Characterization of Pheromone Blend for Grapevine Moth, Lobesia botrana by Using Flight Track Recording

The behavioral responses of Lobesia botrana males to calling females, pheromone gland extracts, and synthetic sex pheromones were recorded in a wind tunnel. Gland extracts and synthetic pheromones were released from a pheromone evaporator. The numbers of males reaching the source and their flight tracks in response to calling females and pheromone gland extracts were compared to those of synthetic blends. Upwind flights to natural sex pheromone were straighter and faster than to a three-component blend of (E)-7,(Z)-9-dodecadienyl acetate (E7,Z9–12:Ac), (E)-7,(Z)-9-dodecadien-1-ol (E7,Z9–12:OH), and (Z)-9-docecenyl acetate (Z9–12:Ac) (100:20:5). The optimum ratio of E7,Z9–12:OH and Z9–12:Ac to E7,Z9–12:Ac was found to be 5% and 1%, respectively. An additional seven compounds identified in the sex pheromone gland were investigated for their biological activity. Two unsaturated acetates, i.e., (E)-9-dodecenyl acetate (E9–12:Ac) and 11-dodecenyl acetate (11–12:Ac), increased the number of males reaching the source as well as straightness, linear velocity, and decreased the track angle of upwind flight. Optimum response was obtained by releasing 10 pg/min E7,Z9–12:Ac in a mixture with 0.5 pg/min E7,Z9–12:OH, 0.1 pg/min Z9–12:Ac, 0.1 pg/min E9– 12:Ac and 1 pg/min 11-12–Ac. The saturated acetates previously identified in the female glands were biologically inactive.     

A DC electrochemical method for studying the inhibition of metal corrosion by chromate-containing paint

A DC potentiodynamic curve method is used to observe the effect of a pigmented organic coating on the passivity of a metal substrate. In this method, a painted metal coupon, which is scribed to expose metal, functions as the working electrode (WE) of an electrochemical cell; the cell includes a graphite bar counter electrode (CE), a saturated calomel reference electrode (RE), and aqueous electrolyte. Increasingly oxidizing potentials are imposed on the WE by a potentiostat, and current between the WE and CE is measured at each applied potential. The resulting current–voltage (I–V) curve indicates effects of the coating on the metal's open circuit potential and passivity. The passivating effect of a chromate-containing primer paint on mild steel is demonstrated and compared to the passivity of 316 stainless steel.     

Crystallization and melting behaviors of poly(trimethylene terephthalate)

The crystallization and melting behaviors of poly(trimethylene terephthalate) (PTT) have been studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD), and solid-state NMR. At certain crystallization temperatures (T_c) for a given time, the isothermally crystallized PTT exhibits two melting endotherms, which is similar to that of PET and PBT. At higher crystallization temperature (T_c = 210 °C), the low-temperature endotherm is related to the melting of the original crystals, while the high-temperature endotherm is associated with the melting of crystals recrystallized during the heating. The peak temperatures of these double-melting endotherms depend on crystallization temperature, crystallization time, and cooling rate from the melt as well as the subsequent heating rate. At a low cooling rate (0.2 °C/min) or a high heating rate (40 °C/min), these two endotherms tend to coalesce into a single endotherm, which is considered as complete melting without reorganization. WAXD results confirm that only one crystal structure exists in the PTT sample regardless of the crystallization conditions even with the appearance of double melting endotherms. The results of NMR reveal that the annealing treatment increases proton spin lattice relaxation time in the rotation frame, T_1ρ ^H, of the PTT. This phenomenon suggests that the mobility of the PTT molecules decreases after the annealing process. The equilibrium melting temperature (T _m ^o ) determined by the Hoffman-Weeks plot is 248 °C.     

Enantiodifferentiation of solerol isomers in dried figs and dates

Concentrates of dried fig (Ficus carica L.) and dried date (Phoenix dactylifera L.) fruits were obtained by solvent extraction (pentane: dichloromethane, 2∶1 by vol) and subsequently analysed by HRGC-MS. Using multidimensional gas chromatography (DB-Wax/oktakis2, 6-di-O-methyl-3-O-pentyl-γ-cyclodextrin) simultaneous enantiodifferentiation of 4,5-dihydroxyhexanoic acid-γ-lactone isomers (solerol) was carried out. The presence of this constituent is reported for the first time in figs and dates. Enantiomeric excesses of 80% and 90% were determined for the (4R,5R)-isomer in figs and dates, respectively.     

Effect of long-term application of animal slurries to grassland on silage quality assessed in laboratory silos

The effect on silage quality of slurry type (pig or cow), rate of application of slurry (50, 100 or 200 m³ ha^?1 year^?1) and use of a bacterial silage inoculant, was assessed on grass from a long-term slurry experiment ensiled in laboratory silos. There was no significant effect of slurry type or the quality of silage made from grass re growths. However, on the basis of ammonia-N, lactate and volatile fatty acid contents, spring (first cut) grass treated with cow slurry in both years of the study produced significantly poorer fermentation (P < 0.001) than silage from grass treated with pig slurry. The quality of silage made from slurry-treated swards compared favourably with that from swards treated with granular fertiliser. Although increasing the rate of slurry application was shown to reduce fermentation quality in most treatments, this was seen as an effect of increasing the total-N content of the herbage rather than of slurry application per se. From a study, in selected treatments, of the bacterial flora at harvest, it was also observed that slurry application had little impact on either the composition or diversity of herbage enter bacteria at harvest, and therefore probably upon subsequent fermentation. No evidence was found for the occurrence of clostridia on herbage from slurry-treated swards. Use of a bacterial inoculant (Ecosyl; ICI plc) improved fermentation quality significantly (P < 0.001) even where high rates of slurry (200 m³ ha^?1 year^?1) had been applied to swards. The high acetate and butyrate contents typical of laboratory silages untreated with additive were not seen in the inoculated silages.     

Compound-specific factors influencing sorption nonlinearity in natural organic matter

Nonlinear sorption by natural organic matter may have a significant impact on the behavior of organic contaminants in soils and sediments. This study presents a molecular probe approach based on linear solvation energy relationships (LSERs) to identify and quantify the molecular interactions causing concentration-dependent sorption and proposes estimation methods for sorption nonlinearities. Sorption isotherms ranging over concentrations of more than 4 orders of magnitude were determined in batch systems for 23 and 16 chemically diverse probe compounds in a lignite sample and a peat soil, respectively. Each sorbent showed characteristic nonlinear sorption with Freundlich exponents (1/n) being 0.7-1. The LSER-based analysis revealed that the strength of nonspecific interactions did not vary with concentration for both sorbents. In lignite, specific interactions did not affect sorption nonlinearity either, suggesting that compound-independent factors of lignite were responsible for the nonlinear sorption. In the peat soil, by contrast, the specific interactions related to the solute polarizability/dipolarity parameter (S) decreased with increasing concentration. Consequently, compounds of higher S values were more susceptible to nonlinear sorption in the peat soil. Phenol probes have shown that hydrogen bond donating properties of sorbate compounds have a substantial impact on the overall strength of sorption with organic matter, but no significant influence on sorption nonlinearity. Heterocyclic aromatic compounds appear to undergo additional interactions that are not accounted for by the LSER. These additional interactions considerably enhance both sorption capacity and nonlinearity.     

Post-Kyoto CO2 emission reduction: The soft landing scenario analysed with POLES and other world models

Long-term outlooks are key tools for policy design in the energy sector. These outlooks should also include scenarios considering active policies that address the challenge of climate change. Consequently such a CO₂ emission reduction scenario was analysed as a case study within the ACROPOLIS project.     

Development of a dynamic regenerative fuel cell system

The development of a regenerative Integrated Renewable Energy Experiment (IRENE) is presented. IRENE is a laboratory-scale distributed energy system with a modular structure which can be re-configured to test newly developed components for generic regenerative systems integrating renewable energy, electrolysis, hydrogen and electricity storage and fuel cells. A special design feature of this test bed is the ability to accept transient inputs from and provide transient loads to real devices as well as from simulated energy sources/sinks. The findings of this study should be of interest to developers of small-scale renewable-regenerative systems intended to displace fossil fuel systems.     

On optimal investment strategies for a hydrogen refueling station

The uncertainty and cost of changing from a fossil-fuel-based society to a hydrogen-based society are considered to be extensive obstacles to the introduction of fuel cell vehicles (FCVs). The absence of existing profitable refueling stations has been shown to be one of the major barriers. This paper investigates methods for calculating an optimal transition from a gasoline refueling station to future methane and hydrogen combined use with an on site small-scale reformer for methane. In particular, we look into the problem of matching the hydrogen capacity of a single refueling station to an increasing demand. Based on an assumed future development scenario, optimal investment strategies are calculated. First, a constant utilization of the hydrogen reformer is assumed in order to find the minimum hydrogen production cost. Second, when considerations such as periodic maintenance are taken into account, optimal control is used to concurrently find both a short term equipment variable utilization for one week and a long term strategy. The result is a minimum hydrogen production cost of $4–6/kg, depending on the number of reinvestments during a 20 year period. The solution is shown to yield minimum hydrogen production cost for the individual refueling station, but the solution is sensitive to variations in the scenario parameters.     

The potential limitations on its basin decision-making processes of granting self-defence rights to Father Rhine

ABSTRACT

Recent grants of legal rights to rivers would seem to infuse traditional anthropocentric river governance with greater eco-centrism. Through a thought experiment, we scrutinize this proposition for the Rhine basin. We consider the governance implications of granting (procedural/material) rights to the river and elaborate on their implications for the three highly institutionalized regimes of the Rhine River of water quality, flooding and transport. Since we find that a shift to more eco-centrism has already occurred and since the right granted to the river would not be absolute, we deem radical transformations unlikely.