Monitoring, removal and risk assessment of cytostatic drugs in hospital wastewater.

Cytostatic agents are applied in cancer therapy and subsequently excreted into hospital wastewater. As these substances are known to be carcinogenic, mutagenic and toxic for reproduction, they should be removed from wastewater at their source of origin.In this study the fate and effects of the cancerostatic platinum compounds (CPC) cisplatin, carboplatin, oxaliplatin, 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and the anthracyclines doxorubicin, daunorubicin and epirubicin were investigated in hospital wastewater. Wastewater from the in-patient treatment ward of a hospital in Vienna was collected and monitored for the occurrence of the selected drugs. A calculation model was established to spot the correlation between administered dosage and measured concentrations. To investigate the fate of the selected substances during wastewater treatment, the oncologic wastewater was treated in a pilot membrane bioreactor system (MBR) and in downstream advanced wastewater treatment processes (adsorption to activated carbon and UV-treatment). Genotoxic effects of the oncologic wastewater were assessed before and after wastewater treatment followed by a risk assessment.Monitoring concentrations of the selected cytostatics in the oncologic wastewater were in line with calculated concentrations. Due to different mechanisms (adsorption, biodegradation) in the MBR-system 5 - FU and the anthracyclines were removed < LOD, whereas CPC were removed by 60%. In parallel, genotoxic effects could be reduced significantly by the MBR-system. The risk for humans, the aquatic and terrestrial environment by hospital wastewater containing cytostatic drugs was classified as small in a preliminary risk assessment.     

Flow-Sheeting-Programme für die Prozeßsimulation

Flowsheeting systems for process simulation. Simulation of process plants with flowsheeting systems has been state of the art in chemical plant design and in the chemical industry for many years. Modern computers now permit steady state simulation of complex chemical plants with sufficient accuracy. This paper outlines the different approaches to steady state process simulation, names the advantages and disadvantages, and gives an outlook on further developments. Process optimization, process integration, and process synthesis will be discussed. The integration of different programs, e.g. the connection between flowsheeting systems and computer-aided design (CAD) will be described. An advance in user friendliness will be reached by latest developments in the field of personal computers and workstations and by database management systems.     

Phasengleichgewichte des Schnittes FeOn–CaO im Dreistoffsystem FeO–Fe2O3–CaO bei Eisensättigung

Überprüfung der Schmelzgleichgewichte des Dreistoffsystems FeO–Fe₂O₃–CaO auf der wüstitreichen, eisengesättigten Seite des Systems. Angaben über die Ergebnisse der thermischen Analysen, isothermen Halteversuche und mikroskopischen Untersuchungen. Aussagen über den quasibinären Schnitt Eisen-Kalkferrit bei Temperaturen unter 1150 °C sowie über den quasibinären Schnitt Calciowüstit-Kalk über 1150 °C.     

Rumination activity of dairy cows in the 24 hours before and after calving

Monitoring rumination behavior serves multiple purposes in feeding and herd management of dairy cows. The process of calving is a major event for cows, and a detailed understanding of alterations in behavioral patterns of animals in the time around calving is important in calving detection. The objective of this study was to describe the short-term changes in rumination patterns in dairy cows immediately before and after parturition. In total, 17 cows were fitted with rumination sensors that were able to monitor rumination time, number of rumination boli, and number of rumination jaw movements. Rumination time was decreased in the last 4 h antepartum and in the first 8 h postpartum. Cows stopped ruminating 123 ± 58 min (mean ± standard deviation) before calving and resumed ruminating 355 ± 194 min after calving. The number of rumination jaw movements and boli per day were decreased in the 24-h period postpartum. Rumination rate, the number of rumination jaw movements per rumination minute, and the number of boli per rumination minute changed little around calving. The calving event primarily influenced the duration and frequency of various rumination characteristics but not rumination intensity. Among detected characteristics, rumination time showed the greatest potential for monitoring of calving events.     

Zustandsschaubilder und Reduktionsgleichgewichte des Dreistoffsystems Fe-Fe2O3-CaO zwischen 550 und 1070 °C

Darstellung und Erörterung isothermer Zustandsschaubilder des Feststoffsystems Fe–Fe₂O₃–CaO bei elf charakteristischen Temperaturen. Angabe der CO₂/CO- und H₂O/H₂-Verhältnisse sowie der Sauerstoffdrücke der zugehörigen Gasphase. Entwurf von Zusammensetzung-Temperatur-Schaubildern bei der Reduktion von Fe₂O₃-CaO-Mischungen sowie des Zustandsschaubildes ?FeO?–CaO bei Eisensättigung und der Sättigungsflächen des kalkhaltigen Wüstits.     

Zur Verzunderung von unlegiertem Stahl

Kritische Erörterung des Schrifttums über die Verzunderung von Eisen und Stahl. Verzunderungsversuche an unlegierten Stählen mit unterschiedlichen Kohlenstoffgehalten in Sauerstoff. Messung von Kohlenstoffabgabe und Massenveränderung der Probe sowie Ermittlung der Kohlenstoffverteilung an den verzunderten Proben durch chemische Analyse zur Beschreibung der Entkohlung und inneren Oxydation. Ermittlung der Siliciumverteilung in Oberflächennähe mit einer Elektronenstrahlmikrosonde zum Erfassen einer dem Sauerstoffstrom gegenläufigen Siliciumdiffusion.     

Effect of center block structure on the physical and rheological properties of ABA block copolymers. Part II. Rheological properties

The effect of the chemical structure of the center block on the rheological properties of ABA block copolymers with polystyrene end blocks has been investigated. The chemical structure of the center blocks investigated in the present paper are polybutadiene, polyisoprene, ethylene/butene copolymer, ethylene/propylene copolymer and polydimethyl-siloxane. The chemical structure of the center block was found to have a pronounced effect on the rheological properties of the ABA block copolymer melts. The long range relaxation times of these block copolymer melts increases with increasing incompatibility between the styrene block and the center block. However, the rheological properties of the block copolymers are not influenced significantly by the glass transition or the entanglement molecular weight of the center block.     

Metallchelate ungesättigter 1,2-Dithioäther

Metal Chelates of Unsaturated 1,2-Dithioethers The dialkyl- and diaralkyldithioethers of ethylenebisthiol (edt) and xylenedithiol form cationic 1:2 chelates with the d⁸-metal ions Ag^I and Cu^I, which have been isolated and characterized. Pd^II- and Pt^II-halides yield neutral mixed ligand complexes of the type Me (L L) X₂ (L L = dithioether, X = halogen). The dibenzyldithioether of edt is cleaved oxidatively by Cu^II and yields dibenzyldisulfide, Cu^I and an unidentified product.