Limits of ecodesign: the case for open source product development

Abstract

In pursuit of coping mechanisms for the challenges of sustainable manufacturing, systematic methods have been developed to allow engineers to improve the ratio between products’ utility and environmental impact. These necessary efforts remain however limited if the surrounding production and consumption practices are not called into question at the same time. This article introduces open source product development as a potential approach for unlocking the limits of existing sustainable product design practices and to lead towards alternative and eco-efficient production and consumption practices termed as participative production. First, it discusses the potential advantages of this emerging practice in terms of environmental sustainability. Second, it provides a screened qualitative environmental analysis of 18 exemplary open source hardware products. Specific sustainable design principles implemented by these products are highlighted and discussed in order to identify challenges for further common research in the field of open source and sustainable product development.     

Bioreduction of hexavalent chromium by Exiguobacterium indicum strain MW1 isolated from marine water of Paradip Port,Odisha, India

Hexavalent chromium-tolerant (1500?mg/L) bacterium MW1 was isolated from harbour water of Paradip Port and evaluated for Cr(VI) reduction potential. The isolate was identified as Exiguobacterium indicum by biochemical and 16S rRNA gene sequence methods. Salt tolerance of the bacterium was evaluated in a wide range of NaCl concentrations (0.5–13%, w/v). The Cr(VI) reduction of the strain was evaluated and optimised with varied Cr(VI) concentrations (100–1000?mg/L), pH (5.0–9.0), temperature (30–40°C) and shaking velocity (100–150?rpm) in two different minimal media (M9 and Acetate). Under optimised conditions, after 192?h of incubation nearly 92%, 50% and 46% reduction in the M9 minimal medium and 91%, 47% and 40% reduction in the acetate minimal medium were observed for 100, 500 and 1000?mg/L of Cr(VI), respectively. The exponential rate equation for Cr(VI) reduction yielded higher rate constant value, that is, 1.27?×?10^?2?h^?1 (M9) and 1.17?×?10^?2?h^?1 (Acetate) in case of 100?mg/L and became lower for 500 and 1000?mg/L Cr(VI) concentrations. Further, the association of bacterial cells with reduced product was ascertained by Fourier transform infrared spectrometer, UV–Vis–DRS and field-emission scanning electron microscope–energy-dispersive X-ray analyses. The above study suggests that the higher reducing ability of the marine bacterium E. indicum MW1 will be suitable for Cr(VI) reduction from saline effluents.     

垃圾渗滤液中典型内分泌干扰物质(EDCs)细胞毒性分析

垃圾渗滤液的人类健康风险评估日益受到人们重视,也成为研究热点。本文采用一种新型高级氧化技术UV-Fenton处理渗滤液,并用人体乳腺癌细胞(MCF-7)评估处理过程中渗滤液原液以及渗滤液中典型内分泌干扰物质(EDCs)的细胞毒性,对垃圾渗滤液中EDCs的细胞毒性和变化规律进行了研究。结果表明渗滤液中的邻苯二甲酸二丁酯(DBP)、双酚A(BPA)、壬基酚(NP)是产生细胞毒性的主要物质,其毒性大小为DBPBPANP。在同样的氧化降解过程中显示出不同毒性变化规律,通过GC-MS分析,结果显示UV-Fenton过程中产生了大量的中间产物,这也是引起毒性变化的主要原因。实验结果也说明垃圾渗滤液细胞毒性可以通过UV-Fenton过程有效去除。     

Studies on the Coupling Product between Oxidation Products Derived from Pentachlorophenol and Cyclodextrins

The coupling products (CPs), which were formed via the peroxosulfate catalyzed oxidation of pentachlorophenol (PCP) with iron(III)-tetrakis(sulfonatophenyl)porphyrin (Fe(III)-TPPS) in the presence of hydroxypropyl-β -cyclodextrin (HP-β -CD) or HP-γ -CD, were separated by ultrafiltration from the reaction mixture. When the percentages of chlorine species in the reaction mixture were calculated from the concentrations of organic chlorine in the reaction mixture and CPs, 10–25% of chlorine species in the reaction mixture was organic chlorine that was incorporated into CDs. Analyses of the CPs by pyrolysis-GC/MS (Py-GC/MS) and ¹³C NMR showed that the PCP-derived products were covalently incorporated into the CDs. To evaluate the acute toxicity of the CPs, a Microtox® test was examined. Toxicities of the CPs were reduced slightly, compared to the controls (PCP alone and PCP + reaction blanks). In the reaction blanks, mesaconic acid (MA) moieties were detected as a result of the oxidation of CDs in the absence of PCP. Thus, factors in the toxicities, detected in the CPs, can be attributed to the oxidation products derived from CDs, such as MA, as well as the PCP-derived products incorporated into the CDs.     

添加氮损失抑制剂对蓝藻泥堆肥质量的影响

对脱水蓝藻进行大型生产性堆肥实验。研究堆肥过程中,氮损失抑制剂过磷酸钙的添加对堆肥物料各类理化性质的影响。研究结果表明,过磷酸钙加入的处理组与未加过磷酸钙的对照组堆制37 d后堆肥物料均可腐熟,且堆肥肥效均符合NY525-2002的相关要求。添加过磷酸钙处理组有机质含量为490 g/kg,全N、全P和全K含量分别为20.75、10.02和11.32 g/kg,总养分含量达到9.77%,堆肥品质明显优于对照处理。同时,在微生物的作用下,对照组中微囊藻毒素MC-RR与微囊藻毒素MC-LR去除率分别达到89.8%与78.3%。值得一提的是,添加过磷酸钙后,MC-RR和MC-LR的去除率得到进一步提高,分别达到了92.96%和100%,较好地保证了蓝藻堆肥农用的安全性,为脱水蓝藻好氧堆肥化提供了可行性依据。     

城市旅游的一个研究剖面：国内外城市旅游产品研究述评

在回顾国内外城市旅游已有文献的基础上,对国外城市旅游产品这一专项内容进行了文献述评,内容集中于城市旅游产品类型包括城市文化旅游产品、城市遗产旅游产品、城市事件旅游产品、城市夜间旅游产品和城市旅游产品,要素包括城市旅游吸引物、城市旅游设施、城市旅游服务、城市可进人性。     

如何确定高加速寿命试验的应力极限

气锤驱动的高加速寿命试验,主要目的是确定试验样品的应力极限(包括工作极限和破坏极限),并通过改进试验所暴露的缺陷,按预期目标拓宽产品的应力极限。本文对一些应力极限的名词术语作了解释性说明,并具体论述了如何确定应力极限及快速温变循环试验的高低温温度极值。     

科学加强环境应力筛选以提高电子产品可靠性

针对其电子产品的可靠性越来越高的需求,本文提出了为剔除电子产品早期故障,环境应力筛选（ESS）已成为不可缺少的一个环节。通过分析如何科学加强环境应力筛选分析,以提高电子产品可靠性水平。     

The structure of the fire fighting foam surfactant Forafac®1157 and its biological and photolytic transformation products

For several decades, perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) has widely been used as a fluorinated surfactant in aqueous film forming foams used as hydrocarbon fuel fire extinguishers. Due to concerns regarding its environmental persistence and toxicological effects, PFOS has recently been replaced by novel fluorinated surfactants such as Forafac®1157, developed by the DuPont company. The major component of Forafac®1157 is a 6:2 fluorotelomer sulfonamide alkylbetaine (6:2 FTAB), and a link between the trade name and the exact chemical structure is presented here to the scientific community for the first time. In the present work, the structure of the 6:2 FTAB was elucidated by ¹H, ¹³C and ¹⁹F nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and high-resolution mass spectrometry. Moreover, its major metabolites from blue mussel (Mytilus edulis) and turbot (Scophthalmus maximus) and its photolytic transformation products were identified. Contrary to what has earlier been observed for PFOS, the 6:2 FTAB was extensively metabolized by blue mussel and turbot exposed to Forafac®1157. The major metabolite was a deacetylated betaine species, from which mono- and di-demethylated metabolites also were formed. Another abundant metabolite was the 6:2 fluorotelomer sulfonamide. In another experiment, Forafac®1157 was subjected to UV-light induced photolysis. The experimental conditions aimed to simulate Arctic conditions and the deacetylated species was again the primary transformation product of 6:2 FTAB. A 6:2 fluorotelomer sulfonamide was also formed along with a non-identified transformation product. The environmental presence of most of the metabolites and transformation products was qualitatively demonstrated by analysis of soil samples taken in close proximity to an airport fire training facility.     

Matrine and oxymatrine in corroborant plant extracts and fertilizers: HPLC/MS-MS method development and single-laboratory validation

A reversed phase high-performance liquid chromatographic method (HPLC/MS-MS) has been developed and validated for detection of alkaloids matrine and oxymatrine in fertilizer with labeled enhancer plant defense activities. The analytical method was validated statistically. The results show a strong matrix effect, requiring quantification by standard addition method. The regression lines showed r² > 0.994. Recoveries ranging from 97 to 104% were obtained for the fortification level of 0.01% wt wt^?1 and the relative standard deviations ranged from 3 to 4% (n = 10). The limits of detection were below 0.0001% wt wt^?1, while the limits of quantification did not exceed 0.0004% wt wt^?1. The method is currently applied in ICQRF Laboratory of Catania on fertilized and corroborant plant extract collected in the Italian market in the frame of MIPAAF institutional quality control activity, with the aim to dectect these unpermitted active substances.