Scleropyrum pentandrum (Dennst.) mabb—oil as a feedstock for biodiesel production—engine performance and emission studies

A feasibility study on utilization of non edible oil of Scleropyrum pentandrum was carried out to see its potential as a new source for biodiesel production. Nonedible oil seeds of Scleropyrum pentandrum have oil content of 55–60%. Transesterification of freshly extracted oil in the presence of anhydrous sodium hydroxide at a concentration 1% (w/v oil) and methanol-oil ratio of 40% (v/v oil) yields 90.8% methyl esters under conventional heating. Month old oil requires sulfuric acid pretreatment (esterification) before transesterification. The transesterified oil has a density 889–893 kg/m³; kinematic viscosity of 4.21–5.7 mm²/s; cetane index 46.03; pour point of ?15°C and gross calorific value of 40.135 MJ/kg and oxidative stability of 2.35 hours. The properties are well within the Indian, European and American standard limits recommended for biodiesel except the oxidation stability, which can be improved by adding antioxidant additives. The engine performance studies of B10 and B20 blends of Scleropyrum pentandrum biodiesel (SP biodiesel) with statistical inference confirmed that it can be used as a fuel in CI engines without any engine modifications. The engine exhaust emission analysis showed that the emission of hydrocarbons can be minimized by at least 15–20%, CO emission by 15%, smoke opacity by 10–12% and moderately lesser CO₂ and NOx emissions.     

新型悬浮填料澄清池中填料对澄清作用的影响初探

为考察可取代传统二沉池的新型悬浮填料澄清池技术的原理及关键参数,小试试验研究了填料对新型悬浮填料澄清池固液分离过程中附着污泥形成及其絮凝性能的影响,并对填料在澄清中的作用机理进行了探讨。结果表明,当泥水界面上升至填料区后,可以形成较悬浮污泥更加致密稳定的附着污泥区,并形成孔道流,强化了对混合液中污泥颗粒的絮凝效果;填料区可以捕捉去除从悬浮污泥区中“逃逸”的微小污泥絮体,并降低出水浊度,有效地保证了出水水质的稳定性。填料的存在发挥了强大的整流作用,降低了雷诺数Re,提高了弗汝德数Fr,从而改善了污泥絮凝的水力条件,提高了澄清能力。     

On experimental setup in bioelectromagnetics

Bioeffects created by electromagnetic field (EMF) are the subject of intensive studies. This paper critically considers estimations of exposure to EMF in bioelectromagnetic experiments. Results of calculations presented herein show the significant role of the presence of conducting bodies (the exposure system) near an object under test on EMF energy absorption as well as mutual interactions between simultaneously exposed objects. Our aims herein are twofold: firstly to find a way to refer measurement results to free-space conditions in order to enable comparison of results obtained in different laboratories, and secondly to show that EMF energy absorption in any exposed object is different and that this difference is a function of the size of the exposure system, the number of exposed objects, and the particular properties (i.e., the electromagnetic structure) of the objects. In the authors’ opinion the existence of interactions caused by the presence of the exposure system and other exposed objects is a reason why remarkable differences are observed between experiments performed even under supposedly identical conditions. The presented considerations and conclusion suggest wider participation of physicists and engineers in bioelectromagnetic experiments in order to ensure the correctness of metrological aspects of these experiments.     

Utilization of waste product (tamarind seeds) for the removal of Cr(VI) from aqueous solutions: Equilibrium, kinetics, and regeneration studies

In the present study, an adsorbent was prepared from tamarind seeds and used after activation for the removal of Cr(VI) from aqueous solutions. The tamarind seeds were activated by treating them with concentrated sulfuric acid (98% w/w) at a temperature of 150 °C. The adsorption of Cr(VI) was found to be maximum at low values of initial pH in the range of 1–3. The adsorption process of Cr(VI) was tested with Langmuir, Freundlich, Redlich–Peterson, Koble–Corrigan, Tempkin, Dubinin–Radushkevich and Generalized isotherm models. Application of the Langmuir isotherm to the system yielded a maximum adsorption capacity of 29.7 mg/g at an equilibrium pH value ranging from 1.12 to 1.46. The adsorption process followed second-order kinetics and the corresponding rate constants obtained were 2.605 × 10⁻³, 0.818 × 10⁻³, 0.557 × 10⁻³ and 0.811 × 10⁻³ g/mg min⁻¹ for 50, 200, 300 and 400 mg/L of initial Cr(VI) concentration, respectively. The regenerated activated tamarind seeds showed more than 95% Cr(VI) removal of that obtained using the fresh activated tamarind seeds. A feasible solution is proposed for the disposal of the contaminants (acid and base solutions) containing high concentrations of Cr(VI) obtained during the regeneration (desorption) process.     

Sources and Framing of Fracking: A Content Analysis of Newspaper Coverage in North Carolina,New York,and Pennsylvania

Research across several decades has mapped the way complex environmental issues with complicated policy implications are often differentially framed within the media, public, and policy agendas with major implications for how they are understood, discussed, and decided. Building on this work, this this study compared news coverage of the debate over natural gas “fracking” in New York, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina between the period 2008 and 2013. Examining state newspapers, the analysis evaluated the types of sources used, the assertions of these sources, and how the issue of fracking was framed. From a general perspective, this study reveals how differences in framing of an environmental and scientific controversy can be attributed to the locally relevant sources used in reporting, as well as the political, economic, and social factors that might be unique to a state. Specific to the debate over natural gas “fracking,” this study adds to our understanding of how such state-based factors influence the portrayal of the issue in the news media.     

Elite cues,media coverage,and public concern: an integrated path analysis of public opinion on climate change, 2001–2013

To analyze the factors affecting US public concern about the threat of climate change between January 2002 and December 2013, data from 74 separate surveys are used to construct quarterly measures of public concern over global climate change. Five factors should account for changes in levels of concern: extreme weather events, public access to accurate scientific information, media coverage, elite cues, and movement/countermovement advocacy. Structural equation modeling indicates that elite cues, movement advocacy efforts, weather, and structural economic factors influence the level of public concern about climate change. While media coverage exerts an important influence, it is itself largely a function of elite cues and economic factors. Promulgation to the public of scientific information on climate change has no effect. Information-based science advocacy has had only a minor effect on public concern, while political mobilization by elites and advocacy groups is critical in influencing climate change concern.     

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.     

Biochemical studies on the terrestrial snail,Eubania vermiculata (müller)treated with some pesticides

Abstract

The in vivo effects of methomyl, thiodicarb and metaldehyde on total soluble proteins, total lipids and glycogen content, in addition, the activity of glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase, (GOT), (GPT) glutamic pyruvic transaminase and catalase (CAT) enzymes of terrestrial E. vermiculata snails was studied. The experimental snails were treated with low concentration of 0.2% bran bait w/w of the pesticides for a period of 1,3,5,7 and 10 days. The results showed that methomyl and thiodicarb lead to significant reduction in total soluble proteins, lipids, and glycogen content, while significant increases in the activity of all enzymes tested were noted. Metaldehyde treatment showed no significant effect on total soluble proteins, lipids and GOT level, whereas a significant increase in GPT and CAT enzymes was observed. Also, metaldehyde resulted a significant reduction in glycogen content of snails.     

Learning About the History of Landscape Use for the Future: Consequences for Ecological and Social Systems in Swedish Bergslagen

Barriers and bridges to implement policies about sustainable development and sustainability commonly depend on the past development of social–ecological systems. Production of metals required integration of use of ore, streams for energy, and wood for bioenergy and construction, as well as of multiple societal actors. Focusing on the Swedish Bergslagen region as a case study we (1) describe the phases of natural resource use triggered by metallurgy, (2) the location and spatial extent of 22 definitions of Bergslagen divided into four zones as a proxy of cumulative pressure on landscapes, and (3) analyze the consequences for natural capital and society. We found clear gradients in industrial activity, stream alteration, and amount of natural forest from the core to the periphery of Bergslagen. Additionally, the legacy of top-down governance is linked to today’s poorly diversified business sector and thus municipal vulnerability. Comparing the Bergslagen case study with other similar regions in Russia and Germany, we discuss the usefulness of multiple case studies.     

Non-Fickian dispersion in a single fracture

Solute transport in fractured rocks is of major interest in many applications, from the petroleum industry to ground water management. This work focuses on the dispersion process in a transparent replica of a real single fracture. The fracture exhibits strong changes in heterogeneity, with the first half very heterogeneous and the second half fairly homogeneous. Three models have been used to interpret the tracer experiments: the classical advection-dispersion equation (ADE), the continuous time random walk (CTRW), and the stratified model. The main goals were to test these models and to study possible correlations between fitting parameters and heterogeneities. As expected, the solution derived from the ADE equation appears to be unable to model long-time tailing behavior. On the other hand, the results confirm the CTRW robustness and the coefficient beta seems well correlated to heterogeneities. Finally, the stratified model is also able to describe non-Fickian dispersion. The parameters defined by this model are correlated to the heterogeneities of the fracture.