Microbial fuel cells: Advances in electrode modifications for improvement of system performance

There is an increasing trend to conduct the researches related to Microbial Fuel Cells (MFCs) in the recent years. Limited power output has been the major obstacle for the practical application and upscaling of MFCs. Attempts have been made on electrode modifications such as anode treatments, cathode modifications with catalysts and bio cathodes developments to produce varying degrees of improved output current depending upon the types of modifications. Power density and Coulombic efficiency have been considered as the important parameters to analyze the system performances. This paper overviews on the advances made in MFCs’ researches focusing on different types of electrodes modifications along with the involved methodology. Furthermore, the system performances of different modified MFCs are compared in terms of the power density and the Coulombic efficiency.     

Improving photostability and efficiency of polymeric luminescent solar concentrators by PMMA/MgO nanohybrid coatings

MgO nanocrystals were synthesized and doped with different concentrations in poly(methylmethacrylate) (PMMA) to prepare hybrid organic-inorganic coatings based on polymer nanohybrid thin films. The nanoparticles were found to be spherical with 62 nm diameter as determined by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and atomic force microscope (AFM). The coatings were characterized by spectroscopic tools such as optical absorption, transmission and fluorescence spectroscopy. The prepared nanohybrid films were spin-coated on cost-effective luminescent PMMA substrates doped with highly efficient luminescent dyes luminescent solar concentrators (LSCs). The outdoor photostability tests demonstrated enhanced protection against UVA radiation for coated LSCs compared to bare LSC substrates. The current–voltage characteristics of commercially produced LSC prototypes showed that the poor UV response of monocrystalline silicon solar cell can be improved by for LSCs coated by PMMA/MgO nanohybrid films which act as luminescent down shifting layer (LDSL).     

A case study of an isolated wind powered electricity system meeting 100% of local demand

Using meteorological and electricity demand data for a 4-year period, electricity demand in Shetland was modeled to provide an estimate of the demand over a 30-year period from 1 January 1981. That modeled demand was then compared to estimated wind power output over the same period using the WAsP model. The wind farm output was estimated for a range of sizes of wind farm up to the consented 370 MW Viking Wind Farm in Shetland. Some wind power was available for 94% of the time and the 370 MW wind farm would meet 100% of demand for nearly 80% of the time. The statistics of single and accumulated deficits were calculated for a range of wind farms and estimates of the amount of additional generation capacity and additional power requirements were assessed. The study suggests that with storage, wind power in Shetland could meet all electricity demand in Shetland at around £130 to £150/MWh (excluding subsidy) and with a grid connection allowing the sale of excess power, those costs could be reduced.     

絮团粘性分维数的概念及其分析模型

水处理中的絮团具有复杂的形态结构,分维数是描述这种结构的有力工具。通过分析固液体系的粘度与絮团分维数之间的关系,提出了絮团粘性分维数的新概念及粘性分维数测定的数学物理模型,并进行了实验验证。与常用的质量分维数、边界分维数、面积分维数、体积分维数、表面积分维数等相比,絮团的粘性分维数及其测定模型具有易于测量、可同时表征不同类型絮团、可定量分析絮凝产品组成等特点,从而为絮团形态结构的定性及定量研究开辟了新的途径。     

江汉平原土地利用对钉螺分布的影响研究

分析了江汉平原2009年易于钉螺孳生的3种土地利用类型（滩地、河渠和水田）比例与钉螺密度的关系。首先,在ERDAS9.2和ENVI4.7软件中对江汉平原2009年的Landsat5TM遥感影像进行了预处理。在已有的多期土地利用数据的基础上,借助eCognition软件利用向量相似度指标来提取土地利用变化区域,结合目视解译经验并运用遥感指标通过建立规则集对变化区域进行分类,将变化区域的分类结果更新2000年数据,得到了该区域2009年的土地利用数据。接下来,整理了江汉平原2009年螺情资料并计算出村级钉螺平均密度,绘制了2009年钉螺分布图。将绘制的钉螺分布图与土地利用分类图叠置分析,并结合收集的螺情数据确定了钉螺易于孳生的3种土地利用类型,分别为滩地、河渠和水田。最后,将钉螺密度与这3种土地利用比例进行线性回归分析。研究结果表明,钉螺密度与这三种土地利用类型比例存在线性回归关系,模型精度为R2=0857。该结论对通过遥感影像来估算钉螺密度具有指导意义,另外也可以为湖北省提出合理用地和灭螺并重的土地利用模式提供一定的科学参考     

青虾池塘养殖环境效率分析

为以环境友好型效率标准合理引导青虾池塘养殖生产活动,将淡水养殖对环境的影响纳入效率研究的范畴,以青虾池塘养殖为例,分别运用SBM模型和CCR模型,计算了青虾池塘养殖的环境效率和经济效率,以及各投入要素的使用情况。并运用相关分析、配对样本T检验和方差齐次性检验等技术进行比较研究。研究结果表明：当前我国青虾池塘养殖的环境效率（考虑环境因素的经济效率）仅为0476 9,而传统的经济效率（不考虑环境因素的经济效率）为0696 7,前者显著低于后者,且波动性更强。所有的要素投入都存在过量现象。除电费、虾苗和药物投入外,其他各项投入在环境效率中的过量程度均大于经济效率;具有固定成本性质的投入品,如劳动力投入和机械投入的过量程度更为严重;利用率过低致使肥料投入过量程度高于饲料投入。农户资源配置过程中忽视环境成本是根本原因,应引起高度重视     

Variation in the seed progeny of smooth brome grass,Bromus inermis Leyss., under conditions of chronic irradiation in the zone of the Eastern Ural Radioactive Trace

Long-term studies have been performed on the seed progeny of B. inermis from test plots established along the radioactive contamination gradient in the zone of the Eastern Ural Radioactive Trace (EURT), where dose loads on maternal plants and embryos of seeds from chronically irradiated cenopopulations (with natural background radiation taken into account) exceed control values by factors of 2 to 107. Interannual and individual variation in the viability, mutability, and radiosensitivity of the seed progeny has been revealed. Against the background of high interpopulation variation in test parameters in the EURT zone, weather conditions appear to have no significant effect on seed quality, while such effects are appreciable in background cenopopulations. It has been shown that a positive correlation exist between the initial viability of the seed progeny and their radioresistance. Chronic irradiation in a wide dose range induces an increased frequency of different mutations and morphological modifications. The contents of low-molecular antioxidants in seedlings from impact cenopopulations proved to be higher than in the background sample. The results obtained characterize the potential of protective and restorative mechanisms acquired in the course of evolution that allow plants to survive in the changing environment under exposure to technogenic stress.     

The status of mammal populations in the middle Urals and factors determining their distribution and density

Changes in the distribution and abundance of some game mammals have been analyzed over the past 100–150 years. Correlations between changes in the population density of species in slightly and strongly transformed habitats have been revealed, which show that the influence of anthropogenic factors on the population density of species has a highly complex pattern. Transformation of habitats leads to disturbances in the species composition of communities, changes in the population density of species, and disruption of functional relationships between them.     

Adaptive properties of the dandelion (Taraxacum officinale Wigg. s.l.) under conditions of air pollution by motor vehicle exhausts

Microcalorimetric, gasometric, and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) methods have been used to evaluate heat production, gas exchange, and root membrane permeability in dandelion of different morphological forms from populations exposed to different levels of air pollution. The results show that these forms differ in the level of energy metabolism and that the form with a higher metabolic level (T. off. f. dahlstedtii) is more tolerant of air pollution with motor vehicle exhausts.