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This study's focus was to develop a potential pathway for recycling of the paper mill sludge compost (PMSC) in brick making. Composting reduces the paper mill sludge (PMS) moisture content considerably and shredding becomes easier. The addition of PMSC leads to an increase of porosities in bricks and makes them lighter, besides delivering energy to the firing process from burning organics. Lighter construction materials help minimize construction outlay by reducing labour and transportation costs and lesser expense on foundation construction. The variability in the experimental data and the brick properties were investigated for two types of soils, typical in the brick industry of India (alluvial and laterite soil), blended with PMSC in five mix ratios (0%, 5%, 10%, 15% and 20%). The samples of oven-dried bricks were fired at two different temperatures (850 and 900 °C) in an electrically operated muffle furnace representing typical conditions of a brick kiln. Various properties of bricks were analyzed which included linear shrinkage, bulk density, water absorption and compressive strength. Conclusions were drawn based on these properties. It was found that the addition of PMSC to the alluvial and laterite soil by up to 10% weight yield mechanical properties of fired bricks compliant with the relevant Indian and ASTM codes. Toxicity characteristic leaching procedure (TCLP) tests showed that PMSC incorporated fired bricks are safe to use in regular applications as non-load-bearing and infill walls. This study is timely in light of the European Green Deal putting focus on circular economy. Besides, it fulfills the objective of UN sustainable development goals (SDG). © 2021 Elsevier Ltd

In the present manuscript, novel effluent treatment processes for pulp and paper mill effluents are divided into two categories: a) those involving the use of chemical additives and b) those which are free of such chemicals. It is especially of high importance for pulp and paper industry to adopt the most efficient and cost-effective treatment methods. This paper critically reviews the recent studies on the treatment of pulp and paper mill effluents while providing suggestions for further studies on the application of various physic-chemical and biological methods for the treatment of such complex effluents containing a number of recalcitrant pollutants. Keywords: Pulp and paper industry, Industrial effluents, Chemical additives, Non-additive treatment processes

The process of bioconversion of solid organic wastes through vermicomposting justifies the environmental message for sustainability such as reduce, recycle and reuse of wastes. In the present study, wastes derived from two different types of paper mill sludge (primary and secondary), was used for their bioconversion through the vermicomposting process using an indigenous species of earthworm (Perionyx excavatus). The maturity and stability stage of vermicompost production was assessed using FT-IR, GC-MS and TG analyses. During vermicomposting, different biochemical functional groups present in the wastes have shown differential chemical alteration and turnover as revealed by FT-IR spectroscopy. This study has also confirmed the trend of biodegradation of complex substances like lignin, cellulose, proteins etc. and thereby demonstrates the extent of mineralization. TG spectral analysis had revealed a mass loss of 80% and 71% in vermicompost produced from primary and secondary sludge respectively. GC-MS studies have also shown the presence of several humic acids like octadecanoic acid, heptadecanoic acid etc. in the decomposing substances demonstrating as an indicator of the maturity of products. This was further confirmed by the decrease of humification index which focuses the combined action of both earthworms and microbes in the degradation of organic wastes. The present study has highlighted the role of an indigenous earthworm in converting specific industrial wastes especially by recording the point of maturation using humic acids an indicator of the quality of decomposing of wastes following several instrumental applications.

Zeolite nanostructures were used as hosts for dyes normally used in some bioassays (pH and protein), and applied on microfluidic paper-based analytical devices (PADs). The obtained dye nanomaterials were characterized by several techniques (structural (FTIR and XRD), surface (SEM/EDX), textural (N2 adsorption) analyses and dye loading determination by TGA analysis), to confirm the stability of both host and guest. After their deposition on the papers surface, the color change was studied by analyzing the RGB values, taking into account the lifetime and the results stability of the PADs. These results confirmed that both the lifetime and the color change of the modified devices were stable over one week. It was also demonstrated that the choice of the paper for the PAD as well as the zeolite nanostructures properties influences the colorimetric response. This strategy by encapsulating dyes into zeolites solve current challenges in colorimetric sensors in where long-term stability of the colorimetric results is an issue. The results obtained were promising for the studied assays, and the strategy could also be extended to other bioassays., A.R.B. thanks for the ERASMUS+ program to her grant. This work has been developed under the scope of the projects: BioTecNorte (NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000004), AIProcMat@N2020 (NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000006), projects supported by Norte Portugal Regional Operational Programme (NORTE 2020), under the Portugal 2020 Partnership Agreement, through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). This work also has been funded by ERDF through COMPETE2020–Programa Operacional Competitividade e Internacionalização (POCI), Project POCI-01-0145-FEDER-006984, Associate Laboratory LSRE-LCM and by national funds through FCT, Fundacão para a Ciência e a Tecnologia for project PTDC/AAGTEC/5269/2014 and Centre of Chemistry (UID/QUI/00686/2013 and UID/QUI/0686/2016). The support from the Oslofjordfondet project, «Touchsensor for enklere og raskere urinprøvetaking og analyse (no. 234972)» and NSFC project no. 61650410655 is also acknowledged., info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

Over the past few years, what might not unreasonably be described as a true revolution has taken place in the field of machine vision, radically altering the way many things had previously been done and offering new and exciting opportunities for those able to quickly embrace and master the new techniques. Rapid developments in machine learning, largely enabled by faster GPU-equipped computing hardware, has facilitated an explosion of machine vision applications into hitherto extremely challenging or, in many cases, previously impossible to automate industrial tasks. Together with developments towards an internet of things and the availability of big data, these form key components of what many consider to be the fourth industrial revolution. This transformation has dramatically improved the efficacy of some existing machine vision activities, such as in manufacturing (e.g. inspection for quality control and quality assurance), security (e.g. facial biometrics) and in medicine (e.g. detecting cancers), while in other cases has opened up completely new areas of use, such as in agriculture and construction (as well as in the existing domains of manufacturing and medicine). Here we will explore the history and nature of this change, what underlies it, what enables it, and the impact it has had - the latter by reviewing several recent indicative applications described in the research literature. We will also consider the continuing role that traditional or classical machine vision might still play. Finally, the key future challenges and developing opportunities in machine vision will also be discussed.

Various organic and inorganic hazardous substances are commonly originated during the processing of virgin or recovered fibers (RCFs), when the pulp and paper (P\&P) are produced. Hence, pulp and paper industry (PPI) strongly need to employ advanced waste treatment processes as a powerful tool to comply with the stringent environmental regulations in one hand, and to increase their profitability in the current declining P\&P markets, on the other hand. Among the treatment alternatives, anaerobic digestion (AD), is an interesting cost-effective alternative with a small environmental footprint and has been increasingly adopted by the PPI to reach this goal. However, the application of AD to deal with wastes generated in P\&P mills has been restricted due to a number of limitations, regarding the anaerobic reactor design and the operating conditions. Hence, the optimization of the AD performance would be a crucial step in order to increase the economic benefits, and also to satisfy the strict environmental protection standards. To this end, this paper presents an overview on the current state of the developments associated with AD treatment of P\&P mill wastes to assess the applicability of this treatment process for the management of this type of complex wastes. In this context, suggestions are provided to maximize both biogas production and removal efficiency, focusing on the relationship between waste composition and reactor design and operational conditions, which will enhance methane capture and contribute to prevent global warming. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

This work demonstrates a stand-alone power source that integrates a paper-based hydrogen fuel cell with a customized chemical heater that produces hydrogen in-situ upon the addition of a liquid. The presented approach operates by capillary action and takes advantage of the hydrogen released as a by-product of an exothermic reaction used in point-of-care diagnostics. The paper-based fuel cell produces a maximum power of 25.8 mW (103.2 mW cm−2), which is suitable for powering a diversity of electrical devices such as commercially available digital pregnancy tests and glucometers. While device shape and dimensions can be customized, here it is shown that the fuel cell can be designed in a compact form factor and footprint comparable to a lateral flow test while providing a remarkable power output. This approach holds great promise for powering portable diagnostics, as the generated electric power could enable device functionalities required for advanced assays, such as device timing, actuation, and signal quantification. Part of the same liquid sample that is to be analyzed (urine, saliva, water, etc) could be used to trigger the hydrogen generation and start the fuel cell operation., J.P. Esquivel acknowledges support from Marie Curie International Outgoing Fellowship (APPOCS - GA.328144) within the 7th European Community Framework Programme. J. Buser and P. Yager were supported by a grant from DARPA DSO/BTO--HR0011-11-2-0007, awarded to Yager at the University of Washington. P. Yager was supported in part by funds from the Department of Bioengineering at the University of Washington. S. Rojas acknowledges financial support from project ENE2013-42322R. N. Sabaté would like to thank financial support received from ERC Consolidator Grant (SUPERCELL - GA.648518).

The generation of three-dimensional superb packages of compact hexagonal periodic assembly with multifaceted layers was demonstrated using Poly (styrene-butylcrylate-acrylic acid) on glass substrates. The synthesized P(St-BA-AA) microspheres were used to formulate a fast drying UV curable terpolymer microspheres printing ink for the generation of colloidal crystal microdots on ink-jet paper with remarkable colours. The terpolymer microspheres and their formulated terpolymer ink undergo self-assembly to form blue monochromatic and viewing angle dependent tunable colours, thus affirming the photonic nature of the generated colloidal crystal films. Unlike other printing techniques which usually make use of specialized tools, this study generated a well ordered coloured tunable assembly of spherical shaped core-shell colloidal crystal microdots on the surface of an inkjet-paper by manually writing the as-synthesized P(St-BA-AA) UV curable printing ink microdots on it. The TEM analysis showed core and shell sizes of 198/50nm and 176/30nm for P(St-BA-AA)1 and P(St- BA-AA)2 respectively. Whenever the prepared terpolymer microspheres are used within the heating and transition temperatures of 383 °C and 110 °C, their thermal stability is retained. This simple technique of generating crystals microdots on inkjet paper may find use in optical devices, security applications and other colour coating applications., Materials science; Nanotechnology; Poly(styrene-butyalcrylate-acrylic acid); Photonic crystals; Monodisperse core/shell; Terpolymer; Colloidal ink; Colloidal crystal microdots

The closure of water circuits within pulp and paper mills has resulted in a higher contamination load of the final mill effluent, which must consequently be further treated in many cases to meet the standards imposed by the legislation in force. Different treatment strategies based on advanced oxidation processes (ozonation and TiO2-photocatalysis), and their combination with biological treatment (MBR), are herein assessed for effluents of a recycled paper mill and a kraft pulp mill. Ozone treatment achieved the highest efficiency of all. The consumption of 2.4 g O3 L−1 resulted in about a 60% COD reduction treating the effluent from the kraft pulp mill at an initial pH = 7; although it only reached about a 35% COD removal for the effluent of the recycled paper mill. Otherwise, photocatalysis achieved about a 20–30% reduction of the COD for both type of effluents. In addition, the effluent from the recycled paper mill showed a higher biodegradability, so combinations of these AOPs with biological treatment were tested. As a result, photocatalysis did not report any significant COD reduction improvement whether being performed as pre- or post-treatment of the biological process; whereas the use of ozonation as post-biological treatment enhanced COD removal a further 10%, summing up a total 90% reduction of the COD for the combined treatment, as well as it also supposed an increase of the presence of volatile fatty acids, which might ultimately enable the resultant wastewater to be recirculated back to further biological treatment.

Writing and publishing a scientific paper in academic journals is a highly competitive, time-consuming stepwise process. The road to scientific writing and publication is rarely straightforward. Scientific writing has uniform format, which is perplexing for the novice science writers due to its inflexible anatomy (structure) and physiology (functions). Many obstacles are allied with the scientific writing path which can be minimized by applying some simple guidelines and practices. The scientific papers have an almost similar format but, original articles are divided into distinct sections and each segment contains a specific type of information. The basic anatomy of scientific papers is mainly comprised of the structure of the various components of a scientific paper, including title, abstract, introduction, methods, results, discussion, conclusion, acknowledgments and references. However, the physiology of a scientific paper is difficult to understand. Early career researchers and trainees may be less familiar with the various components of scientific papers. In this study, we applied an observational approach to describe the essential steps to facilitate the readers and writers to understand the basic characteristics, anatomy and physiology of writing the various sections of a scientific paper for an academic science journal. Keywords: Scientific paper writing, Publication process, Paper structure, writing tips

A systematic review into the literature surrounding industrial carbon capture has been performed, with a particular focus on costs per tonne of CO 2 avoided. The authors have reviewed 250 research articles in order to extract data regarding industrial CCS, focusing on four main carbon-emitting industries; the iron and steel industry, the refining industry, the pulp and paper industry and the cement industry. Only 25 costs were returned as part of the search, and across the four industries they suggested that the cost of carbon capture on industries after conversion to 2013 US Dollars is $20-140 per tonne of CO 2 avoided. The highest costs were found using amine scrubbing, the most mature technology, with other less mature technologies reporting lower costs, for example, calcium looping applied to the cement industry was reported to have costs of in the range of $20-75 per tonne avoided, with the only lower costs reported being in the pulp and paper industry reported between $16 and $35. However, the paucity of costing data increases the uncertainty surrounding industrial CCS, meaning that more economic data are required before any conclusive decisions can be made.

Biofouling causes important economic losses in the paper industry. To prevent or mitigate the effects of biofilms is necessary to implement microbiological control programmes based on monitoring programs which requires the evaluation of the biofilm growth kinetic taking into account the ability of microorganisms viability. The monitoring techniques must be rapid to minimise both costs and use of chemicals. This paper presents the study of the growth kinetics of two bacterial strains known for their high capacity to produce biofilms in paper mills. After the validation of flow cytometry as a technique for microbial growth monitoring, the development of segregated kinetic models based on cell physiological states data was carried out. The developed models can be used to design microbial control programs.

This Special Issue of the International Journal of Fatigue contains selected papers presented at the International Conference on Multiaxial Fatigue and Fracture held in Seville, Spain, on 1–3 June 2016.

A pilot plant study has been carried out to compare the effectiveness of different low pressure membrane systems (microfiltration and ultrafiltration) as pretreatments for a reverse osmosis system producing high quality reclaimed water from the effluent of a municipal wastewater treatment plant receiving a high percentage of industrial wastewater. The reclaimed water will be used to substitute fresh water in a paper mill. Although the implemented systems showed several problems derived from the unstable quality of the feed water, they were solid enough to keep a constant permeate quality; i.e. percentages of salt rejection above 99%, efficiencies in the removal of microorganisms to lower values than 1 CFU/100 mL, and final COD results below the detection limit (

An equation solver data reconciliation software has been used to build a validated model of a waste paper deinking plant, by combining control rooms measurements and design specifications. An optimal sensor system configuration that allows validating key performance indicators by using only control room measurements has been determined by identifying, with genetic algorithm programming, the additional sampling points and corresponding sensors required for a minimum cost sensor system configuration.

An ad-hoc data reconciliation procedure developed for the recausticizing section of a new pulp and paper industry is presented in this work. A comprehensive model was formulated to take into account different unit operation modes. It was also extended to incorporate specific knowledge of some pieces of equipment to increase redundancy, and consequently enhance estimate precision and gross error detectability.

Advantages and disadvantages of the concept of an industrial complex are discussed. From an environmental standpoint an ideal industrial complex is one containing a group of compatible industrial plants utilizing completely each other's wastes and products as raw materials and manufacturing products with no adverse environmental impact and at a minimum of cost. A typical complex centering about a pulp and papermill is pictured in this paper. This complex produces six products for external sale and four products for internal use. In addition, all major wastes of suspended solids, cooking liquor, fillers, heat and bark are reused within the complex in the manufacture of these products. A literature review evolved typical concentrations of recoverable suspended solids in various process effluents. A mass balance was prepared assuming that the total production of fine paper is 907.2 kg × 103 (1000 tons) per day. Little or no air or water pollution results from this complex. In addition, it is anticipated that no expensive waste-water treatment plant would be required for this complex. Ten additional practices are described which, when used, will reduce operating costs even further. A continuing study with more precise data on the production requirements for the service plants in the complex will yield a more balanced and realistic system.

Damage, be it breakage, deformation or wear is initiated by overstraining or overstressina. Full modelling of both these causes is not possible today and one resorts to “simulation” to produce the data needed by design engineers to predict function loss. The question then is: how reliable is the data furnished by simulation? The answer is brought by the analysis of data produced in fretting tests which show that even very small variations in running conditions, in this case in amplitude, can change the nature of the damage. Simulation tests have to be undertaken with the utmost care.

This manuscript presents a 1 year in the laboratory and 3 years In-Situ evaluation of an alkoxysilane-based consolidant containing SiO2 nanoparticles (SiO2NPs) on Ostionera stone, a biocalcarenite traditionally employed in Southwestern Spain. C ' adiz Roman Theatre was selected for In-Situ application and testing. In order to safeguard the theatre, preliminary laboratory experiments were carried out. Firstly, the compatibility and the effectiveness of the consolidant product were evaluated in the laboratory, demonstrating that the incorporation of SiO2NPs improves drying time and consolidant effect. Subsequently, the consolidant was applied In-Situ and the long-term performance was monitored over 3 years through non-destructive tests. The treatment exhibit moderate incompatibility degree (6.1) and demonstrating the long-lasting performance of the SiO2NPs-based consolidant treatment., 1 This work has been supported by the Spanish Government MAT2017-84228-R (MINECO/AEI//FEDER,UE) and PID2020-115843RB-I00/AEI/10.13039/501100011033. This work been cofinanced by the European Union under the 2014-2020 ERDF Operational Programme and by the Department of Economic Transformation, Industry, Knowledge, and Universities of the Regional Government of Andalusia. Project reference: FEDER-UCA18-106613. Giada M.C. Gemelli would also like to thank the Spanish Government for her predoctoral grants (PRE2018-085799). We thank the Cadiz Roman Theatre staff and Manuel Luna for their collaboration.

The shifts in quality of global reserves of iron ore, as well as the progressive advances in environmental legislations, are tendencies that have motivated researches on the usage of iron and carbon-bearing residues in the production of sinter for blast furnace ironmaking. These residues, however, are commonly limited in use due to their physical (particle size distribution) and chemical (heavy metals, alkali and zinc contents) properties as compared to sinter feed. In that sense, it is necessary to verify the impact of these materials on sinter quality and on sintering process parameters. In order to assess the recycling potential of residues via sintermaking, mixtures with increasing proportions (4.5–50%) of iron and steelmaking residues were prepared and tested in controlled laboratory conditions representing those of the sintering machine. The effect of residues on sinter mineral phases and chemical quality was evaluated and showed few differences in sinter quality for a mixture resulting from recycling 100% of a plant’s residue generation (4.5% of the mix). The greatest impact was an increased presence of wustite in the produced sinter, beyond 25% of residues in the mixture. The results indicated that there are opportunities, in the industry, for increasing the recycling of residues via sintermaking. Keywords: Sintermaking, Residues, Iron Ore, Recycling

Highlights • Tangerine, pomegranate and banana processing system. • Physicochemical and microbiological characteristics of tangerine, pomegranate and banana peels. • Different uses of tangerine, pomegranate and banana peels. • Tangerine, pomegranate and banana peels valorisation methods., Over the last decade the world has been generating a high quantity of tangerine peel waste (TPW), pomegranate peel waste (PPW) and banana peel waste (BPW). These peels have several economic benefits but there is mismanagement or inappropriate valorisation that could present risks to environment and public health. In the current review, we discussed the use of TPW, PPW and BPW directly for animal feed, soil fertilization, specific compost production and bio-adsorbent. We also discussed the valorisation of these peels for manufacturing the value-added products including enzymes, essential oil and other products that can be used in human food, in medical and cosmetic industry. Additionally, recent studies concerning the valorisation of these peels by biorefinery for bioethanol, biogas and biohydrogen production have been discussed. In the same context some other recent studies about valorisation of microorganisms isolated from these peels for medical, agronomic and industrial interests have been also discussed.

The research and development of proton exchange membrane water electrolysis (PEMWE) is an upcoming and growing area due to a rising interest in hydrogen as an energy carrier. Operating conditions are harsher than in a fuel cell system, particularly because the potentials required for the oxygen evolution reaction are significantly higher. In commercial water electrolysis systems, this is compensated by typically using titanium material sets that are often protected against oxidation through coating processes. Such material choices make small scale research hardware and porous transport layers expensive and difficult to source. In this work, we show that the stability of traditional, carbon-based fuel cell materials such as porous transport layers and graphite flow fields can be sufficient for electrolyzer initial performance characterization procedures such as cell conditioning, a limited number of polarization curve measurements, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. We identify and quantify the onset of carbon degradation in porous transport layers with regards to operating length and define a strategy that enables the utilization of standard fuel cell hardware for short-term PEMWE experiments. With the knowledge that existing fuel cell material sets can be applied to conduct electrolyzer research when adhering to such limitations, fuel cell research hardware and experience can be more readily transferred to the younger and rapidly growing electrolysis research field.

Lime is one of the most commonly consumed medicinal plants in Indonesia, which must be dried to preserve its quality, but mostly by using traditional, ineffective drying method. Therefore, this study aims to investigate lime drying process a hybrid solar drying method. The hybrid solar dryer consisted of a solar dryer and Liquefied Petroleum Gas as the supplementary heater. The drying process was conducted until there was no significant weight decrease, with the drying temperature of 40, 50, 60, 70, and 80 °C. Thin-layer modeling and quality analysis were also conducted. The experimental results indicated that 5 h was required to sufficiently dry the lime at 80 °C, while drying at 40 °C took 24 h to finish. The drying rate curve of lime suggested that lime drying mostly happened during the falling-rate period. Moreover, the average efficiency of the hybrid solar dryer ranged from 5.36% to 38.61%, which increased with temperature. From the 10 thin-layer drying models used, the Wang and Singh model was the most suitable to describe the drying behavior of lime. The effective diffusivity values of the limes and the activation energy value during hybrid solar drying were within their respective acceptable range for agricultural products. However, as the drying temperature was increased from 40 to 80 °C, the total phenolic content and vitamin C content decreased, from 87.3 to 27.8 mg GAE/100 g dry limes and 0.118 to 0.015 ppm, respectively. It can be concluded that hybrid solar dryer is able to sufficiently dry the lime, with acceptable drying time and dryer efficiency, although using high drying temperature will decrease the quality of dried lime. Further modifications and improvements to the hybrid solar dryer are required to maximize the quality of dried lime while still maintaining fast and effective drying process., Lime; Drying; Hybrid solar dryer; Dryer efficiency; Thin-layer modeling;Agricultural engineering; Food engineering; Food technology; Postharvest food processing; Thermal food processing

As per the World Health Organization (WHO) and Global Hunger Index, the incidence of malnutrition and Vitamin-A deficiency in preschool-age children is higher in South-East Asian countries. Therefore, this study was envisaged to formulate value-added flavoured buffalo milk and to carry out the sensory evaluation, nutritional analysis, storage characteristics and total carotene content of the developed product. Flavoured buffalo milk was prepared by incorporation of Cucurbita pepo (Pumpkin) pulp and ground sugar at a concentration of 15% and 10%, respectively. The formulation was found preeminent by panellists and then subjected to nutritional analysis and storage studies at room temperature following “in bottle heat treatment”. Nutritional analysis revealed that the protein, fat, total carbohydrates, total ash and moisture content of pumpkin flavoured buffalo milk were 3.07%, 5.21%, 12.63%, 0.61% and 78.48%, respectively. The storage study of flavoured buffalo milk showed a significantly (p < 0.05) declined score in colour and appearance as well as flavour only after day 90. The overall acceptability score also declined significantly (p < 0.05) after day 60 of storage. Though the sensory score declined gradually during the storage period, the product was liked by the panellist even till day 180. The carotene content of pumpkin flavoured buffalo milk was 1.2 mg/100 g at day 0 and it decreased significantly as storage prolongs. The nutritional components were not affected significantly during the 180 days storage period. Standard plate counts, coliform counts as well as yeast and mould counts were not detected during storage of pumpkin flavoured buffalo milk., Food science; Food technology; Cucurbita pepo; Pumpkin pulp; Flavoured drink; Storage study; Carotene analysis; Sensory evaluation

The need for multidisciplinary research to address today's complex health and environmental challenges has never been greater. The One Health (OH) approach to research ensures that human, animal, and environmental health questions are evaluated in an integrated and holistic manner to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the problem and potential solutions than would be possible with siloed approaches. However, the OH approach is complex, and there is limited guidance available for investigators regarding the practical design and implementation of OH research. In this paper we provide a framework to guide researchers through conceptualizing and planning an OH study. We discuss key steps in designing an OH study, including conceptualization of hypotheses and study aims, identification of collaborators for a multi-disciplinary research team, study design options, data sources and collection methods, and analytical methods. We illustrate these concepts through the presentation of a case study of health impacts associated with land application of biosolids. Finally, we discuss opportunities for applying an OH approach to identify solutions to current global health issues, and the need for cross-disciplinary funding sources to foster an OH approach to research.

Biofouling is a challenge in global sea-based salmon farming. Norway's salmon-growing industry relies primarily on copper-based antifouling coatings. However, copper is an increasingly recognised environmental hazard, and there is a need to develop alternative antifouling products to prevent biofouling in marine aquaculture. Using field experiments, this study compared the efficacy of six novel antifouling coatings for fish farm nets (two with reduced copper content, three with alternative biocides and one biocide-free coating) against a popular commercial copper coating and uncoated samples. The performance of one of the new coatings with lower copper content was more similar to the commercial copper control while the rest were colonised by biofouling faster and/or at higher abundances. However, none of the tested products were able to prevent biofouling entirely, underlining the importance of the search for alternative and improved antifouling technologies.

Brucellosis, a zoonotic disease particularly affecting goats, emerged in Thailand in 2003, resulting in both an occupational hazard for goat keepers and livestock officers, and production losses. Farm management practices have been identified as risk factors associated with Brucella sero-positivity in many studies. Our finding in this study should be considered in order to strengthen the system of biosecurity control in farm animals as one health approach. The objectives of the study were to describe the distribution of potential risk factors by types of goat farms and to document the prevalence of human Brucella sero-positivity among goat keepers and livestock officers in Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand.A cross-sectional study was conducted from September to December 2012. The study population included three types of goat farms: standard, community enterprise and private goat farms that were located in Nakhon Si Thammmarat Province in southern Thailand. Information on whether the farm had any Brucella sero-positivity goats since 2011 was retrieved from the local livestock office records. Information on farming management was also traced back to 2011. Field researchers collected information from goat keepers of the selected farms using a structured questionnaire. Goat keepers on all farms pre-identified (January to June 2012) as having had at least one positive goat were considered to have been exposed. Goat keepers on a random sample of farms having all goats with negative results were considered to be unexposed. Venous blood samples were collected from goat keepers exposed and unexposed and from livestock officers and the samples were tested by IgG ELISA. Statistical analysis was done under the complex survey design in R software.Fourteen standard farms, 66 community enterprise farms and 68 private farms participated in the study; 82.4% (122/148) used public pasture and 53.4% (79/148) shared breeder goats with other farms. Farm management practices corresponding to pre-identified risk factors were more common in private farms. Large herd size (≥51 goats) and having dogs and/or rats on the farm were significantly associated with Brucella infection in animals (P

Bauxite residue, the by-product produced in the alumina industry, is a potential low-cost adsorbent in the removal of phosphorus (P) from aqueous solution, due to its high composition of residual iron oxides such as hematite. Several studies have investigated the performance of bauxite residue in removing P; however, the majority have involved the use of laboratory batch tests, which may not accurately estimate its actual performance in filter systems. This study investigated the use of rapid small-scale column tests to predict the dissolved reactive phosphorus (DRP) removal capacity of bauxite residue when treating two agricultural waters of low (forest run-off) and high (dairy soiled water) phosphorus content. Bauxite residue media was successful in the removal of DRP from both waters, but was more efficient in treating the forest run-off. The estimated service time of the column media based on the largest column studied was 1.08 min g-1 media for the forest run-off and 0.28 min g-1 media for the dairy soiled water, before initial breakthrough time, which was taken to be when the column effluent reached approximately 5% of the influent concentration, occurred. Metal(loid) leaching from the bauxite residue, examined using ICP-OES, indicated that aluminium and iron were the dominant metals present in the treated effluent, which were both above the EPA parametric values (0.2 mg L-1 for both Al and Fe) for drinking water. The authors would like to acknowledge the financial support of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (2014-RE-MS-1). peer-reviewed 2021-04-19

Background Energy drinks are popular beverages that can have adverse long-term health effects when consumed by children and adolescents. This study sought to determine if the age of first energy drink use in a U.S. military population is predictive of the maximum number of energy drinks consumed during a single day and/or single occasion (operationally defined as a couple of hours; e.g., a night out, during studying or sport session). Method Student U.S. naval aviator and naval flight officers who reported past-year use of energy drinks (N = 239) were surveyed to determine various measures of energy drink consumption. Results Age of first consumption was predictive of the maximum number of energy drinks consumed during a single occasion within the past year. Within this sample, the age range between 13 and 16 years appeared to be a critical period with results indicating that people who began consuming energy drinks during this period were 4.88 times more likely to consume high quantities (four or more) of energy drinks during a single occasion when compared to those who started consuming energy drinks between the ages of 20–23. Likewise, persons who began to consume energy drinks between the ages of 13–16 are 2.48 times more likely to consume high quantities of energy drinks during a single occasion than those who started between the ages of 17–19. There was no difference between 17 and 19 year olds and 20–23 year olds. Age of first use was not correlated to daily average intake or daily maximal intake of energy drinks. Conclusions A lower age of first energy drink use suggests higher risk of single-occasion heavy episodic consumption in this military population. Researchers should further explore the relationship of early onset energy drink consumption and potential future health risks., Highlights • This is one of the first studies to examine correlation of age of first use of energy drinks and future maximal consumption. • Study examines a military population which has previously shown high prevalence of energy drink consumption. • Results suggest that early onset of energy drink consumption can predict future single-occasion, high quantity consumption.

For the first time, convective assembly technique was used for coating graphene oxide (GO) nano-sheets on an indium free, low cost and good conducting Nb doped TiO2 (TNO) thin films as a transparent conducting oxide (TCO) template. This construction enhances the charge transport as well as getting the benefit of photocatalysis activity of graphene-TiO2 structure. Surface morphology was investigated using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). TCO template showed a smooth surface with root mean square value (RMS) of 0.5 nm. The assembled GO thin layer has wide continuous area, with wrinkles, crumbles and folding at the edges. Raman analysis was used to investigate the phonon lattice vibrations within the films. According to photo-catalytic activity measurements, GO on TNO films exhibited better photo-catalytic efficiency. The proposed hybrid material structure exhibited transparent conducting property and photo-catalytic activity. Keywords: Graphene oxide, TCO, Raman analysis, Self-assembly, Surface morphology

Rhodosporiodum toruloides NCYC 921 yeast biorefinery is able to simultaneously provide a gaseous energy carrier, lipids and high-value carotenoids, either using glucose or carob pulp syrup as carbon source in the cultivation step for biomass production. The resulting leftover materials from the yeast biorefinery (YR- de-oiled yeast biomass residue, GS- glucose supernatant, CS- carob supernatant and CR- carob residue) were valued through anaerobic digestion in different mixtures, according to the generated effluents volume. Biogas productions of 55, 31 and 29 mL and methane yield of 236, 179 and 144 mL CH4/g substrate volatile solids (VS) were recorded for the studied mixtures MIX I (YR + GS), MIX II (YR + CS) and MIX III (YR + CS + CR) respectively. The comparison between the biogas production and volatile solids removal obtained for the individual substrates and for the admixtures substrates digestions revealed that co-digestion favoured the conversion of the biorefinery wastes into biogas/methane. Flow cytometry analysis of cells stained with propidium iodide revealed that the proportion of cells with injured membrane was lower in the substrate mixtures digestions than in the individual waste digestions, indicating that co-digestion mitigates the negative effect of potential toxic compounds present in the wastes or produced during the process digestion on the microbial consortium. info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

Industry is a large energy user in nearly all countries. Approximately half of all industrial energy use is used in specific processes in the energy-intensive industries. On the other hand, various general energy conversion technologies and end uses can also be distinguished (e.g., steam production, motive power, lighting). Opportunities and potentials exist for energy savings through energy efficiency improvement in all sectors and countries. Technology development, as well as policies aimed at dissemination and implementation of these technologies, can help to realize the potential benefits. Technologies do not now, nor will they in the foreseeable future, provide a limitation on continuing energy efficiency improvements.

Graphical abstract, The composition of a culture medium is one of the most important parameters to be analyzed in biotechnological processes with industrial purposes, because around 30–40% of the production costs were estimated to be accounted for the cost of the growth medium [1]. Since medium optimization using a one-factor-at-a-time approach is time-consuming, expensive, and often leads to misinterpretation of results, statistical experimental design has been applied to medium optimization for growth and metabolite production [2], [3], [4], [5]. In this scenario, the use of mixture design to develop a culture medium containing a cheaper nitrogen source seems to be more appropriate and simple. In this sense, the focus of this work is to present a detailed description of the steps involved in the development of a optimized culture medium containing extruded bean as nitrogen source. • In a previous work we tested a development of new culture media based on the composition of YPD medium, aiming to reduce bioprocess costs as well as to improve the biomass production and heterologous expression. • The developed medium was tested for growth of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Pichia pastoris (GS 115). • The use of culture media containing extruded bean as sole nitrogen source showed better biomass production and protein expression than those observed in the standard YPD medium.

The coal processing methods used at the Zarand coal washery plant are the heavy medium bath, jigs, and flotation. The coal-containing materials that are fed to the plant are acquired from different mines, and they have different washability properties. In this paper, the validity of Mayer curve (M-curve), the conventional method for determining coal washability, was evaluated on blending of raw coals that are fed to the plant. Washability curves were prepared for the hand-blended samples and compared with the washability predicted by the Mayer curves. Different samples from different seams and mines were blended by hand in 50:50 ratios, and sink and float tests were performed; the resulting washability curves were in good agreement with the washability curves predicted using the Mayer method for the same blending ratio. This work resulted in the preparation of the optimum plant feed that can be achieved from the blending of different coal samples to produce the best plant yield at a given ash content. Keywords: Coal, Dense medium separation, Gravity concentration, Mayer curve

During a Wet End break, the loss of paper feed through the paper machine causes loss of sensory information and the remaining parts of the process are operated in open-loop. This causes the stock composition in the Headbox to deviate substantially from the nominal specifications, causing paper quality (after start up) and paper machine runability issues. In this work, the Base Sheet Ash measurement of the scanner is estimated using a least absolute value (LAV) model which can then be used for control of the chalk valve during the breaks to keep the Headbox Ash within specified limits. The model is computed using a very fast optimization algorithm which is able to compute the LAV solution using only basic elementary operations. The proposed approach has been developed for a UK paper mill.

7 páginas, 3 figuras, 2 tablas -- PAGS nros. 1010-1016, Pulp industry plays an important role in the structure of European economy and society. Paper pulp manufacture, the industrial utilization of plant biomass, is increasing every year. In Spain, Eucalyptus is the dominant raw material and the Kraft cooking and total chlorine free (TCF) bleaching processes lead the procedures of Eucalyptus paper pulp production. This paper aims to identify and quantify the environmental impacts associated to Eucalyptus TCF pulp manufacture by using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) as an analytical tool. The system has been defined using a cradle-to-gate perspective, that is to say from forest activities to the exit gate of the pulp mill. The production of chemicals consumed in the cooking and bleaching stages as well as the on-site energy production system is the elements that contribute the most to all impact categories analyzed (more than 50% of total contributions), except for the eutrophication potential where forest activities and waste treatment play an important roles (about 52% of total). Specific actions associated to the recovery boiler, lime kiln and digestion stage could considerably reduce the environmental impact and improve the environmental performance of the Spanish paper pulp industry., BIORENEW Integrated Project (Project reference: NMP2-CT-2006-026456). Spanish Ministry of Education (Grant reference AP2005-2374).

Excilamps are new UV sources with great potential for application in wastewater treatment. In thepresent work, a KrCl excilamp emitting radiation at 222nm has been used for the photodegradationof 4-chlorophenol within a range of concentrations from 50 to 500mgL −1 . The photodegradation pro-cess has been shown to form two main photoproduct intermediates, benzoquinone and hydroquinone.Total removal of 4-chlorophenol was shown for all concentrations assayed, and, for both main interme-diates, residual concentrations of 20–30% of the initial concentration of 4-chlorophenol remained. Theirincreasing presence with increasing initial concentrations of 4-chlorophenol had the effect of decreasingthe removal efficiency of the photoproducts. In order to simulate the process and scale-up a simplifiedkinetic model has been developed and validated from the experimental data.© 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. 1. IntroductionChlorophenols are usually found in the wastewaters of numer-ous industries including the pulp and paper, wood, steel and othermetals, petroleum refining, resins and plastic based industries,beingcommonlyreleasedfromtheseindustrialwastewaterstotheenvironment [1,2]. They are widely considered as priority pollu-tants and can be rather persistent causing severe environmentalproblems.OneexampleistheLakeBaikalecosystem(WorldNatureHeritage Site since 1996), where chlorophenols are released intothe lake as by-products of the bleaching of crude pulp with activechlorine in the Baikalsk pulp and paper mill located directly on thesouthern shore of the lake [3].Physical, chemical and biological methods have been utilisedin the removal of these toxic compounds, however, a definitivesolution remains [4–13]. Among the methods considered, photo-chemical degradation of the contaminants in water is of particularinterestandpotential.ThecombineduseofUVradiationandstrongchemical oxidizing agents constitutes one type of the advancedoxidation processes (AOPs), that can be particularly effective inthe removal of toxic chlorophenols from water and wastewa-ter [14–18]. Although there are numerous investigations on the

This study concerns the implementation and improvement of a system that applies ultrasound technology in vegetable tanning, which is an eco-friendly tanning process. The system is versatile and requires no major modifications or expenses for tanneries. In particular, the study investigated the influence of several variables on the tannins absorption by the hides. The results show significant differences in the tanning degree of the leathers tested in relation to the work system tested, the ultrasonic power used and the resting time of the leather after tanning. The leathers we obtained showed no scratches, which is the main cause for their devaluation when applying the traditional tanning system, and were suitable for commercialization as high-end leather goods. Ultrasound technology can increase the use of vegetable tannage versus other less eco-friendly kind of tannages.

For the last 20 years, as a complement to biochemical approaches, lignin-modified transgenic trees have proven to be invaluable tools for deciphering the lignin biosynthetic pathway and increasing our knowledge about the role of lignins in wood-specific properties important for tree physiology. In addition, their evaluation in the field has been very useful for the identification of possible routes to improve wood properties for specific industrial uses, initially pulp and paper making and now biofuel production. In this chapter, we review our present knowledge gained through numerous studies analysing transgenic trees, with emphasis on field trial evaluations, for assessing the effects of lignin modification on wood properties and tree physiology. All the data presented here led to the conclusion that, prior to use in forestry for pulp and paper or bioenergy production, the fitness of lignin-modified transgenic trees required careful evaluation in a variety of field environments. Although limited in number, environmental studies failed to indicate any strong effects of lignin-modified transgenic trees on the ecosystem. Finally, this review helps to identify some promising options where biotech trees could be used to further optimize the production of wood for human uses.

WOS: 000284673500010, In this paper, data obtained during the oxidative desulphurization of some low-rank Turkish lignites with crude laccase enzyme produced from Trametes versicolor ATCC 200801 are presented. In order to optimize desulphurization conditions, effects of incubation time, pulp density, incubation temperature, medium pH, and also lignite source on the desulphurization have been examined. The values for incubation period, pulp density, temperature and pH in optimum incubation condition were found as 30 min, 5%, 35 degrees C, and pH 5.0, respectively. Under optimum conditions, treatment of coal samples with crude laccase has caused nearly 29% reduction in their total sulphur content. During the study, the rate of desulphurization of coal sample provided from Tuncbilek with crude laccase was found to be relatively higher than the other examined coal samples. Results of analytical assays have indicated that the treatment of coals with crude laccase has caused no change in their calorific values but reduced their sulphur emissions. 35%, 13%, and 25% reductions of pyritic sulphur, sulphate and organic sulphur in a period of 30 min were achieved, for a particle size of 200 mu m under optimal conditions with enzymatic desulphurization. Also, statistical analyses such as Tukey Multiple Comparison tests and ANOVA were performed. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The use of enzymes in secondary fiber (old paperboard containers) upgrading was investigated. The following aspects were analyzed: (i) the effect of several enzymes and (non-hydrolytic) cellulose-binding domains on the pulp and paper properties; (ii) factors influencing enzymatic treatment of secondary fiber: enzyme dosage and reaction time; and (iii) enzyme action on fractions with different fiber-length. In general, all the tested enzymatic preparations were able to improve the pulp drainability. In most cases this improvement was obtained at the expense of paper strength. The use of cellulose-binding domains allowed for the simultaneous increase in drainability and strength properties.

Singapore, an island republic of over 5 million inhabitants, has 3.1 million workers. Most are employed in the service, finance and tourist/transport industry. Significant numbers work in manufacturing, construction and heavy industry. Following a series of construction and shipyard accidents with multiple deaths in 2004, the government announced its intention to reduce workplace fatalities from 4.9 to 2.5 per 100,000 by 2015. There was strong political will to achieve this target. The strategic approaches were to build workplace safety and health (WSH) capabilities; implement legislative changes with enforcement; promote benefits of WSH and recognize best practices, and enhance partnership with stakeholders. The anticipated outcomes were to reduce workplace fatality and injury rates; have WSH as an integral part of business; and establish a progressive and pervasive WSH culture. With these measures, the workplace fatality rate declined from 4.9/100,000 in 2004, to 2.2/100,000 in 2010. However, other confounding factors could also account for this decline, and have to be considered. The next target, announced by Singapore's Prime Minister in 2008, is to further reduce the workplace fatality rate to 1.8/100,000 by 2018, and to have "one of the best workplace safety records in the world".

Effects of recycling ECF-bleached softwood kraft pulp on pulp properties were evaluated in the laboratory. The tensile strength, fiber flexibility and WRV lost during drying of the pulp were recovered by refining between the cycles which, however, resulted in deteriorated drainage properties. The recycled pulps were treated with purified Trichoderma reesei cellulases and hemicellulases and the changes in fiber properties due to enzymatic treatments were characterized. The endoglucanases (EG I and EG II) significantly improved pulp drainage already at low dosage levels, and EG II was found to be more effective at a given level of carbohydrate solubilization. Combining hemicellulases with the endoglucanase treatments increased the positive effects of the endoglucanases on pulp drainage. However, as a result of the endoglucanase treatments a slight loss in strength was observed. Combining mannanase with endoglucanase treatments appeared to increase this negative effect, whereas the impact of xylanase was not significant. Although the drainage properties of the pulps could be improved by selected enzymes, the water retention capacity of the dried hornified fibers could not be recovered by any of the enzymes tested.

Different studies have shown that the process heat requirements of future pulp mills can be satisfied using available internal biomass (bark and lignin), which are process by-products. Assuming that biomass is CO2 neutral, further reducing the process heat demand will not therefore lead to further reduction of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions - unless the excess biomass is extracted and used elsewhere to substitute fossil fuels. Previous work has demonstrated the potential to extract and export significant amounts of biofuel from future pulp mills. The associated extraction costs can be competitive with conventional forest fuels. However, biofuel extraction reduces the mill's potential to cogenerate electric power. This reduced power output must be compensated by increased purchased power from the grid, with associated costs and emissions. Such emissions must be affected to the extracted biofuel, which cannot therefore be considered as CO2 neutral. This paper presents results for costs and associated greenhouse gas emissions for excess biofuel extracted from a pulp mill. The results show that the extraction costs are competitive, but that the greenhouse gas emissions associated with the exported biofuel can be significant and must therefore not be neglected.

Manures need the addition of carbon-rich bulking agents to conserve N during composting, which increases the cost of the composting process. The recommended proportion of manure/sawdust, based on a carbon (C):nitrogen (N) ratio, is approximately 3:2. Two composting experiments were conducted to determine the impact of varying the proportion of sawdust to either separated raw, or separated anaerobically digested pig manures. To determine stability and maturity of the final compost, oxygen uptake rate (OUR) and germination index (GI) tests were conducted. For both experiments, three treatments were employed: manure-only (Treatment A), manure/sawdust mixed 4:1, fresh weight (Treatment B), and manure/sawdust mixed 3:2, fresh weight (Treatment C). The mixtures were composted in tumblers for 56 days with regular turning. The composting material was tested over the study duration for temperature. pH, water content, organic matter, C:N ratio and bulk density. For both Treatments B and C, the GI indicated low levels of phytotoxicity, and OUR values were lower than the recommended Irish threshold of 13 mmol 02 kg OM-1 h(-1), indicating that a high quality compost was produced. The proportion of sawdust to separated manure used can be reduced to make a cost saving, while still producing a stable end-product: 60% less sawdust is required to compost at a manure-to-sawdust ratio of 4:1 compared to the previously recommended ratio of 3:2. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Irish Department of Agriculture Food and Fisheries RFSP [Research Stimulus Fund Programme]; Teagasc [Walsh Fellowship Scheme] peer-reviewed

Pulp mill sludge produced in the Cova da Beira region (Portugal) contains organic matter (11-47%), nitrogen (38-2560 mg N/kg) and phosphorus (167-370 mg P/kg), which may be valuable for increasing soil productivity. The levels of heavy metals are below the limits recommended by legislation and the amount of nitrogen and phosphorous to be introduced in soils does not present a risk for nutrient leaching. After identifying the environmental and technical restrictions on its application, an area of 1650 ha was identified where the sludge can be applied in forage crops, fruit trees, olive groves and vineyards. A suitable area was also found for a biosolids storage centre. The use of GIS allowed to define a sludge application index and to produce land-use suitability maps, which can be useful for sludge management.

Fresh sardine (employed as discard model species) was pressed with a hydraulic press in order to obtain a partially dewatered cake (whose volume represents between 55% and 60% of the initial Volume of raw material) and a 3-phase press liquor comprising an aqueous fraction, an oil fraction and a variable amount of suspended solids. Pressing conditions, such as final pressure to which the sardine was subjected, compression speed, number of pressing stages and time of relaxation between two consecutive pressing stages, were optimised by means of a statistically designed experiment. The goal of the optimisation problem was to achieve maximal yield of press liquor with a minimum load of suspended solids. The Suspended solid content in the press liquor Must be kept to a minimum in order to facilitate any further treatment by operations such as membrane filtration. The conflict between these two objectives suggested employing a multiobjective optimisation technique. A Pareto Front was generated in order to find a set of solutions which satisfied both objectives to an adequate degree. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.