Characterization of fulvic acids during olive mill waste composting (Elemental, Thermal and fluorescence analyses)

Elemental analysis, fluorescence spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) were applied to the study of fulvic acids isolated from different stages during olive mill waste composting. The fulvic extracted acids are characterized by a high nitrogen content and O/C ratio values that may result from the high degree of humification and the synthesis of more condensed humic complexes. This was confirmed by fluorescence spectroscopy in the synchronous-scan mode by the decrease of shoulder intensities at intermediate wavelengths indicating the increase of polycondensation and conjugation of unsaturated structures and the greater uniformity of fluorophores. Fluorescence spectra in the emission, excitation and synchronous modes became simpler with compost maturation. This was confirmed by DSC results which proved the high degree of polycondensation of aromatic nuclei of fulvic acid molecules during olive mill waste composting.     

Elemental Analysis of Water and Sediments by External Beam Pixe Part 3: Axios (Vardar) River, Greece

The Axios (Vardar) River originates from the south west part of Yugoslavia, transverses Greece, and discharges into the Thermaikos bay in the north Aegean Sea.

The proton induced X-ray emission (PIXE) method with external beam was used for the elemental analysis of water and sediment samples, while measurements of water temperature, dissolved oxygen content, conductivity, pH, and the water flow were made in situ. Water samples were also analysed for total phosphates, nitrates, chlorophyll, and BOD. The data collected for a 16-month period indicate that the Axios River is polluted as far as the metal content is concerned; its primary productivity is low and it is slightly enriched during its course into the Greek territory.     

Crystallization behavior of predominantly syndiotactic poly(β-hydroxybutyrate)

Predominantly syndiotactic poly(-hydroxybutyrate), syn-PHB, of variable syndioregularity (syndyad fractions 0.59, 0.62, 0.64, and 0.71) and molecular weight was prepared by the dibutyltin dimethoxide catalyzed ring opening of racemic-butyrolactone (BL). The crystallization behavior of the syn-PHB polymers was investigated by DSC and X-ray diffraction analyses. DSC of films after melting and annealing showed at least one, and often two distinct melting transitions occuring over a broad (often 40°C) temperature range. These results indicate that syn-PHB chain segments of variable syndioregularity form crystalline regions with very different thermodynamic stabilities. Maximum degrees of crystallinity for melt annealed 0.64- and 0.71-syn-PHB was observed at an annealing temperature (T _c ) of 30°C. AtT _c values at 45°C and higher, crystallization of relatively lower syndioregular chain segments was apparently excluded to variable degrees dependent onT _c and sample syndiotactic dyad content. After crystallization of syn-PHB samples at elevated temperatures, ambient temperature annealing resulted in an observed lower temperature melting transition at 50°C. This result showed little to no dependence on syn-PHB syndio-regularity andT _c . Both solution precipitated 0.62-syn-PHB and 0.71-syn-PHB have WAXS patterns with poorly resolved crystalline reflections superimposed on amorphous haloes indicating low levels of crystallinity (17% and 25%, respectively) and poorly formed crystals. Isothermal crystallization monitored by DSC showed that the syn- and natural origin PHB showed fastest crystallization rates at temperatures between 50°C and 70°C and 60°C and 90°C, respectively. From the dependence of the higher melting transition onT _c it was determined that the equilibrium melting temperatures for 0.62-syn-PHB (M _n =83,700 g/mol) and a 0.64-syn-PHB (M _n =11,900 g/mol) were 157 and 154°C, respectively. An Avrami analysis of syn-PHB yielded results similar to that found for natural origin PHB indicating that crystal growth occurs by a two-dimensional mechanism.Guest Editor: Dr. Graham Swift, Rohm & Haas.     

Prenatal diagnosis of autosomal recessive osteopetrosis,infantile type,by X-ray evaluation

Prenatal diagnosis for infantile osteopetrosis was attempted during the third pregnancy of a first-cousin marriage whose family history revealed an affected previous child. At the 25th week of pregnancy, fetal X-ray evaluation revealed marked sclerosis of osteopetrotic bone and metaphyseal splaying and clubbing of both femurs. The pregnancy was terminated and repeated X-rays and histopathological examination of fetal bone (femur) confirmed the diagnosis.     

氟碳涂料实验室循环盐雾试验后防腐蚀行为研究

目的 研究氟碳重防腐涂层在循环盐雾试验后的防护性能.方法 开展氟碳涂层的实验室循环盐雾试验,通过电化学阻抗谱、附着力、光泽、色差测试等方法对氟碳涂层的各性能进行分析表征,并使用等效电路图对电化学阻抗谱数据进行拟合,评价涂层在盐雾试验后的腐蚀保护性能.结果 循环盐雾试验1440 h后,涂层无失光、变色、粉化等现象,模值由1.42×1011?·cm2下降至7.26×1010?·cm2,下降幅度较小.结论 经循环盐雾试验后的氟碳涂层仍具有优异的防护性能.     

北京城区可吸入颗粒物(PM10)的矿物学研究

使用X射线衍射技术(XRD)和扫描电镜技术(SEM/EDX)对北京PM10中的矿物组分进行了分析.结果表明,北京PM10中的矿物组分存在明显的季节变化规律,春季PM10中的矿物组成种类最多;秋季PM10中的矿物种类最少;在夏季PM10中,矿物的种类有所减少,却有新的物种出现,如NH4Cl、K(NH4)Ca(SO4)2?H2O、As2O3?SO3等.粘土矿物是北京PM10中含量最高的矿物,石英的含量次之,其他依次为方解石、石膏、长石、白云石以及其他矿物颗粒;北京PM10中还存在一定数量的复合颗粒,颗粒表面常有S、Cl元素的存在.     

Fate of pharmaceuticals--photodegradation by simulated solar UV-light

The fate of pharmaceuticals in surface waters under solar irradiation was investigated. Photodegradation of pharmaceuticals caused by sun irradiation may be of major significance in the natural elimination process. Based on a data compilation from the literature, the lipid lowering agent metabolite clofibric acid, the iodinated X-ray contrast media iomeprol, which contribute to the adsorbable organic halogen compounds, and the antiepileptic drug carbamazepine were selected. The irradiation experiments were carried out in batch experiments with simulated UV–sunlight. The photodegradation of the pharmaceuticals showed a pseudo-first-order kinetics. The objective of this investigation was to demonstrate that the extent of photoinduced degradation of pharmaceuticals can vary significantly for the different pharmaceuticals and it strongly depends on the water constituents present in solution. The influences of different initial pharmaceutical concentrations, the presence of other pharmaceuticals like carbamazepine or clofibric acid and the presence of natural organic matter on the photochemical degradation rate of pharmaceuticals in aqueous solutions were investigated. Analyses of the pharmaceuticals and their photodegradation products were carried out by high performance liquid chromatography with diode-array and fluorescence detection.     

Synchronous-scan fluorescence spectra of Chlorella vulgaris solution

The characterization of the Chlorella vulgaris solution was carried out using synchronous-scan spectroscopy. The range of concentration of algae and Fe(III) in aqueous solutions were 5 × 10⁸–8 × 10⁹ cells l⁻¹ and 10–60 μM, respectively. Effective characterization method used was synchronous-scan fluorescence spectroscopy. The wavelength difference (Δλ) of 90 nm was maintained between excitation and emission wavelengths; 90 nm was found to be the best Δλ for effective characterization of Chlorella vulgaris solution with or without quencher species (e.g., Fe(III), humic acid (HA)) for the first time. The peak was observed at about EX 236.6 nm/EM 326.6 nm for synchronous-scan fluorescence spectra. The fluorescence quenching of algae in system of algae–Fe(III)–HA was studied using synchronous-scan spectroscopy for the first time. Fe(III) was clearly the effective quencher. The relationship between I₀/I (quenching efficiency) and c (concentration of Fe(III) added) was a linear correlation for the algae solution with Fe(III). Also, Aldrich humic acid was found to be an effective quencher. pH effect on synchronous-scan fluorescence intensity of algal solution with Fe(III) and/or HA was evident.     

Trace metal levels in freshwater fish, sediment and water

The trace metal concentrations in water, sediment and aquatic organisms, such as fish, could indicate the level and tendency of the pollution. This is important not only for the protection of the environment, but for evaluation of the quality of fish meat either captured from natural waters or cultured in fishponds. The total trace metal concentrations in samples of fish from different regions of Hungary and from different species have been determined by using an X-ray fluorescence technique (EDXRF). Water, sediment and fish samples from fishpond systems with different feeding and stocking has also been analyzed. In the case of zinc contents, differences have been traced between the cultured and wild common carp. In the case of common carp reared under different feeding conditions, differences were also observed in the zinc concentration. The retention of the trace metals in the fish has been studied by measuring the levels in sediment, water and feed. The different retention can be explained by the different availability of zinc in the applied feeds, which can be related to the presence of different metal species in the feeds.