Thermal strain in fire fighters while wearing task-fitted versus en 469:2005 protective clothing during a prolonged rescue drill.

Fire fighters are normally overprotected during their working hours because of the tendency to keep the personal protection level sufficiently high in case of the worst possible scenarios. This study investigated the effects of task-fitted protective clothing on thermal strain in fire fighters as compared to EN 469:2005 protective clothing during a prolonged (2 1/2 hrs) job-related rescue drill under neutral and hot climates. The subjects were 23 healthy, physically fit professional male fire fighters aged 26-44 years. Measurements included cardiovascular and thermal responses and subjective assessments. Wearing task-fitted clothing during rescue tasks in a neutral climate considerably reduced total thermal and cardiovascular strain in prolonged rescue work. The fire fighters also perceived physical work as significantly harder on average, and reported more intense subjective discomfort while wearing EN 469:2005 as compared to task-fitted clothing.     

Distant agricultural landscapes

This paper examines the relationship between the development of the dominant industrial food system and its associated global economic drivers and the environmental sustainability of agricultural landscapes. It makes the case that the growth of the global industrial food system has encouraged increasingly complex forms of “distance” that separate food both geographically and mentally from the landscapes on which it was produced. This separation between food and its originating landscape poses challenges for the ability of more localized agricultural sustainability initiatives to address some of the broader problems in the global food system. In particular, distance enables certain powerful actors to externalize ecological and social costs, which in turn makes it difficult to link specific global actors to particular biophysical and social impacts felt on local agricultural landscapes. Feedback mechanisms that normally would provide pressure for improved agricultural sustainability are weak because there is a lack of clarity regarding responsibility for outcomes. The paper provides a brief illustration of these dynamics with a closer look at increased financialization in the food system. It shows that new forms of distancing are encouraged by the growing significance of financial markets in global agrifood value chains. This dynamic has a substantial impact on food system outcomes and ultimately complicates efforts to scale up small-scale local agricultural models that are more sustainable.     

Environmental Equity and the Role of Public Policy: Experiences in the Rijnmond Region

This Φ Ψ study of environmental equity uses secondary quantitative data to analyze socioeconomic disparities in environmental conditions in the Rijnmond region of the Netherlands. The disparities of selected environmental indicators—exposure to traffic noise (road, rail, and air), NO₂, external safety risks, and the availability of public green space—are analyzed both separately and in combination. Not only exposures to environmental burdens (“bads”) were investigated, but also access to environmental benefits (“goods”). Additionally, we held interviews and reviewed documents to grasp the mechanisms underlying the environmental equity situation, with an emphasis on the role of public policy. Environmental equity is not a priority in public policy for the greater Rotterdam region known as the Rijnmond region, yet environmental standards have been established to provide a minimum environmental quality to all local residents. In general, environmental quality has improved in this region, and the accumulation of negative environmental outcomes (“bads”) has been limited. However, environmental standards for road traffic noise and NO₂ are being exceeded, probably because of the pressure on space and the traffic intensity. We found an association of environmental “bads” with income for rail traffic noise and availability of public green space. In the absence of regulation, positive environmental outcomes (“goods”) are mainly left up to market forces. Consequently, higher-income groups generally have more access to environmental “goods” than lower-income groups.     

Degradation of PVC Containing Mixtures in the Presence of HCl Fixators

Degradation of a model polymer mixture (PVC/PS/PE) and a waste polymer mixture in the presence of HCl fixators (Red Mud, precipitated CaCO₃ and dolamite) was studied using thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) and a cycled-spheres-reactor. The experiments in cycled-spheres reactor model were performed by stepwise pyrolysis. Liquid products and HCl from each step were collected separately. For the model polymer mixture, the precipitated CaCO₃ showed the best effect on the fixation of evolved HCl and the reduction of chlorine content in the liquid products whereas RM yielded the best result for the waste polymer mixture. In addition, using HCl fixator also affected the degradation of both types of polymer mixture, leading to the formation of more gaseous and less residue.     

Controlling mechanisms of aluminium in soil solution--an evaluation of 180 podzolic forest soils.

To monitor the level of soil acidification in the county of V?rmland in the middle west of Sweden 180 podzolic forest soils were investigated. Soil solutions from four horizons were obtained by centrifugation and the soil was sampled for a determination of the exchangeable pool by extraction. The concentrations of inorganic Al and its fraction of the total Al in solution were greater in the south of the county (up to 50%). The factors influencing the total Al and free inorganic Al3+ in the soil solutions were evaluated. Saturation indices (SI) for five different mineral phases were calculated but none implied equilibrium conditions. The relationships between pAl3+ and pH (in the pH range 4-6.2) gave slopes of about 1, which indicated that ion exchange/complexation reactions may be important for determining the Al3+ concentration in the B and C horizons. In the E horizon solutions complexation with soluble organic acids seemed to be the major factor which influenced the Al3+ activity. The influence of organic matter on Al solubility was supported by partial least square (PLS) regressions.     

Sorption of Isoproturon and Dimetomorph on lignocellulose from wheat

The adsorption of toxic chemicals on solid substates is a potential means to clean polluted waters. Here, the adsorption of two pesticides, isoproturon and dimetomorph, on lignocellulose extracted from wheat straw is investigated at 20 °C using batch adsorption experiments. Here, we show that the sorption of both pesticides is independent of pH. The sorption capacity of lignocellulose is evaluated. We show that the presence of metallic cations has no influence on the retention capacity of lignocellulose towards pesticides.     

Screening risk areas for sediment and phosphorus losses to improve placement of mitigation measures

Identification of vulnerable arable areas to phosphorus (P) losses is needed to effectively implement mitigation measures. Indicators for source (soil test P, STP), potential mobilization by erosion (soil dispersion), and transport (unit-stream power length-slope, LS) risks were used to screen the vulnerability to suspended solids (SS) and P losses in two contrasting catchments regarding topography, soil textural distribution, and STP. Soils in the first catchment ranged from loamy sand to clay loam, while clay soils were dominant in the second catchment. Long-term SS and total P losses were higher in the second catchment in spite of significantly lower topsoil STP. A higher proportion of areas in the second catchment were identified with higher risk due to the significantly higher risk of overland flow generation (LS) and a significantly higher mobilization risk in the soil dispersion laboratory tests. A simple screening method was presented to improve the placement of mitigation measures.     

Novel Biocomposites Sheet Molding Compounds for Low Cost Housing Panel Applications

Biocomposites were made by a novel high volume processing technique named biocomposite sheet molding compound panel (BCSMCP) manufacturing process. This process design was inspired by the commercial glass fiber–polyester resin composite fabrication method called sheet molding compounding (SMC). This process yields continuous production of biocomposites on a large scale, and thus can be easily adopted in industries. A unique fiber dispersion method, which enabled uniform distribution of natural fibers, was used in this process. Consistency of the process was tested by evaluating the repeatability of the resultant materials mechanical properties. The low cost biocomposites produced as a result of the processing will be used for various panel applications such as housing and transportation. The molded samples were tested for various mechanical and thermal properties, in accordance with ASTM procedures. The biocomposites were made with various natural fibers including, big blue stem grass, jute, and industrial hemp. By combining different natural fibers in varying mass fractions, hybrid biocomposites were made using this process. Grass fiber reinforced polyester biocomposites processed by the SMC line showed very promising results.