Evaluating Contact Techniques: Assessing the Impact of a Regulator’s Intervention on the Health and Safety Performance of Small and Medium-Sized Businesses

This study reports on the development of an evaluation methodology for assessing quantitatively and qualitatively the effectiveness of seminar and mass-mailing contact techniques. These techniques are used to augment traditional health and safety inspections at commercial and industrial premises in the United Kingdom. One of the major findings is that specific aims and objectives for the intervention should be developed prior to the communication exercise. This is crucial for any subsequent measurement of effectiveness, as the intended effect needs to be considered before the communication exercise takes place. Developing more systematic approaches to evaluation is an important step in helping to learn from previous experiences, that is, to build upon the foundations of good practice and avoid repeating mistakes. In time the results of systematic evaluations can be used to inform future policy making, which may help to create more effective risk reduction strategies.     

Kinetics of microwave-enhanced oxidation of phenol by hydrogen peroxide

Aqueous solutions of phenol were oxidized by hydrogen peroxide assisted by microwave (MW) irradiation. A simple kinetic model for the overall degradation of phenol in the presence of excess H₂O₂ is proposed in which the degradation rate of phenol is expressed as a linear function of the concentrations of phenol and H₂O₂. A detailed parametric study showed that the degradation rate of phenol increased with increasing [H₂O₂] until saturation was observed. Phenol degradation followed apparent zero-order kinetics under MW radiation or H₂O₂ oxidation. However, after 90 min of irradiation, the observed kinetics shifted to pseudo first order. The overall reaction rates were significantly enhanced in the combined MW/H₂O₂ system, mainly because microwave could accelerate H₂O₂ to generate hydroxyl radical (^·OH) and other reactive oxygen intermediates. The observed synergetic effects of the MW/H₂O₂ process resulted in an increased in the net reaction rate by a factor of 5.75. When hydrogen peroxide is present in a large stoichiometric excess, the time required to achieve complete mineralization is reduced significantly.     

ENVIRONMENTAL AUDITING: The Functional Unit in the Life Cycle Inventory Analysis of Degreasing Processes in the Metal-Processing Industry

1 and C₂ hydrocarbons (trichloroethane, trichloroethene, tetrachloroethene, dichloromethane). Measures aiming at the reduction of toxic emissions and ozone depletion potential (ODP) may possibly lead to a shift of environmental impacts towards higher energy consumption, emission of waste water, and volatile organic compounds (VOC) with photochemical oxidant creation potential (POCP). The present article concerns itself with a life cycle assessment of the three main degreasing processes in order to compare their integral environmental impacts with one another. This is supplemented by presenting the methodology of the life cycle inventory life cycle inventory analysis (LCI). Generally, the applicability of the established LCI method can be shown quite clearly. However, some difficulties arise, especially at the stage of the goal definition, as the use of the process and the functional unit cannot be pinned down as easily and neatly as for most other products. The definition of the use of the process and the functional unit is not as straightforward as for most products. Among the potential functional units identified are the mass of removed impurities, cleaning time, cleaning work, percentage of purity, throughput of parts, loads, mass or surface and virtual coefficients. The mass of removed impurities turned out to be the most suitable parameter for measuring the technical performance of degreasing processes. The article discusses background, purpose, scope, system boundaries, target group, process tree and representativeness of the present study.