Process modeling of chemical looping combustion (CLC) of municipal solid waste

Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management - Chemical Looping Combustion (CLC) of MSW could serve as a potential treatment method for the disposal of MSW and the recovery of energy because it...     

Atmospheric aerosol growth rates at different background station types

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Highly time-resolved particle number size distributions (PNSDs) were evaluated during 5 years (2013–2017) at four background stations in the...     

Green synthesis,characterization, application and functionality of nitrogen-doped MgO/graphene nanocomposite

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - A facile, feasible, and green synthesis via an electrochemical exfoliation process was applied to synthesize nitrogen-doped MgO/graphene nanocomposite...     

Generalised Additive Models and Random Forest Approach as effective methods for predictive species density and functional species richness

Environmental and Ecological Statistics - Species distribution modelling (SDM) is a family of statistical methods where species occurrence/density/richness are combined with environmental...     

Synthesis and thermoluminescence properties of rare earth-doped NaMgBO<Subscript>3</Subscript> phosphor

Rare earth (Dy³⁺ and Sm³⁺)-doped sodium magnesium borate (NaMgBO₃) is synthesized by solution combustion synthesis method keeping their thermoluminescence properties in mind. The reaction produced very stable crystalline NaMgBO₃:RE (RE?=?Dy³⁺, Sm³⁺) phosphors. The phosphors are exposed to ⁶⁰Co gamma-ray radiations dose of varying rate from 5 to 25 Gy, and their TL characteristics with kinetic parameters are studied. NaMgBO₃:Dy³⁺ phosphor shows two peaks for lower doping concentration of Dy³⁺ while it reduced to single peak for the higher concentrations of activator Dy³⁺. NaMgBO₃:Dy³⁺ shows the major glow peak around 200 °C while NaMgBO₃:Sm³⁺ phosphors show two well-separated glow peaks at 200 and 332 °C respectively. The thermoluminescence intensity of these phosphors was compare with the commercially available TLD-100 (Harshaw) phosphor. The TL responses for gamma-ray radiations dose were found to be linear from 5 to 25 Gy for both phosphors while the fading in each case is calculated for the tenure of 45 days.     

Combining stable isotope (δ13C) of trace gases and aerobiological data to monitor the entry and dispersion of microorganisms in caves

Altamira Cave (north of Spain) contains one of the world's most prominent Paleolithic rock art paintings, which are threatened by a massive microbial colonization of ceiling and walls. Previous studies revealed that exchange rates between the cave and the external atmosphere through the entrance door play a decisive role in the entry and transport of microorganisms (bacteria and fungi) and nutrients to the interior of the cave. A spatial-distributed sampling and measurement of carrier (CO₂) and trace (CH₄) gases and isotopic signal of CO₂ (δ¹³C) inside the cave supports the existence of a second connection (active gas exchange processes) with the external atmosphere at or near the Well Hall, the innermost and deepest area of the cave. A parallel aerobiological study also showed that, in addition to the entrance door, there is another connection with the external atmosphere, which favors the transport and increases microorganism concentrations in the Well Hall. This double approach provides a more complete knowledge on cave ventilation and revealed the existence of unknown passageways in the cave, a fact that should be taken into account in future cave management.     

Natural radioactivity in groundwater from the south-eastern Arabian Peninsula and environmental implications

Groundwater is the most valuable resource in arid regions, and recognizing radiological criteria among other water quality parameters is essential for sustainable use. In the investigation presented here, gross-α and gross-β were measured in groundwater samples collected in the south-eastern Arabian Peninsula, 67 wells in Unite Arab Emirates (UAE), as well as two wells and one spring in Oman. The results show a wide gross-α and gross-β activities range in the groundwater samples that vary at 0.01～19.5 Bq/l and 0.13～6.6 Bq/l, respectively. The data show gross-β and gross-α values below the WHO permissible limits for drinking water in the majority of the investigated samples except those in region 4 (Jabel Hafit and surroundings). No correlation between groundwater pH and the gross-α and gross-β, while high temperatures probably enhance leaching of radionuclides from the aquifer body and thereby increase the radioactivity in the groundwater. This conclusion is also supported by the positive correlation between radioactivity and amount of total dissolved solid. Particular water purification technology and environmental impact assessments are essential for sustainable and secure use of the groundwater in regions that show radioactivity values far above the WHO permissible limit for drinking water.