Eco‐efficiency,self‐sufficiency and sustainability in transport: The limits for Brazilian sugarcane ethanol policy

This paper examines the historic development of the Brazilian sugarcane ethanol sector and the largely successful attempt to create a sustainable, renewable fuel for the transport sector. The policy that resulted from this process is an example of meeting the need for sustainable transport through the consideration of location‐specific characteristics and appropriate policy. The paper then questions the current and expected trajectory of the sugarcane ethanol sector with the focus on one key question: can sustainability be exported? In this analysis, the paper identifies new threats to the sustainability of Brazilian sugarcane ethanol and potential “opportunity costs” incurred in further development and internationalization of the sector. The paper concludes that exporting sugarcane ethanol may bring unanticipated deleterious consequences, which in turn means that both policy and theory need to be more precise about how sustainable transport is defined and bounded by time and space.     

Cloning and expression analysis of ScBAK1 gene and its alternative spliceosome in sugarcane北大核心CSCD

Alternative splicing (AS) is an important part of regulation of eukaryotic gene expression. BAK1 (Brassinosteroid insensitive1-associated receptor kinase 1) is a specific type of plant serine/threonine protein kinases, and can regulate growth and development and natural immunization. To reveal the responses of sugarcane BAK1 gene to the adverse environment, a ScBAK1 gene and its alternative spliceosome, termed ScBAK1 (GenBank accession number: KP032226) and ScBAK1 S1 (GenBank accession number: KP032227), were cloned from leaf cDNA of Yacheng 05-179 utilizing the methods of electronic cloning and RT-PCR. The open reading frame (ORF) length of ScBAK1/ScBAK1 S1 gene was 1 860bp/1 770bp, encoding 619/589 amino acids residues. The predicted molecular weight of the protein was 69.28 kDa/ 65.76 kDa. Both proteins were located in plasma membrane, estimated as acid, hydrophikic and secretive proteins. Random coil and alpha helix gave priority to extended strand in their secondary structure without beta turn. The most important protein function was cell envelope, secondly biosynthesis of amino acids and cofactors. Real-time quantitative PCR analysis revealed that the expression of sugarcane ScBAK1 S1 gene exhibited the reduced expression trend under smut fungus stress and various abiotic exogenous stresses, including SA, CuCl2, PEG, ABA, NaCl and JA, while the expression of ScBAK1 gene was induced by SA, CuCl2, PEG, NaCl and smut fungus stresses. The phenomenon showed that the absent sequences or amounts of ScBAK1 S1 gene plays a key role in the response of ScBAK1 to the stress of sugarcane smut fungus, osmotic stress and cell growth. The differential expression of ScBAK1 and ScBAK1 S1 lays a foundation for further research on the function of ScBAK1 gene under biotic and abiotic stress.     

一种新型土壤改良剂的制备及性能研究

以废弃蔗渣为原料提取纤维微晶,结合筛选的高效菌株制备成一种新型的土壤改良剂.通过土壤改良剂的红外光谱分析和电子扫描显微镜(SEM)微观形貌分析,土壤改良剂是由各单体在交联剂作用下形成的交联网状大分子,具有众多亲水基团的共聚体,纤维微晶呈白色条状分布,被共聚体所包裹.土壤改良剂吸水持续时间及吸水性能较蔗渣有明显提升,在去...     

Reuse of sugarcane bagasse ash (SCBA) to produce ceramic materials

Sugarcane bagasse ash (SCBA) is a residue resulting from the burning of bagasse in boilers in the sugarcane/alcohol industry. SCBA has a very high silica concentration and contains aluminum, iron, alkalis and alkaline earth oxides in smaller amounts. In this work, the properties of sintered ceramic bodies were evaluated based on the concentration of SCBA, which replaced non-plastic material. The ash was mixed (up to 60 wt%) with a clayed raw material that is used to produce roof tiles. Prismatic probes were pressed and sintered at different temperatures (up to 1200 °C). Technological tests of ceramic probes showed that the addition of ash has little influence on the ceramic properties up to 1000 °C. X-ray diffraction and thermal analysis data showed that, above this temperature the ash participates in the sintering process and in the formation of new important phases. The results reported show that the reuse of SCBA in the ceramic industry is feasible.     

改性甘蔗渣吸附废水中低浓度Cu2+的研究

利用离子液氯化-1-己基-3-甲基咪唑对甘蔗渣进行改性,利用改性甘蔗渣吸附去除模拟废水中低浓度的Cu2+,并对比了较优条件下甘蔗渣改性前后的Cu2+吸附性能.结果表明,溶液pH、改性甘蔗渣投加量、吸附时间对改性甘蔗渣吸附Cu2+均有一定的影响,较佳的溶液pH为5.41、改性甘蔗渣投加量为0.30 g、吸附时间为130 min;吸附温度升高Cu2+吸附率反而降低,因此选择在室温下进行吸附反应为宜;在以上较优条件下,改性甘蔗渣和甘蔗渣的Cu2+吸附率分别为83.20％和53.83％,前者的Cu2+吸附率提高了30.35％.     

Ca2+对上流式多级厌氧反应器处理蔗渣渗滤液的影响

研究了上流式多级厌氧反应器(UMAR)处理蔗渣渗滤液过程中Ca2+浓度对反应器运行特性和颗粒污泥性质的影响。结果表明,对于蔗渣渗滤液而言,进水中低浓度的Ca2+浓度(80～300 mg/L)对颗粒污泥产甲烷活性无抑制,COD去除率最高可达93.3%;Ca2+浓度达到500 mg/L以上时,对厌氧颗粒污泥的活性有抑制作用;随着Ca2+浓度进一步升高,抑制作用加强,污泥灰分明显升高,活性成分下降,COD去除效率明显降低,污泥粘结沉积在反应器底部,导致系统内循环出现障碍。因此,在实际生产中应减少废水中Ca2+的引入量。     

Emission factors for PCDD/PCDF and dl-PCB from open burning of biomass

The Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants includes in its aims the minimisation of unintentional releases of polychlorinated dibenzo-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/PCDF) and dioxin like PCB (dl-PCB) to the environment. Development and implementation of policies to achieve this aim require accurate national inventories of releases of PCDD/PCDF/dl-PCB. To support this objective, the Conference of Parties established a process to review and update the UNEP Standardized Toolkit for Identification and Quantification of Dioxin and Furan Releases. An assessment of all emission inventories was that for many countries open burning of biomass and waste was identified as the major source of PCDD/PCDF releases. However, the experimental data underpinning the release estimates used were limited in number and, consequently, confidence in the accuracy of the emissions predictions was low. There has been significant progress in measurement technology since the last edition of the Toolkit in 2005. In this paper we reassess published emission factors for release of PCDD/PCDF and dl-PCB to land and air.In total, four types of biomass and 111 emission factors were assessed. It was found that there are no systematic differences in emission factors apparent between biomass types or fire classes. The data set is best described by a lognormal distribution. The geometric mean emission factors (EFs) for releases of PCDD/PCDF to air for the four biomass classes used in the Toolkit (sugarcane, cereal crops, forest and savannah/grass) are 1.6 μg TEQ (t fuel)⁻¹, 0.49 μg TEQ (t fuel)⁻¹, 1.0 μg TEQ (t fuel)⁻¹ and 0.4 μg TEQ (t fuel)⁻¹, respectively. Corresponding EFs for release of PCDD/PCDF to land are 3.0 ng TEQ (kg ash)⁻¹, 1.1 ng TEQ (kg ash)⁻¹, 1.1 ng TEQ (kg ash)⁻¹ and 0.67 ng TEQ (kg ash)⁻¹. There are now also sufficient published data available to evaluate EFs for dl-PCB release to air for sugarcane, forest and grass/savannah; these are 0.03 μg TEQ (t fuel)⁻¹, 0.09 μg TEQ (t fuel)⁻¹ and 0.01 μg TEQ (t fuel)⁻¹, respectively. The average EF for dl-PCB release to land is 0.19 ng TEQ (kg ash)⁻¹. Application of these EFs to national emissions of PCDD/PCDF for global estimates from open burning will lower previous estimates of PCDD/PCDF releases to air and to land by 85% and 90%, respectively. For some countries, the ranking of their major sources will be changed and open burning of biomass will become less significant than previously concluded.     

Bioconversion of sugarcane bagasse into a protein-rich product by white rot fungus

The fungus Pleurotus ostreatus NRRL-2366 degraded 56.7% and 45.9% of untreated and chemically pretreated (delignified) sugarcane bagasse, respectively, during 14-day incubation in a submerged fermentation process. The biodegradation percentages of cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin were 33.0%, 72.5% and 14.5%, respectively. An increment of 22.6% of crude protein content in the residual fermented material was observed. Chemical composition of the end-product and its amino acids profile were reported.     

Environmental, land-use and economic implications of Brazilian sugarcane expansion 1996–2006

Governments are promoting biofuels and the resulting changes in land use and crop reallocation to biofuels production have raised concerns about impacts on environment and food security. The promotion of biofuels has also been questioned based on suggested marginal contribution to greenhouse gas emissions reduction, partly due to induced land use change causing greenhouse gas emissions. This study reports how the expansion of sugarcane in Brazil during 1996–2006 affected indicators for environment, land use and economy. The results indicate that sugarcane expansion did not in general contribute to direct deforestation in the traditional agricultural region where most of the expansion took place. The amount of forests on farmland in this area is below the minimum stated in law and the situation did not change over the studied period. Sugarcane expansion resulted in a significant reduction of pastures and cattle heads and higher economic growth than in neighboring areas. It could not be established to what extent the discontinuation of cattle production induced expansion of pastures in other areas, possibly leading to indirect deforestation. However, the results indicate that a possible migration of the cattle production reached further than the neighboring of expansion regions. Occurring at much smaller rates, expansion of sugarcane in regions such as the Amazon and the Northeast region was related to direct deforestation and competition with food crops, and appear not to have induced economic growth. These regions are not expected to experience substantial increases of sugarcane in the near future, but mitigating measures are warranted.     

Strategies for Management of Sicyos polyacanthus Cogn. (Cucurbitaceae) in Sugarcane Crops of Tucumán,Argentina

Abstract

Sicyos polyacanthus is one of the most important weed in sugarcane crops of Tucumán (Argentina). The objective of this work was to establish strategies that would decrease the weed incidence in the crop to a minimum level. The study was carried out during 1998–2003 at five localities of sugarcane production of Tucumán (Argentina). The plots were 20 m long (192 m²) with 6 furrows and each plot was replicated five times. Treatments were: (i) Mechanical–chemical cultivation without fire; (ii) Mechanical–chemical culltivation with fire; (iii) Mechanical cultivation with handle pulled and with fire; (iv) Mechanical cultivation with handle pulled without fire; (v) Mechanical and chemical variants with fertilization and without fertilization; (vi) Mechanical and chemical variants with watering and without watering; (vii) Fallow and rotation, at the sugarcane crop renovation; (viii) Mechanical and chemical variants for plant cane and ratoon cane; and (ix) Mulching of harvest rests. The results suggest that besides the use of preemergent herbicides, fire marks the entry point of control, influencing fluxes and seed viability. It appears that fallow, mulching, and rotation of crops is fundamental for eliminating seeds that live short time in the soil and increase the mortality rate of species.