Forestry Mitigation Options for Mexico: Finding Synergies between National Sustainable Development Priorities and Global Concerns

We examine carbon (C) reference and mitigation scenarios for the Mexicanforest sector between the year 2000 and 2030. Estimates are presentedseparately for the period 2008–2012.Future C emissions and capture are estimated using a simulation modelthat: a) allocates the country land use/land cover classes among differentfuture uses and categories using demand-based scenarios for forestryproducts; b) estimates the total C densities associated to each land usecategory, and c) determines the net carbon implications of the process ofland use/cover change according to the different scenarios.The options analyzed include both afforestation/reforestation, such ascommercial, bionenergy and restoration plantations, and agroforestrysystems, and forest conservation, through the sustainable management ofnative forests and forest protection.The total mitigation potential, estimated as the difference between the totallong-term carbon stock in the reference and the mitigation scenario reaches300 × 10⁶ Mg C in the year 2012 and increases to 1,382 × 10⁶ Mg C in 2030. The average net sequestration in the 30 year period is 46 × 10⁶ Mg C yr^-1, or 12.5 × 10⁶ Mg C yr^-1 within the period 2008 to 2012. The costs of selected mitigation options range from 0.7–3.5 Mg C^-1 to 35 Mg C^-1. Some options are cost effective.     

Job satisfaction among physicians in secondary and tertiary medical care levels

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - To identify level of job satisfaction among physicians at secondary and tertiary care levels. Random sample of 450 secondary and 523 tertiary care...     

Bioremediation of kerosene I: A case study in liquid media

The ability of different local isolates in addition to some isolates from Germany to degrade kerosene in liquid medium was studied. The results showed that the percent of kerosene degradation varied among the different organisms and that 59–94% of kerosene was degraded after 21 d. Two local isolates (Pseudomonas sp. AP and Pseudomonas sp. CK) and one German isolate (Gordonia sp. DM) were selected for this study. The addition of wheat bran, as co-substrate, stimulated the kerosene degradation by the two local strains, while glucose inhibited the degradation rate using the three organisms with different rates. Ammonium nitrate and urea was the best nitrogen sources. The use of superphosphate (as phosphorus source) in the presence of urea stimulates the degradation rate. It was also observed that the addition of 1% surfactants, like Triton X-100, Igepal, Tergitol, or Tween 20 and 80 enhanced the kerosene degradation. The degradation percent lied between 94% and 98%. The ability of the tested organisms to degrade kerosene concentration from 2% to 8% was evaluated. It was found that the three organisms degraded about 65–85% from 8% kerosene after 21 d. The use of rice straw-immobilized cells reduced the time of degradation and enhanced the degradation ability of the organisms. The sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis revealed the presence of a common protein band when the tested organisms were grown on kerosene.     

Effect of different soil layers on porewater to remediate acidic surface environment at a close mine site

This paper describes the chemistry of porewater when constructing different soil layers on acidic weathered rock of a closed mine to remediate the surface environment. Three cases were set on a flat surface of the site, all under different layer systems. Case 1 was only composed of weathered rocks. A top neutralization layer was constructed on the weathered rocks in case 2, whereas both an upper low-permeable and middle neutralization layers were constructed on the weathered rocks in case 3. The low-permeable layer of 30?cm thick consists of clay, and the neutralization layer of 30?cm thick consists of the mixture of the weathered rock and calcium carbonate as a neutralizer. Porewater sampling systems and soil sensors to measure temperature, water content, and electrical conductivity were set at different depths. In case 1, steadily high concentrations of heavy metals were observed regardless of the depth, and the pH ranged from 2 to 4. In cases 2 and 3, a dramatic decrease in concentrations of heavy metals was observed, even below the neutralization layer. For both cases, pH values were circumneutral. There were no significant seasonable changes in heavy metals concentrations and pH of porewater by considering the temperature and precipitation. In addition, the water content of the layers in case 3 fluctuated more mildly than that in cases 1 and 2, indicating that the low-permeable layer reduced the rate of infiltration. Therefore, a significant reduction in the load of heavy metals released from the site can be achieved by both implementing neutralization and low-permeable layers.     

Heavy metal concentrations in roadside soil and street dust from Petra region,Jordan

Concentrations of Cd, Cu, Fe, Pb, and Zn were measured in the samples of street dust and surface roadside soil before Jordan switched to unleaded fuel usage. The samples were collected from Petra, the most tourist-attractive site in Jordan. The samples were analyzed for heavy metals by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Our results show that the distribution of metals in the soil samples is affected by wind direction in the investigated area. The highest level of metals was found in the eastern parts of the roads due to the westerly-dominant wind in the studied area. The contamination levels of metals decrease as the distance from the edge of the road increases. In the roadside soil samples, the means for the concentrations of the metals at 1 m from the east side of the main road are 1.0, 19.1, 3791.4, 177.0, and 129.0 mg kg^?1 for Cd, Cu, Fe, Pb, and Zn, respectively. In the samples of street dust, the means of the concentrations of the metals in the investigated area are 9.7, 11.8, 4694.4, 31.6, and 24.8 mg kg^?1 for Cd, Cu, Fe, Pb, and Zn, respectively. In conclusion, the lithogenic origins (traffic emissions) are responsible for the diffusion of these metals in the studied region.     

Assessment of noise level and noise propagation generated by light-lift helicopters in mountain natural environments

The use of helicopter rises discussion about environmental noise propagation especially when it operates in proximity of environmentally sensitive areas (ESAs) for an extended period because of its potential implications in wildlife behaviours. In order to support decisions on helicopter logging operation management in proximity of ESAs, this study focused on (i) analysing the noise spectrum of a light-lift helicopter during logging operations and on (ii) assessing the noise propagation in the surrounding environments. This study investigated a helicopter logging operation for wood fuel extraction in the eastern part of the Italian Alps. The potential disturbance area covered for the entire helicopter logging operation was evaluated by a specific GIS application according to hearing sensitivity of the most sensitive wildlife species in the study area (different strigiform species). The noise level at the ground appeared to be affected by the location regardless both the use of equivalent continuous sound pressures level dB(A) (LAeq) and the single-event level (SEL) noise metrics. The lowest values were recorded when the helicopter was flown over the sound meter level located under the forest canopy, while the highest was recorded when the helicopter was unhooking the loads at the landing. The GIS application highlighted the consistent of the exceeded noise area (weighted to strigiform hearing range and sensitivity) for the lower frequency bands (0.016–0.250 kHz). A more restricted exceeded noise area concerned instead the most sensitive frequency bands" for the strigiform (1–2 kHz).

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Development of Lignin and Nanocellulose Enhanced Bio PU Foams for Automotive Parts

The green rigid polyurethane (PU) foam has been developed with 100 % soy polyol after optimization of formulation ingredients and lignin has been introduced and isocyanate content reduced in the green rigid PU foam. The cellulosic nanofibers have also been successfully incorporated and dispersed in green rigid PU foam to improve the rigidity. The influence of nano cellulose fiber modification (enzymatic treatment, hydrophobic modification with latex) on the foam density, open cell content, foam raise height, water vapor, and mechanical properties of rigid PU foam were studied. The foamed structures were examined using scanning electron microscopy to determine the cell size and shape due to the addition of cellulosic nanofibers. The odor test were performed to evaluate the odor concentration 100 % soyol based PU foam including lignin and nanofiber and compared to 100 % synthetic based polyol PU foam. The experimental results indicated that the compression and impact properties improved due to the modification of nano cellulosic fibers. The odor concentration level of nanofiber reinforced rigid PU foam reduced significantly compared to 100 % PU foam due to the replacing of isocyanate content. It can be said that with an appropriate combination of replacing isocyanate by lignin and addition of nanofiber, rigid PU foam properties could be improved.