Technical Session Preliminary Schedule Announced for 1988 APCA Annual Meeting

ABSTRACT

Stable heterogeneous catalysts for the oxidative removal of CO from air at ambient temperatures have been developed. An alumina support impregnated with PdCl₂, CuCl₂, and CuSO₄ is described. Optimal activity was obtained with Pd 0.020 mol/kg, Cu 0.50 mol/kg, CuCl₂ 20-30% of total Cu, a 2- to 24-hr soak, filtration of surplus raffinate, and a 2- to 4-hr firing in air at 200-350 °C. The catalysts are effective at 20-26 °C and relative humidities in the 15-90% range. They are reversibly deactivated by completely dry or water-saturated air streams. These catalysts have been tested at space velocities up to 30,000 hr^-1. In contact with <100 ppm CO, they are highly efficient, removing ~99% of the CO with contact times of ~120 msec (pseudo-first order k' > 25 sec^-1). At much higher CO concentrations, the maximum CO loading rate—limited by the Cu(I) reoxidation rate—is approximately 17 m mol CO per Limol Pd per hour.     

Reactivity-Based Hydrocarbon Controls: Scientific Issues and Potential Regulatory Applications

The California Air Resources Board and the South Coast Air Quality Management District hosted a conference on April 8-9, 1991 to examine the scientific issues associated with reactivity-based hydrocarbon controls, and to identify the obstacles to potential regulatory applications. Owing to residual uncertainties in the underlying science, and the complex emission measurement capabilities required for enforcement, a general consensus emerged on the need for further research before application of reactivity-based controls. A number of recommendations were made for research on the remaining scientific, enforcement, and policy issues, many of which have led to cooperative efforts initiated since the conference.     

The fate of recombinant plasmids during composting of organic wastes

Composting was investigated as a means for safe disposal of organic waste containing bacteria that carry transgenes in recombinant plasmids. To generate model recombinant plasmids, a mobile IncQ plasmid, RSF1010, and a non-mobile plasmid, pGFP, were genetically modified to carry a DNA segment encoding both green fluorescent protein and kanamycin resistance and were designated as RSF1010-GFPK and pGFPK. Escherichia coli (E. coli) C600 harboring these plasmids were inoculated into chicken manure specimens that were placed in compost at 20 and 60 cm from the bottom of a 1.0-m high compost bin. Control specimens were held at ambient temperature. By day 10, compost temperatures at the lower and upper levels of the bin had reached 45.3 and 61.5°C, respectively, and at both levels the target E. coli had been inactivated and the plasmids had lost their capacity to be transformed or mobilized. Furthermore, based on real time Polymerase chain reaction (PCR), the transgene fragments along with the host chromosomal DNA fragment from specimens at the upper level had been degraded beyond the detection limit. However, at the lower level where temperatures remained below 48°C these fragment persisted to day 21. At ambient temperatures (0–8°C), the E. coli, plasmids and the transgene fragments persisted in manure specimens throughout the 21 day test period. The study showed the potential for composting as a safe procedure for disposal of bacteria carrying transgenes in recombinant plasmids.     

Privatisation,liberalisation and simplification of Statutory land use planning in Britain

A central government Consultation Paper issued in 1984 argues the case for simplified planning zones. These are seen to offer greater speed and certainty to developers and are closely related to the Enterprise Zone concept. This paper examines the context to the proposal, reviews the details of the Consultation Paper, and identifies the nature of the response to the idea.     

WATER HARVESTING TREATMENT EVALUATION AT GRANITE REEF1

ABSTRACT: Yearly runoff efficiencies (total runoff/total precipitation), threshold retentions (precipitation needed to initiate runoff), and runoff-efficiencies-after-thresholds were determined for several water-harvesting catchment treatments at the Granite Reef test site. This information was found to be useful for showing (1) overall performance of catchments with time; (2) the distribution of the precipitation among runoff, surface retention, and infiltration; (3) why, how, and when certain treatments weathered and failed; (4) when to repair treatments; and (5) how to design catchments (size, site preparation, material selection, etc.). New impermeable membranes with smooth surfaces yielded nearly 100% of the precipitation. An asphalt-fiberglass treatment continues this high efficiency after 10 years of weathering – polyethylene after 8; efficiency of butyl sheeting was high initially but decreased rapidly after 9 years weathering. A standard roofing treatment retained up to 30% of the precipitation in the gravel covering. A concrete catchment lost as much as 50% of the total precipitation through micropores and surface cracks. Silicone treatments rapidly lost repellancy and efficiency, while paraffin treatments have weathered 5 years with little loss of efficiency.     

Monitoring of iodinated X-ray contrast media in surface water

A monitoring programme was carried out in order to determine iodinated X-ray contrast media (ICM) in the River Danube and to investigate the raw water quality for drinking water production at Langenau waterworks. The study revealed that the maximum concentrations of ICM (over 500 ng l(-1) for diatrizoic acid and iopamidol) were found in 2h-composite samples taken from the downstream of the Ulm/Neu-Ulm metropolitan area. By means of a concentration profile over one month the highest ICM concentrations were observed on weekdays. The extended data evaluation with principal component analysis shows that the upstream and downstream samples had different pattern of variations in ICM concentration and also demonstrates a clear change in ICM composition by the discharge of municipal wastewater. In addition to load profiles of ICM, time-dependent plots of principal component 1 exhibited peaks, indicating a short-term discharge of ICM between the two sampling sites. In conclusion, a point source for ICM contamination between the sampling sites in Ulm upstream and Leipheim downstream seems to be the reasonable explanation for peak ICM concentrations. Due to the observed high variations of ICM concentrations in river, the evaluation of natural waters by means of a single analysis is not representative.     

The potential for combining indigenous and western knowledge in reducing vulnerability to environmental hazards in small island developing states

The benefits of indigenous knowledge within disaster risk reduction are gradually being acknowledged and identified. However, despite this acknowledgement there continues to be a gap in reaching the right people with the correct strategies for disaster risk reduction.This paper identifies the need for a specific framework identifying how indigenous and western knowledge may be combined to mitigate against the intrinsic effects of environmental processes and therefore reduce the vulnerability of rural indigenous communities in small island developing states (SIDS) to environmental hazards. This involves a review of the impacts of environmental processes and their intrinsic effects upon rural indigenous communities in SIDS and how indigenous knowledge has contributed to their coping capacity. The paper concludes that the vulnerability of indigenous communities in SIDS to environmental hazards can only be addressed through the utilisation of both indigenous and Western knowledge in a culturally compatible and sustainable manner.