Framing Renewable Energy: A Comparative Study of Newspapers in Australia and Sweden

Australia and Sweden display very different institutional settings and contexts for the production of environmental journalism. This empirical study examined how two major quality newspapers in Sweden and Australia have framed renewable energy as an environmental, political, scientific, economic and civil society issue. A deductive, quantitative methodological approach was used to identify dominant frames and actors in articles in The Australian (Australia) and Dagens Nyheter (Sweden) between October 2010 and June 2011 2010/2011. The findings suggest that the attention given to different types of renewable energy in the two newspapers and how issues were framed was contingent on the domestication of the discussion of renewable energy in the two countries. Reporting on renewable energy in both newspapers was characterized by a focus on “elite” actors and economic frames, the absence of civil society frames and negative (The Australian) or ambiguous (Dagens Nyheter) environmental frames. The study extends our understanding of the contextual conditions that enable and limit journalists when reporting environmental issues.     

Unexpected difference in phenol sorption on PTMA- and BTMA-bentonite

The comparison of phenol sorption on phenyltrimethylammonium (PTMA)- and benzyltrimethylammonium (BTMA)-bentonite shows a clear difference as far as phenol sorption isotherms are concerned. For PTMA-bentonite the sorption isotherm is of a straight-line character which results from simple partitioning of phenol between the aqueous and organic phases sorbed on the bentonite surface. For BTMA-bentonite the isotherm has a convex shape, characteristic of physicochemical sorption.For the first time a three-parametric model, including the dissociation constant of phenol pK_a, distribution constant of phenol Kd_phen and phenolate anion Kd_phen⁻ between the aqueous phase and the bentonite phases is used for the evaluation of phenol sorption on organoclays with pH change. The model shows that the values of Kd_phen are higher than those of Kd_phen⁻ for all investigated initial phenol concentrations.The inspection of the FTIR spectrum of BTMA-bentonite loaded with phenol in the regions 1300–1600 and 1620–1680 cm⁻¹ shows the features of π–π electron interaction between the benzene rings of phenol and the BTMA cation together with the phenol–water hydrogen bond strengthened by this interaction.     

Sirenomelia,the mermaid syndrome—detection in the first trimester

The sirenomelia sequence with fusion, rotation, hypotrophy or atrophy of the lower limbs in combination with severe urogenital and gastrointestinal malformations is a rare and usually lethal disorder. We present the case of a 28-year-old woman, who was referred to our department because of an intraabdominal cystic structure in the 9th week of gestation. Subsequent scans confirmed the diagnosis of a sirenomelia sequence with the fusion of the lower extremities without fusion of the bones according to Stocker I classification. The size of the intraabdominal cyst decreased during follow-up. After counseling, termination of pregnancy was induced. The postmortem X-ray confirmed the ultrasound diagnosis. The exact etiological mechanism of this malformation is still unknown. An early alteration of the embryological vascular network damaging the caudal mesoderm is thought to lead to arrested development of the lower limbs and other affected organs. The cyst we saw in the 9th week might fit with this theory, either as an expression of the complex malformation of the lower abdomen or as the sonographic appearance of necrosis. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Hochwasser 2002

In August 2002, highly contaminated areas in the region of Bitterfeld, e.g. the floodplain of the creek Spittelwasser, as well as the adjacent regions of Jeßnitz and Raguhn, were submerged by the river Mulde. An input of mobilized contaminated sediments in residential areas was the matter of concern. The objective of the present study was to estimate the pollutants load on the basis of chemical and biological data and identify the sources of pollutants. Deposited sludge and flood water samples were assessed on the basis of biological and chemical analyses and in comparison with administrative reference values. The pollution of the investigated sites was rather heterogeneous. At several sites, tolerance limits of the German Klärschlammverordnung or the Bundesbodenschutzverordnung were clearly exceeded, e.g. for Pb, As and HCH. Organic extracts exhibited significant effects in several biotests. This may be relevant with respect to direct particle uptake via ingestion or respiration. Pollution patterns for heavy metals as well as for organic pollutants differed significantly from the pattern found in the Spittelwasser flood plain before the inundation, which is in contrast to the initial hypothesis of a possible transport of contaminated Spittelwasser sediments into residential areas. Interestingly, a correlation of chemical load and the overall biological effect could be shown. From the viewpoint of the precautionary principle, the identification of the compounds exerting toxic effects and of the respective pollutant sources would be desirable.     

II. Aufbau fl?chenrepr?sentativer Probenahmen von Umweltproben zur Schadstoffanalytik am Beispiel der Regenwürmer in landwirtschaftlich genutzten R?umen

Ein sinnvoller Einsatz von Akkumulationsindikatoren erfordert zur Qualit?tssicherung neben den vorhandenen Laborstandards ein anspruchsvolles Probenahmeverfahren, um repr?sentative und reproduzierbate Aussagen über einen Untersuchungsraum treffen zu k?nnen. Am Beispiel der Regenwürmer wird exemplarisch ein Probenahmeverfahren für landwirtschaftliche R?ume entwickelt und vorgeführt. Erste Ergebnisse der in den Wurm- und Kotproben gemessenen polyzyklischen aromatischen Kohlenwasserstoffe, der chlorierten Kohlenwasserstoffe und der Elemente werden dargestellt. Die Schadstoffgehalte der vergleichbaren Wurmproben belegen, da? es die repr?sentative Probenahmestelle in einem Untersuchungsgebiet nicht gibt. Die Heterogenit?t des Untersuchungsraumes kann nur durch eine geschichtete Zufallsstichprobe mit einer ausreichenden Anzahl von Einzelproben erfa?t werden.     

Precipitation and aerosol studies in India

In India, rain water and atmospheric aerosols are observed to bealkaline in nature due to the influence of soil-derivedparticles which are rich in components like Ca and Mg. Thesecomponents increase the neutralization potential of rain waterand have a greater influence at rural site compared to urbansite. However, if there are continuous rains, the concentrationof crustal components becomes lower resulting in lower pH ofrain water. Unlike the characteristics of rain water oncontinent, the pH of rain water has been observed to be acidicin all the events over the Indian Ocean during Pre-campaigns ofIndian Ocean Experiment (INDOEX). The possible reason for acidicrains over Indian Ocean could be the anthropogenic contributionfrom continent transported by NE winds coming towards the oceanduring this period.     

Gloves against mineral oils and mechanical hazards: composites of carboxylated acrylonitrile–butadiene rubber latex

Resistance to permeation of noxious chemical substances should be accompanied by resistance to mechanical factors because the glove material may be torn, cut or punctured in the workplace. This study reports on glove materials, protecting against mineral oils and mechanical hazards, made of carboxylated acrylonitrile–butadiene rubber (XNBR) latex. The obtained materials were characterized by a very high resistance of the produced materials to oil permeation (breakthrough time?>?480?min). The mechanical properties, and especially tear resistance, of the studied materials were improved after the addition of modified bentonite (nanofiller) to the XNBR latex mixture. The nanocomposite meets the requirements in terms of parameters characterizing tear, abrasion, cut and puncture resistance. Therefore, the developed material may be used for the production of multifunctional protective gloves.