Purification of Ellagic Acid by UF Membranes

Ellagic acid (2, 3, 7, 8‐tetrahydroxy(1)benzopyrano(5, 4, 3‐cde)(1)benzopyran‐5, 10‐dione) was selected as a model pollutant which is present in the tannic fraction of cork processing wastewater. The ultrafiltration of aqueous ellagic acid solutions through three membranes was studied in tangential UF laboratory equipment. Two of the membranes were polyethersulfone (Biomax10K and Biomax5K, with MWCO of 10000 and 5000 Da, respectively), and the third made of regenerated cellulose (Ultracel5K, with MWCO of 5000 Da). The water hydraulic permeability was evaluated for each membrane. The evolution of the permeate flow rate with processing time was followed, and the influence of the main operating variables (feed flow rate, trans‐membrane pressure and nature of the membranes) on the permeate flux was also established. According to the hypothesis of the film theory, the intrinsic and apparent rejection coefficients, as well as the mass transfer coefficients, were also determined, and the values obtained were discussed as a function of the operating conditions used.     

Development of a Ceramic Micro Heat Exchanger – Design,Construction, and Testing

This article presents the development of a ceramic micro heat exchanger. Starting from its geometrical design, results obtained from a simplified simulation of the heat exchanger efficiency will be given. The alumina microcomponents were manufactured by a rapid prototyping process chain. Here, stereolithography was combined with a low‐pressure injection molding process for the rapid and precise manufacturing of ceramic components down to the micrometer range. A micro heat exchanger, joined from sintered components using a glass solder, was applied as a prototype and checked for its performance at a system pressure of 8 bar.     

Use of electrochemical oxidation process as post-treatment for the effluents of a UASB reactor treating cellulose pulp mill wastewater.

The main purpose of this study was to evaluate the performance of the electrochemical oxidation process as a post-treatment for the effluents of a bench-scale UASB reactor treating simulated wastewater from an unbleached pulp plant. The oxidation process was performed using a single compartment cell with two plates as electrodes. The anode was made of Ti/Ru0.3Ti0.7O2 and the cathode of stainless steel. The following variables were evaluated: current density (75, 150 and 225 mA cm(-2)) and recirculation flow rate in the electrochemical cell (0.22, 0.45 and 0.90 L h(-1)). The increase in current density from 75 to 225 mA cm(-2) did not increased the color removal efficiency for the tested flow rates, 0.22, 0.45 and 0.90 L h(-1), however the energy consumption increased significantly. The results indicated the technical feasibility of the electrochemical treatment as post-treatment for UASB reactors treating wastewaters from pulp and paper plants.     

A case study of regional catchment water quality modelling to identify pollution control requirements.

There are four ecologically important river catchments that contain candidate Special Areas of Conservation (cSACs) under the Habitats Directive in the Lake District National Park located in the North of England. These are the rivers Ehen, Kent, Derwent and Eden. For each cSAC, there are defined ecological criteria that include water quality targets to protect the designated species. Stretches of the riverine cSACs in each catchment are failing to meet these and other water quality targets. The Environment Agency commissioned a study of each catchment to provide the underpinning scientific knowledge to allow it to deliver its statutory obligations under the Habitats Directive. SIMCAT river water quality models were produced and used to predict the water quality impacts resulting from a number of water quality planning scenarios aimed at achieving full compliance with the Habitats Directive and other national and EEC water quality targets. The results indicated that further controls on effluent discharges will allow the majority of targets to be met but other sources of pollution will also need to be controlled. The outcome of the study also recognised that water quality improvements alone will not necessarily produce the required improvement to the ecological interest features in each cSAC.     

Disc filtration for separation of flocs from a moving bed bio-film reactor.

A Discfilter with 10 and 18 microm filter openings, respectively, was placed in parallel to a flotation plant for separation of biological flocs from a post-denitrifying Kaldnes Moving Bed Process, the last treatment step at the municipal wastewater treatment plant at Sj?unda, Malm?, Sweden. The effluent concentrations from the 10 and 18 microm filter were 2-5 and 2-8 mg SS L(-1), respectively, which is comparable to, or better than, the flotation plant. Comparison with experiences from activated sludge plants shows that the Discfilter works especially well after the Kaldnes process. Particle size distribution (PSD) studies show that particles larger than the filter openings of 10 and 18 microm are separated with approximately 90% efficiency, whereas most of the smaller particles pass the filter. This fact indicates that the major particle separation mechanism is physical blocking. These findings point to the possibility of improving the prediction of the separation efficiency by combining measurements of turbidity and suspended solids with particle size analysis.     

Individual and structural origins of friendship and social position among professionals.

Friendship affects individual and organizational well-being through direct relations, social positions, and complex network structures. In this study, the authors use longitudinal data from 2 groups of master's of business administration students to increase understanding of how friendship networks develop. The authors propose and test a dynamic model in which attribute similarity facilitates dyadic friendship ties, as well as similar network centrality and social position; early friendship increases later similarity in structural position and centrality; and early structural similarity enhances the likelihood of future friendship. Findings largely supported the model, demonstrating how homophily and early social contacts can jointly shape maturing friendship networks. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Exceptions that prove the rule--Using a theory of motivated social cognition to account for ideological incongruities and political anomalies: Reply to Greenberg and Jonas (2003).

A meta-analysis by J. T. Jost, J. Glaser, A. W. Kruglanski, and F. J. Sulloway (2003) concluded that political conservatism is partially motivated by the management of uncertainty and threat. In this reply to J. Greenberg and E. Jonas (2003), conceptual issues are clarified, numerous political anomalies are explained, and alleged counterexamples are incorporated with a dynamic model that takes into account differences between "young" and "old" movements. Studies directly pitting the rigidity-of-the-right hypothesis against the ideological extremity hypothesis demonstrate strong support for the former. Medium to large effect sizes describe relations between political conservatism and dogmatism and intolerance of ambiguity; lack of openness to experience; uncertainty avoidance; personal needs for order, structure, and closure; fear of death; and system threat. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Hydrogen degradation of steels in gas mains after long periods of operation

We study the degradation of the mechanical and corrosion properties of 17G1S steel in gas mains as a result of operation for 28–40 yr. We reveal the simultaneous decrease in its strength and hardness, on the one hand, and impact toughness and crack resistance, on the other hand. The indicated parameters prove to be most sensitive to the in-service degradation of the metal. The degradation of steel leads to the increase in the strain-hardening coefficient and the appearance of the yield plateau in the tensile stress-strain diagram and causes the appearance of sensitivity to hydrogen embrittlement increasing in the process of operation. We analyze the role of absorbed hydrogen affecting the mechanism of strain aging and responsible for the appearance of defects. It is shown that the polarization resistance can be used not only for monitoring of the corrosion state of gas pipelines but also for the prediction of changes in their mechanical properties in the process of operation. __________ Translated from Fizyko-Khimichna Mekhanika Materialiv, Vol. 43, No. 5, pp. 97–104, September–October, 2007.