization method) is proposed for also determining the concentration of the ligands responsible for the complex in equilibrium with the resin. RESULTS: The method was applied to data obtained by Resin Titration of a freshwater and a seawater. Copper(II) and aluminium(III) were considered, using Chelex 100 as a titrant, due to its strong sorbing properties towards these metal ions. The results were: the total metal concentration in equilibrium with the resin, the side reaction coefficients, and the concentration of ligands. In all these cases the ligands forming very strong complexes were found to be at concentration lower than that of the metals. CONCLUSION: The Ruzic linearization method allows the determination of the concentration of the ligands forming very strong complexes in equilibrium with Chelex 100. The reaction coefficient was better determined by the calculation method previously proposed for RT. The ligands responsible for the strong complexes were found to be at low concentration, often lower than that of the metal ions considered. The metal in the original sample is partly bound to these ligands, since the complexes are very strong. Only a part of the metal is linked to weaker ligands, or free.