Investigation of sustainable energy alternatives for powering remote communities in northern Ontario

ABSTRACT

Remote communities in the North of Ontario survive in isolation as their proximity to the southern industrial sector of the province limits their accessibility to the major grid. The lack of grid connection has led to antiquated methods of power generation which pollute the environment and deplete the planet of its natural resources. Aside from the primary means of electricity generation being by diesel generators, generation infrastructure is deteriorating due to age and the stagnation of the power supply has led to communities facing load restrictions. These challenges may be resolved by introducing clean energy alternatives and providing a fuel blend option. The primary energy sources investigated in this research are solar, wind, and hydrogen. To assess the viability of these energy production methods in Northern communities, an exergy analysis is employed as it utilizes both the first and second law of thermodynamics to determine systems’ efficiency and performance in the surroundings. Local weather patterns were used to determine the viability of using wind turbines, solar panels and/or hydrogen fuel cells in a remote community. Through analysis of the resources available at the community, it was determined that the hydrogen fuel cell was best suited to provide clean energy to the community. Wind resulted in low efficiency in the range of 2–3% while solar efficiencies resulted in ranges of 18 – 19%, as the seasonal variations between the three years is not very great. Due to the higher operating efficiencies observed of the PV panels it would also be an attractive alternative to diesel generators however, the lack of consistent operation above 30% efficiency throughout the year, resulted in hydrogen fuel cells being a better alternative.     

大型公共活动风险控制研究与分析

大型公共活动人口密度大、流动性强,极易引发安全事故,造成大量人员伤亡和恶劣社会影响。笔者从风险管理角度,提出大型公共活动的风险控制程序,通过方案评估、静态评估、管控能力及应急能力等几方面对大型公共活动进行动态分析。明确划分大型公共活动场所的重点部位;将大型公共活动的管控能力预警分为4个等级,界定相应人群容量特征,并针对不同级别提出相应安全管理措施;强调整体容量,重点部位容量的确定应与项目目标协同一致,形成大型公共活动风险管理控制的新思路,对大型公共活动风险管理具有重要意义,值得在一般大型公共活动风险评估中广泛应用。     

ESTIMATING THE SUSPENDED SEDIMENT LOAD IN RESERVOIRS1

ABSTRACT: The total suspended sediment loads of four north Mississippi reservoirs were determined from measurements of concentrations of suspended sediment in a vertical profile at several locations on each reservoir made during the year. These data were combined with the stage-height and known stage-volume relationships for each reservoir in a numerical integration to determine the total suspended sediment in the water body. Total suspended sediments were estimated using the product of the suspended sediment concentration in the surface water by the appropriate reservoir volume. The averaged ratios of the estimated to measured suspended sediment loads for each reservoir exceeded 0.90. Since the concentration of suspended sediments in surface waters of north Mississippi reservoirs has been shown as highly correlated with spectral reflectance, estimating the total suspended sediment of these reservoirs using remotely sensed spectral reflectance data is possible.     

3种增塑剂单独和联合暴露对MCF-7细胞增殖的影响

为了探究结构差异较大、应用较为广泛的几类增塑剂雌激素活性的联合效应,选择邻苯二甲酸二丁酯(DBP)、双酚A(BPA)和壬基酚(NP)作为邻苯二甲酸酯、双酚A类和烷基酚类增塑剂的代表物进行试验.用DBP、BPA和NP单独及两两混合处理MCF-7细胞.采用MTT法检测培养24h、48 h、72 h和96h时的细胞增殖情况.采用流式细胞术检测药物培养48h后的细胞生长周期分布,并计算细胞增殖指数(PI).运用效应叠加模型(ES)判定联合效应类型.结果表明,在单独暴露试验中,DBP、BPA和NP组PI均大于1,且均能提高S期(DNA合成期)细胞比例.因此,DBP、BPA和NP均能显著促进MCF-7细胞增殖.混合暴露试验中,1)DBP和BPA在MTT试验中24h、48h、72 h和96h时的效应叠加指数(ESI)分别为1.013 9、1.023 8、0.9999、1.010 8,在流式细胞仪试验中ESI为1.014 1.因此,DBP和BPA的雌激素活性联合效应为加和作用.2)DBP和NP在MTT试验中24 h、48 h、72 h和96 h时的ESI分别为1.004 0、1.008 6、1.011 5、1.010 3,流式细胞仪试验中ESI为0.997 0.因此,DBP和NP的雌激素活性联合效应为加和作用.3)BAP和NP在MTT试验中24h、48 h、72 h和96h时的ESI分别为0.980 6、0.981 8、0.977 7、0.973 3,流式细胞仪试验的ESI为0.912 8.由此可知,BPA和NP的雌激素活性联合效应为拮抗作用.因此,可以采用MCF-7细胞增殖试验研究环境污染物雌激素活性联合效应.     

一株高效降解废水有机质耐冷菌的筛选、鉴定及特性研究

利用生物法进行污水处理已被国内外广泛使用,但由于温度影响微生物的生长和繁殖,使其成为生物污水处理效率的限制因子.本研究从污水处理厂活性污泥中分离出5株在低温4℃条件下生长良好的菌株,其中菌株DW1在4℃条件下,96 h时可将初始COD为800 mg·L-1的生活污水有机物去除率高达67.7%.结合菌落形态特征、生理生化特性以及16S r DNA序列分析,将菌株DW1初步鉴定为假单胞菌(Pseudomonas sp.).菌株DW1对COD负荷较高的污水处理效果较好;接种量为3%(体积分数)、p H为7.0时,菌株对污水COD去除率和DHA活性较高.在4℃和25℃条件下,菌株DW1均在96 h对污水COD去除率和DHA活性最高,分别为71.2%、11.35μg·m L·h-1(以TF计)和78.8%、15.11μg·m L-1·h-1(以TF计).     

土壤及铁锰结核中锰氧化菌的氧化特性分析

利用从土壤铁锰结核及其附近土壤中分离筛选得到的4株锰氧化菌,研究了不同pH、Mn(Ⅱ)初始浓度下菌株的锰氧化效率及生长情况,并用SEM-EDS及TEM对菌株WHS26、GY16形成的生物氧化锰及水羟锰矿进行了表征.结果表明,pH及Mn(Ⅱ)初始浓度对菌株的锰氧化效率均有影响,4株菌在pH 7~8、Mn(Ⅱ)初始浓度为10~20 mmol·L-1时,锰氧化效率最高;GY16、WHS26形成的生物氧化锰的形貌与化学合成的水羟锰矿存在明显差异,前者呈胶膜状附着在菌株表面,后者呈结晶态.该结果可为生物氧化锰应用于重金属污染修复提供技术支撑.     

Sensitivity of veliger larvae of Mytilus edulis and mussel of various sizes to chlorination

The blue mussel Mytilus edulis is one of the dominant fouling organisms in cooling water systems. In this work, how veliger larvae and different size groups of the mussels responded against chlorine dosage was examined. Veliger larvae mortality was studied at different residual chlorine concentrations (0.05–0.5 mg L^?1), and it was found that a chlorine dose of 0.5 mg L^?1 is 4 times as effective as 0.05 mg L^?1 and twice as effective as 0.1 mg L^?1. Mortality of 100% for three size groups (1.4, 14, and 25 mm) and relative physiological activities of two size groups (14 and 25 mm) were observed. The exposure duration for 100% mortality of mussels decreased with the increasing residual chlorine concentration (0.1–4.0 mg L^?1). Mussel size was also found to be an important factor, considering that the continuation times for mussel mortality were 28 h for the 1.4 mm and 410 h for the 25 mm size groups. All size groups showed progressive reduction in physiological activities, such as oxygen consumption, foot activity, and byssus thread production with increasing chlorine dose (0.05–1.0 mg L^?1); the two data-sets were strongly correlated with each other. The results of this study should be of significance for optimizing the chlorine content, and minimize the environmental threat to industries where mussels are the dominant fouling organisms.     

一株产电菌嗜根考克氏菌(Kocuria rhizophila)的分离及其产电性能优化

本研究以天津泰达污水处理厂污泥浓缩间的污泥为接种物,启动并运行了微生物燃料电池(MFCs).从富集的阳极生物膜上分离得到了一株纯培养的微生物菌种,命名为P2-A-5.研究发现,菌株P2-A-5的16S rDNA序列与菌株Kocuria rhizophila DC2201具有100%的同源性,结合该菌的形态特征和生理生化实验,将其归属为嗜根考克氏菌(Kocuria rhizophila).通过化学剂处理、底物种类和浓度的优化,进一步提高其在微生物燃料电池中的产电性能.结果表明,菌株K.rhizophila P2-A-5经0.5 mg·L-1溶菌酶处理45 min后,接种到以2.0 g·L-1海藻糖为底物的阳极液中运行MFCs,其功率密度达到314.8 m W·m-2,比优化前(74.9 m W·m-2)提高了320.3%.这是首次对K.rhizophila种内微生物产电性能及其在微生物燃料电池中应用的报道,其成果对于丰富产电微生物的多样性,挖掘更多具有高电化学活性的微生物菌种,提高其产电性能具有重要的理论意义.     

Aureobasidium pullulans UVMU3-1产耐热性胞外漆酶活性物质培养基优化及其对染料脱色作用

对出芽短梗霉无色素突变株Aureobasidium pullulans UVMU3-1产耐热性胞外漆酶活性物质培养基进行优化,并研究其分子量大小、热稳定性及对三苯甲烷类染料孔雀石绿和结晶紫的脱色作用.结果表明:蔗糖、NaNO_3为UVMU3-1产耐热性胞外漆酶活性物质的最佳碳源和氮源,产酶优化培养基配方为:蔗糖66.5 g·L~(-1),NaNO_338.4 g·L~(-1),NaCl 1.08 g·L~(-1),酵母浸粉0.2 g·L~(-1),KH_2PO_41 g·L~(-1),pH=6.0.影响UVMU3-1产耐热性胞外漆酶活性物质的因素依次为:起始pH蔗糖NaClNaNO_3,培养7 d时产生最大酶活(94.81 U·L~(-1)),比对照提高3.85倍.其分子量小于1000 D,具有良好的热稳定性,煮沸30 min后高温酶活仍残留72.50%.粗酶液(7.5 U·L~(-1))与三苯甲烷类代表性染料孔雀石绿和结晶紫75℃反应5 min后,脱色率分别为76.3%、77.5%,反应35 min后脱色率分别达到96.3%、95.3%.     

Cu(II), Fe(III) and Mn(II) combinations as environmental stress factors have distinguishing effects on Enterococcus hirae

Pollution by various heavy metals as environmental stress factors might affect bacteria. It was established that iron (Fe(III)), manganese (Mn(II)) and copper (Cu(II)) ion combinations caused effects on Enterococcus hirae that differed from the sum of the effects when the metals were added separately. It was shown that the Cu²⁺-Fe³⁺ combination decreased the growth and ATPase activity of membrane vesicles of wild-type E. hirae ATCC9790 and atpD mutant (with defective F_oF₁-ATPase) MS116. Addition of Mn²⁺-Fe³⁺ combinations within the same concentration range had no effects on growth compared to control (without heavy metals). ATPase activity was increased in the presence of Mn²⁺-Fe³⁺, while together with 0.2 mmol/L N,N'-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (DCCD), ATPase activity was decreased compared to control (when only 0.2 mmol/L DCCD was present). These results indicate that heavy metals ion combinations probably affect the FOF1-ATPase, leading to conformational changes. Moreover the action may be direct or be mediated by environment redox potential. The effects observed when Fe³⁺ was added separately disappeared in both cases, which might be a result of competing processes between Fe³⁺ and other heavy metals. These findings are novel and improve the understanding of heavy metals ions effects on bacteria, and could be applied for regulation of stress response patterns in the environment.