Feasibility of honeycomb monolith supported sugar catalyst to produce biodiesel from palm fatty acid distillate (PFAD)

Carbon coated monolith was prepared by sucrose solution 65 wt.% via dip-coating method. Sulfonation of incomplete carbonized carbon coated monolith was carried out in order to synthesize solid acid catalyst. The textural structure characteristics of the solid acid catalyst demonstrated a low surface area and pore volume. Palm fatty acid distillate (PFAD), a by-product of palm oil refineries, was utilized as oil source in biodiesel production. The esterification reaction subjected to different reaction conditions was performed by using the sulfonated carbon coated monolith as heterogeneous catalyst. The sulfonation process had been performed by using vapour of concentrated H₂SO₄ that was much easier and efficient than liquid phase sulfonation. Total acidity value of carbon coated monolith was measured for unsulfonated sample (0.5 mmol/g) and sulfonated sample (4.2 mmol/g). The effect of methanol/oil ratio, catalyst amount and reaction time were examined. The maximum methyl ester content was 89% at the optimum condition, i.e. methanol/oil molar ratio (15:1), catalyst amount (2.5 wt.% with respect to PFAD), reaction time (240 min) and temperature 80 °C. The sugar catalyst supported on the honeycomb monolith showed comparable reactivity compared with the sugar catalyst powder. However, the catalyst reusability studies showed decrease in FFA% conversion from 95.3% to 68.8% after four cycles as well as the total acidity of catalyst dropped from the value 4.2 to 3.1 mmol/g during these cycles. This might be likely due to the leaching out of SO₃H group from the sulfonated carbon coated monolith surface. The leaching of active species reached a plateau state after fourth cycle.     

Modular Design of Field Lysimeters for Specific Application Needs

In Europe, the use of direct methods using lysimeters for measuring water and solute flow in soils increased in recent years. Large weighable lysimeters are best suitable for obtaining reliable data about seepage water quantity and quality. Field lysimeters – lysimeters built in directly in agriculturally used areas – of high technical standard allow a precise determination of the influence of different cropping systems on groundwater quality. They combine the advantages of true field conditions and laboratory possibilities of varying parameters, handling and maintenance. Due to the specific needs of each application the instrumentation varies. Based on general remarks on the advantages of precise weighing lysimeters four standardized lysimeter configurations are presented. Beside the specific needs of design and setup of lysimeter stations, there is need to define general requirements to enable comparable results based on standardized basic design and to reduce individual mistakes.     

A LARGE ELECTRONIC WEIGHING LYSIMETER SYSTEM: DESIGN AND INSTALLATION1

ABSTRACT: To measure crop evapotranspiration, a large double tank, electronic weighting lysimeter system was designed and installed at the Shahid Bahonar University farm, Kerman, Iran. The system was installed in a 50 m² underground building. It includes two tanks of 3.00 m in diameter and 1.75 m deep. The weighing mechanism for each tank is a set of three compression strain gage load cells, which are fixed on 1.20 m height column above the floor. According to the specification of the load cells, the maximum possible weighing error may be about 0.01 percent of total mass, which is equivalent to 0.28 mm of water, but the measured error was equal to 1 kg mass, which is equivalent to 0.14 mm of water. The load cell data from each tank and the on‐site environmental data (temperature, humidity, and wind velocity and direction) are automatically recorded and saved in a personal computer hard disk for further use and analysis.     

PHREATOPHYTE EVAPOTRANSPIRATION AND ITS POTENTIAL REDUCTION WITHOUT ERADICATION1

ABSTRACT: The continuous availability of ground water to riparian phreatophytic vegetation results in large evapotranspiration (ET) losses in summer. Chemical or physical eradication of this vegetation can have undesirable environmental side effects. Spraying phreatophyte foliage with a nontoxic antitranspirant (AT) may reduce transpiration without eradication. Transpiration rate per unit leaf area was similar for several phreatophyte species, but ET per unit land area of phreatophytes depneds more on stand density than species. The mean ET for saltcedar in June was 8.1 mm/day measured by Bowen ratio, compared with 7.9 mm by lysimeters. ATs and growth-retardants reduced transpiration by over 50 percent in laboratory tests where foliage was thoroughly sprayed. In the field AT sprayed by a back-pack mistblower reduced ET by 20–35 percent initially and 10 percent after a month. No ET reduction occurred when AT was sprayed by helicopter on saltcedar, because excessive droplet size and heavy salt deposits on the foliage resulted in poor spray adherence. Wax-based AT was relatively nontoxic to fish and wildlife. Dissolved oxygen could be reduced for aquatic life, but further AT dilution in streams and ponds would minimize this. Helicopter spraying may affect bird nests and egg hatchability. Although ATs significantly reduce ET, their high cost and spraying difficulties preclude current use on phreatophytes. With improvement they may economically help to conserve water in riparian areas in future years.     

利用大型土柱自然淋溶条件下研究土壤重金属的迁移及形态转化

为研究不同重金属在土壤中的迁移和形态转化,通过分层填装土柱,在土柱0~5 cm深度范围内添加Pb、Ag、Bi、In、Sb和Sn等重金属污染土壤,并在自然条件下淋溶4 a,分析各重金属在红壤、潮土、黑土和砂土中的迁移速率及其形态组成. 结果表明:①在>30 cm深度范围内,红壤、潮土和黑土中各重金属质量分数与其相应本底值相比变化不大;与试验前土壤相比,砂土整个剖面中6种重金属质量分数均较高. ②6种重金属在4种土壤中的残留率表现为砂土<潮土<黑土<红壤;对于0～10 cm土壤中Pb的残留率,在潮土中大于Ag和Sb,在黑土中大于Ag,在红壤中大于In,在砂土中则大于Sn. ③模拟试验后残留在土柱中的重金属主要分布在土壤表层(0～30 cm),而深层(>30 cm)较少;6种重金属在红壤、潮土、黑土和砂土中的残留率平均值分别为98.0%、65.1%、65.9%和56.5%. ④与添加污染土壤之前相比,试验后土壤中残渣态等稳定形态重金属质量分数较低,其中Pb、In和Sb均以碳酸盐结合态和有机金属络合态为主,Ag和Sn分别以有机金属络合态、双氧水可提取有机结合态和有机金属络合态、无定形铁锰氧化物结合态为主,而Bi则以碳酸盐结合态和双氧水可提取有机结合态为主. 结果显示,红壤中Pb的迁移风险较低,潮土和黑土中Ag、Sb的迁移风险较高,而砂土中Sn和Sb的迁移风险需要格外关注.      

活性炭纤维复合材料的脱硫性能

本实验以粘胶基活性炭纤维和酚醛树脂复合,制备出了一种可用于烟气脱硫的活性炭纤维复合材料（ACFM）,考察了制备工艺条件对脱硫性能和比表面积的影响,测试其在填充床的压降。结果表明：粘结剂用量、炭化及活化条件对样品的脱硫性能和比表面积有较大的影响;与其他活性炭材料相比ACFM压降相对较低,只有活性炭纤维的1／20。     

应用大型原状土柱渗漏计测定冬小麦-夏玉米轮作期硝态氮淋失

从 1998— 2 0 0 0年 ,利用土壤溶液提取器和大型原状土柱渗漏装置 (面积 0 18m2 ,2m深 )田间观测了北京地区冬小麦 夏玉米轮作期间的NO-3 N淋失 .设置对照和常量氮肥水平两个处理 .土柱渗出液的NO-3 N平均浓度 ,对照处理为 35 0mg L ,常量施氮土柱为 5 5 6mg L ;NO-3 N淋失通量 ,对照处理为 1 3g (m2 ·a) ,常量施氮土柱为 2 0g (m2 ·a) ;氮肥表观淋失百分数分别为 10 %、0 86 %和 0 5 4%,受年降雨变化的影响非常明显 .常量氮肥施用条件下 0— 2 0 0cm土壤提取液和土柱底部渗出液的NO-3 N浓度 ,都超过饮用水卫生标准 10mg L ,因此 ,常量施氮水平引起的硝态氮对浅层地下水的污染不容忽视 .     

The Probability of a Horizontal Gene Transfer from Roundup Ready® Soybean to Root Symbiotic Bacteria: A Risk Assessment Study on the GSF Lysimeter Station

The gene transfer from glyphosate tolerant soybean to Bradyrhizobium japonicum was evaluated in a free-air lysimeter experiment under natural conditions and increasing selection pressure, to monitor for the probability of horizontal gene transfer (HGT). A large volume lysimeter study that offers conditions comparable to normal farming was conducted in 2004 and 2005 with Roundup Ready® (RR) soybean and Roundup® application according to agricultural practice. Analysis of nodules showed, as expected, the presence of the transgenic 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase (EPSPS). However, in bacteroids that were isolated from nodules and then cultivated for several rounds in the presence of high levels of glyphosate, the EPSPS gene could no longer be detected. This indicates no stable HGT transfer of the whole EPSPS gene under field conditions.     

硅改性制备疏水性沸石分子筛蜂窝体

通过氢型沸石分子筛粉体与粘结剂、助剂和水混合成面团状后挤压成型,干燥焙烧,再通过四氯化硅疏水改性处理,制备了一种蜂窝状复合沸石分子筛吸附剂.通过低温N2吸附、XRD、吸苯等手段对所制备的分子筛蜂窝体进行表征和评价.结果表明所制备的复合沸石分子筛蜂窝体经过硅改性处理后,硅铝比由4提高至22,比表面和总孔容略降,P/P0=0.95时吸苯量比改性前稍高,达18.05%.相对湿度80%RH条件下（P/P0=0.95）苯的饱和吸附量还能达到15%,与改性前相比增加了1倍多,疏水性优良.     

郑州市地下水均衡场地中渗透仪潜水蒸发规律分析

根据郑州市地下水均衡场1991～1996年地中渗透仪实测资料．分析了潜水蒸发与气象因素、埋深、土壤岩性及降雨入渗的关系。研究表明;潜水埋深较小(不大于1．0m)时,潜水蒸发与水面蒸发在动态分布上显示出极大的相关性;潜水蒸发随埋深增大急剧减弱;毛细上升高度和渗透性结合得比较好的土壤潜水蒸发较大;在埋深较小(不大于1．0m)时．单次集中降雨入渗对潜水蒸发影响显著。