Volatile N-nitrosamines in sausage products

The authors studied the content of volatile N-nitrosamines (NA) in the most common sausage products. It was established that the total content of NA in sausage products is not high and ranges from trace amounts up to 10 micrograms/kg product. The allowable doses of nitrite in the sausage manufacture being low, no relationship was discovered between the content of NA and residual nitrite in meat products.     

Decentralized energy supply: Suitability for the UK's industrial sectors

From the results reported here it is suggested that policy decisions about the potential contribution of decentralized energy supply systems to UK industrial energy requirements should be based on the suitability of individual sectors rather than averaged over all sectors. The suitability of decentralized energy sources is evaluated, based on a themodynamic match between source and demand. This suitability criterion is used to identify the most appropriate sector in manufacturing industries for the adoption of decentralized energy supply, leaving aside economic cost considerations and individual site requirements.     

Survival of rotavirus SA-11 on vegetables

Survival of rotavirus on lettuce, radishes, and carrots was studied to evaluate the potential of rotavirus transmission by vegetables irrigated with wastewater. The vegetables were contaminated with rotavirus SA-11 and stored at 4°C and room temperature in covered and uncovered containers to simulate post harvest conditions. Virus decay rates were greater on radishes and carrots than lettuce. Decay rates of rotavirus on lettuce, radish, and carrot ranged from ?0·057 to ?0·479 (log₁₀ pfu/day). Rotavirus SA-11 survived on lettuce, radish, and carrot for 25 to 30 days at 4°C but at room temperature survival was very different for the various vegetables varying from 5 to 25 days. Greatest survival was always observed on the lettuce. These data suggest that rotaviruses can survive long enough on contaminated vegetables as to be transmitted by this vehicle.     

Determination of the thermophysical properties of translucent materials

A method is proposed for determining the thermophysical properties of translucent scattering materials in the nonsteady heating regime.Translated from Inzhenerno-Fizicheskii Zhurnal, Vol. 49, No. 6, pp. 977–982, December, 1985.     

Dynamics of nanosecond laser annealing of silicon

On the basis of a numerical solution of the Stefan problem, the dynamics of nanosecond laser annealing of silicon is investigated.Translated from Inzhenerno-Fizicheskii Zhurnal, Vol. 48, No. 2, pp. 306–312, February, 1985.     

Technique to correct yellowing and foxing in antique books

New algorithms for the automatic restoration of antique documents affected by foxing and by yellowing deterioration processes are proposed in the paper. The physical restoration of such objects is both expensive and hard to carry out by nonspecialised library personnel. The proposed algorithms ensure fast and less expensive results, and can be used also by nonqualified operators. Moreover, these techniques improve the performance of optical character recognition operators.     

Aqua-Biomant: integrated biological and electrochemical oxidation for industrial wastewater treatment.

An innovative technology for industrial wastewater treatment has been developed. The main focus of the new system is a transformation of persistent organic compounds (biorecalcitrant COD) into a biodegradable fraction, followed by high efficient biological elimination using specialised bacteria's. To fulfill these targets the Aqua-Biomant process integrates two treatment steps: an aerated biological upflow filter and a electrochemical oxidation technique using boron doped-diamond electrodes. The advantages of the process are high efficient COD removal with reduced energy consumption combined with low total residence time.     

Making decentralised systems viable: a guide to managing decentralised assets and risks.

Decentralised systems have the potential to provide a viable option for long term sustainable management of household wastewater. Yet, at present, such systems hold an uncertain status and are frequently omitted from consideration. Their potential can only be realised with improved approaches to their management, and improved methods to decision-making in planning of wastewater systems. The aim of this paper is to demonstrate the value of a novel framework to guide the planning of decentralised systems so that asset management and risk management are explicitly considered. The framework was developed through a detailed synthesis of literature and practice in the area of asset management of centralised water and wastewater systems, and risk management in the context of decentralised systems. Key aspects of the framework are attention to socio-economic risks as well as engineering, public health and ecological risks, the central place of communication with multiple stakeholders and establishing a shared asset information system. A case study is used to demonstrate how the framework can guide a different approach and lead to different, more sustainable outcomes, by explicitly considering the needs and perspectives of homeowners, water authorities, relevant government agencies and society as a whole.