A Comparison of Volunteer,BioRID P3 and Hybrid III Performance in Rear Impacts

The most important tool for testing seat-systems in rear impacts is a crash test dummy. However, investigators have noted limitations of the most commonly used dummy, the Hybrid III. The BioRID I is a step closer to a biofidelic crash test dummy, but it is not user-friendly and the straightening of the thoracic spine kyphosis is smaller than that 220of humans. To reduce these problems, a new BioRID prototype was developed, the P3. It has new neck muscle substitutes, a softer thoracic spine and a softer rubber torso than does the BioRID I.

The BioRID P3 was compared with volunteer test data in a rigid and a standard seal without head restraints. The dummy kinematic performance, pressure distribution between subject and seatback, neck loads and accelerations were compared with those of ten volunteers and a Hybrid III. The BioRID P3 provided repeatable test results and its response was very similar to that of the average volunteer in rear impacts at Δv = 9 km/h.     

Sex ratio estimations of loggerhead sea turtle hatchlings by histological examination and nest temperatures at Fethiye beach, Turkey

Hatchling sex ratios in the loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) were estimated by placing electronic temperature recorders in 21 nests at Fethiye beach during 2000–2002. Over the seasons, the mean temperature in the middle third of the incubation period ranged from 26.7 to 32.1°C, and incubation periods ranged from 49 to 67 days. Based on the mean temperatures during the middle third of the incubation period, and on histologically sexed dead hatchlings, the sex ratios of hatchlings at Fethiye beach were roughly equal, i.e. 60–65% of the hatchlings were females. This contrasts with the highly female-skewed sex ratios in loggerhead turtles elsewhere; Fethiye has a relatively high proportion of male hatchlings. For endangered sea turtles, the knowledge of hatchling sex ratios at different beaches, coupled with appropriate conservation measures, can make an important contribution to their survival.     

Capacity to Influence Sources of Heavy Metals to Wastewater Treatment Sludge

Wastewater treatment sludge contains valuable nutrients, yet represents a residue problem due to the amount of heavy metals, which is one of the factors preventing the use of sludge as fertilizer. In Sweden, the government has a declared aim of closing the ecocycles of nutrients to arable land, while at the same time the existing limit values are among the lowest in the world. This paper focuses on the opportunities for Swedish wastewater utilities (WWUs) to manage and reduce sources of heavy metals in order to get sludge approved and recycled. A case study focusing on sources of the heavy metals Cd, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, and Zn and the WWUs ability to influence the source by means of existing regulations was traced and categorized. A substantial fraction of the heavy metals were shown to be caused by diffuse emissions, such as the use of goods and products in society. For most sources discussed in the paper, a WWU can only manage the sources to a limited extent, if at all. This study shows that the WWUs cannot manage both recycling of nutrients and a decrease in heavy metals ending up in sludge. Diffuse emissions of heavy metals must be examined in context, not as a separate phenomenon or an issue for a single actor. The existing environmental legislation does not handle diffuse sources, yet long-term strategies for reducing the emissions to wastewater treatment must involve the reduction of diffuse emissions.     

Effect and Control of Pollution in Catchment Area of Lake Sapanca, Turkey

/ Land-based point and diffuse pollution sources in the catchment area of Lake Sapanca, Turkey, were investigated. The present and future distribution of pollution loads were evaluated in terms of nitrogen, phosphorus, biochemical oxygen demand, and pesticides. A methodology for the estimation of pollution loads was presented; most of which were based on "unit loads." Presently domestic and industrial point sources dominate over diffuse sources including fertilizers and pesticides from agricultural use, nutrient loads from forests and meadows, urban runoff, and leachates from unregulated dumps of solid wastes. For the future, the aim of the control action is to maintain the sustainability of the water quality of the lake, at least at the second class of European Community standards. Within this framework; urgent/short-term and medium/long-term control actions will be exercised. In the urgent/short-term stage, simpler and natural ways of treatment will be employed. In the medium/long-term stage an integrated collection and treatment system will be put on operation. After completion of a proposed collection system and treatment plants to handle point sources, the control of diffuse sources will be more significant. Control of diffuse sources for the abatement of further deterioration of water quality then becomes the key issue to be emphasized in the Lake Sapanca catchment area. Diffuse sources control will be achieved by dividing the catchment area into three major protection zones. Use of pesticides and fertilizers on agricultural land and all other activities within these protection zones will be accomplished according to control plans, which will be supervised by an institution established to be responsible of all the activities within the basin.KEY WORDS: Diffuse sources; Land-based pollution; Nutrients; Pesticides; Point sources; Protection zones     

Synchronous variation in water chemistry for 80 lakes in Southern Sweden

Variation in water chemistry was studied in 80 lakes in southern Sweden. The lakes had forest dominated catchments. The length of the time series was 14 years. Synchrony was calculated as Pearsons product moment correlation coefficients for all combinations of lakes, i.e. 3160 lake-pairs. The chemical variables studied were non-marine sulphate (SO₄ ^*), non-marine calcium (Ca^*), absorbance and acid neutralising capacity (ANC). Statistically significant synchrony occurred in 93% of all lake-pairs for SO₄ ^*, and between 58 and 67% for absorbance, Ca^* and ANC. In 70% of all lake-pairs, the synchrony was \s>0.71 for SO₄ ^*, which means that more than half of the variation in one lake could be explained by the variation in the other lake. For absorbance, Ca^* and ANC, about 25% of the lake-pairs had a synchrony \s>0.71. The relatively high synchrony for SO₄ ^* occurred during an overall downward trend in SO₄ ^* concentration.The degree of synchrony in our study was at a level comparable to other studies in northern America and England. However, our study included lakes in a much larger area, with distances of up to 500 km between the lakes, while earlier studies were made on small lake districts with lakes located within approximately 50 km. In contrast to these earlier studies, there was no correlation between synchrony and distance, lake characteristics or catchment characteristics. However, when a small subset of 15 lakes in the southeast of Sweden was selected, such relations were found.     

Quality of Shallow Groundwater and Drainage Water in Irrigated Agricultural Lands in A Mediterranean Coastal Region of Turkey

Spatial and seasonal differences in water quality of drainage water and unconfined shallow groundwater were related to irrigation in Samandağ, a Mediterranean coastal region. Eighteen wells, seven drainage points and Orontes River were monitored bimonthly for one year for analyses of electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS), sodium adsorption ratio (SAR), cations (Na, K, Ca + Mg) and anions (CO₃, HCO₃, Cl and SO₄). Agricultural irrigation using saline groundwater decreased water quality of Orontes River during the irrigation season (May to September) more than during the non-irrigation season (October to April). Seasonal fluctuations in water quality of shallow groundwater were greater during the irrigation season than the non-irrigation season in the study area. Excessive use of groundwater resulted in a decline in the water table levels in the irrigation season. Water table level rose up to the soil surface in areas where there was a lack of drainage or poor drainage, due to the impact of precipitation in the winter. SAR and pH values of drainage water increased in the irrigation season, while the other properties of drainage water decreased. Irrigation water quality of Orontes River was classified as C₃S₁ in both seasons. Irrigation water quality of shallow groundwater and drainage water varied from C₂S₁ to C₄S₂ in one year. Drainage and well waters were found to be different on yearly basis in terms of Na, SAR (p<0.01) and Ca + Mg concentrations (p<0.001). Ca + Mg concentrations for both sources were different for all sampling dates (p<0.001).     

Effect of addition diatomite powder on mechanical strength,elevated temperature resistance and microstructural properties of industrial waste fly ash-based geopolymer

This study examines the use of fly ash, a thermal power plant waste, and the effect of diatomite, a fossil algae type, on waste-based geopolymers in the production of sustainable geopolymer binders. The effects of 1%, 2%, 3%, 4% and, 5% diatomite substitution on waste-based mortars were investigated. Mortars containing 10% and 12% Na⁺ by weight based on the binder material were cured at 75 °C for 48 h. The flexural and compressive strength, abrasion resistance, determination of ultrasonic pulse velocity, and resistance to high temperatures of geopolymer mortar samples were investigated. In addition, FESEM images, EDX and XRD analyses of geopolymer mortar samples were made, and their microstructures were examined. 2% diatomite substitution increased flexural and compressive strength. In parallel with this situation, it was concluded that the abrasion resistance and ultrasonic pulse velocity of the geopolymer mortar with 2% diatomite substituted increased. In addition, it has been shown in FESEM images that the microstructure has a denser morphology. All geopolymer mortars lost strength after the high temperatures of 300 °C, 600 °C and 900 °C. As a result, it was concluded that diatomite containing highly reactive silica can be used in geopolymer systems.

     

Smoke filtration performances of membranes produced from commercial PVA and recycled PET by electrospinning method and ANN modeling

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Plastic waste and air pollution are becoming a great concern due to their adverse effect on human health and the environment. There is increasing...     

A New Phosphorus Paradigm for the Baltic Proper

The external phosphorus (P) loading has been halved, but the P content in the water column and the area of anoxic bottoms in Baltic proper has increased during the last 30 years. This can be explained by a temporary internal source of dissolved inorganic phosphorus (DIP) that is turned on when the water above the bottom sediment becomes anoxic. A load-response model, explaining the evolution from 1980 to 2005, suggests that the average specific DIP flux from anoxic bottoms in the Baltic proper is about 2.3 g P m⁻² year⁻¹. This is commensurable with fluxes estimated in situ from anoxic bottoms in the open Baltic proper and from hydrographic data in the deep part of Bornholm Basin. Oxygenation of anoxic bottoms, natural or manmade, may quickly turn off the internal P source from anoxic bottoms. This new P-paradigm should have far-reaching implications for abatement of eutrophication in the Baltic proper.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s13280-013-0441-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Assessment of the Water Quality of Troia for the Multipurpose Usages

The aim of this study was to determine the origin and quality of waters in Troia. For this purpose total of 25 water samples including 2 springs, 14 surfaces and 9 groundwaters, were collected at eight different times. Global positioning system (GPS) was used to determine to coordinates of sampling points. The concentration of 6 minor elements (B, Cu, F, Fe, Pb and Zn), 9 major anions and cations (Na(+), Ca(2+), K(+), Mg(2+), SO(4)(2-), PO(4)(3-), HCO(3)(-), Cl(-) and, CO(3)(2-)) were determined by spectrometric, colorimetric and volumetric methods. Water pH, EC, DO, ORP and TDS were measured in situ using probes. The data showed that the concentrations of most of minor elements were below the EPA and TSE limits except Pb which ranged between 0.001 and 4.832 mg L(-1). Statistically significant relationships (P<0.01 and r>0.70) were observed between Fe and Cu, Cu and K(+), Cu and Ca(2+), B and Na(+), Na(+) and K(+). Assessing the water based on irrigation using Wilcox model showed that some well waters were not suitable for irrigation. Troia water was found to be highly corrosive and the average corrosion coefficients varied from 0.5 to 4.6. According to the Piper and Schoeller diagrams results, the water in Troia was classified as mixed water type.