Environmental impact and human health risks of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans in the vicinity of a new hazardous waste incinerator: a case study

The purpose of this study was to assess the environmental impact of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) in the vicinity of a new hazardous waste incinerator (HWI) 4 years after regular operation of the facility. A double approach was carried out. The PCDD/F congener profiles corresponding to environmental samples, soil and herbage, collected before the HWI (baseline) and 4 years after starting regular operations, as well as PCDD/F profiles of air emission samples, were compared. The potential health risks (carcinogenic and noncarcinogenic) due to PCDD/F exposure were assessed for adults and children living in the neighborhood of the facility. Human exposure to PCDD/Fs was mainly due to dietary food intake. Comparisons between the PCDD/F congener profiles corresponding to the baseline and current surveys, as well as data concerning the human health risk assessment, indicate that the HWI in question does not cause additional risks to the environment orto the population living in the vicinity of the facility.     

A numerical study of three-dimensional laminar mixed convection past an open cavity

A numerical study has been carried out to analyze the effects of mixed convective flow over a three-dimensional cavity that lies at the bottom of a horizontal channel. The vertical walls of the cavity are isothermal and all other walls are adiabatic. The cavity is assumed to be cubic in geometry and the flow is laminar and incompressible. A direct numerical simulation is undertaken to investigate the flow structure, the heat transfer characteristics and the complex interaction between the induced stream flow at ambient temperature and the buoyancy-induced flow from the heated wall over a wide range of the Grashof number (10³–10⁶) and two Reynolds numbers Re = 100 and 1000. The computed thermal and flow fields are displayed and discussed in terms of the velocity fields, streamlines, the temperature distribution and the averaged Nusselt number at the heated and cooled walls. It is found that the flow becomes stable at moderate Grashof number and exhibit a three-dimensional structure, while for both high Reynolds and Grashof numbers the mixed convection effects come into play, push the recirculating zone further upstream and the flow becomes unsteady with Kelvin–Helmholtz instabilities at the shear layer.     

Sheep Milk: Physicochemical Characteristics and Relevance for Functional Food Development

Sheep milk has a high nutritional value and high concentrations of proteins, fats, minerals, and vitamins, as compared to the milks of other domestic species. The physicochemical and nutritional characteristics of sheep milk can be advantageous for the manufacture of products containing prebiotic ingredients and/or probiotic bacteria, which are major categories in the functional food market. Following this technological trend, this review will address the characteristics and advantages of sheep milk as a potentially functional food, as well as the development of sheep milk dairy products containing prebiotics and/or probiotics.     

Process behavior of compatible polymer blends

It is a common industrial practice to blend virgin polymer with the same polymer recycled from scrap plastic that, in general, has not undergone relevant degradation. In this article, the influence that incorporating recycled material has on injection processes, especially on the rheological behavior of the material was studied. With this aim in mind, a mixture of two materials with the same nature or composition and similar viscosity was used, which is the system that is most commonly seen in industry. The mixture studied is composed of virgin PP (polypropylene) typically found in injection processes, and recycled copolymer PP from scrap plastic. A complete characterization of the materials and applied existing models was carried out to predict the mechanical behavior of the mixtures. A model to predict the behavior of the mixtures during processing, based on the rheological characteristics of the materials used was developed. This predictive model has been experimentally validated using filling tests in injection molding machines, as well as by specific simulation software. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012     

Surface Characterization of Vulcanized Rubber Treated with Sulfuric Acid and its Adhesion to Polyurethane Adhesive

Modifications produced on a vulcanized styrene –butadiene rubber surface by treatment with sulfuric acid were studied and several experimental variables were considered.

The treatment of R1 rubber with sulfuric acid produced a noticeable decrease in contact angle which was mainly ascribed to an increase in surface energy due to the formation of sulfonic acid moieties and C?O bonds, and the removal of zinc stearate. The rubber surface swelled and became brittle as a result of the treatment, and when flexed microcracks were created. A rubber surface layer modification was produced with a consequent decrease in tensile strength and elongation-at-break values. The treatment enhanced the T-peel strength of R1 rubber/polyurethane adhesive joints and the locus of failure was cohesive in the rubber.

The optimum immersion time in H₂SO₄ solution was less than 1 min., and the reaction time in air was not found to be critical; the neutralization with ammonium hydroxide and the high concentration of the sulfuric acid (95 wt%) were essential to produce adequate effectiveness of the treatment.     

Study,Mechanical Characterization and Mathematical Modeling of Compatible SEBS Blends for Industrial Applications in Orthopedics and Childcare

In this work, a system of compatible blends based on two commercial grades of a thermoplastic elastomer, styrene-ethylene/butylene-styrene (SEBS), with extreme Shore A hardness values (5 and 90), was studied in order to obtain a range of different performance blends for orthopedic and childcare applications, where usually liquid silicone rubber is used. Mechanical properties of different blends were obtained, and Equivalent Box Model (EBM) was used for the prediction of the mechanical behavior. The results show good agreement between the theoretical model and experimental data of new blends of SEBS.     

Magnetization reversal in Pt/Co(0.5 nm)/Pt nano-platelets patterned by focused ion beam lithography

Arrays of ultrathin Pt/Co(0.5 nm)/Pt nano-platelets with lateral sizes ranging from 30 nm to 1 μm have been patterned by focused ion beam (FIB) lithography under a weak Ga(+) ion fluence. From polar magneto-optical Kerr microscopy it is demonstrated that nano-platelets are ferromagnetic with perpendicular anisotropy down to a size of 50 nm. The irradiation process creates a magnetically soft ring at the nano-platelet periphery in which domain nucleation is initiated at a low field. The magnetization reversal in nano-platelets can be interpreted using a confined droplet model. All of the results prove that ultimate FIB patterning is suitable for preparing discrete magnetic recording media or small magnetic memory elements and nano-devices.     

Depthwave^TM非接触钢渣测量系统优化钢包渣调整

利用Depthwave(自由路程分析微波时间开发出的钢包内净空和钢渣深度的非接触测量。通过此种测量 ,指示出钢渣深度和类型 ,并导出钢包内的钢渣质量 (重量 )。然后根据测得的或估计的钢渣中的FeO百分比计算出钢包钢渣中的FeO重量。根据计算结果 ,加入正确量的钢渣还原剂,以获得要求的钢渣中FeO百分比。FeO和MnO的还原导致合金回收的提高与改进 ,并且降低了下游银废弃率。     

AMT 2.0: qualitative and quantitative trace analysis with extended signal temporal logic

International Journal on Software Tools for Technology Transfer - We introduce in this paper $$\text {AMT} \; 2.0$$ , a tool for qualitative and quantitative analysis of hybrid continuous and...