Optimization of municipal solid waste (MSW) disposal in Saudi Arabia

Municipal solid waste (MSW) mainly comprises organics, paper, glass, plastics, metals, wood, etc. Rapid industrialization, high population growth rate, and fast urbanization have resulted in increased levels of pollution and MSW in Saudi Arabia. The amount of waste has been steadily increasing due to increasing human population and urbanization. Recovery refers to materials removed from the waste stream for the purpose of recycling and/or composting. There are various options available to convert solid waste to energy. Mainly, the following types of technologies are available: (1) sanitary landfill, (2) incineration, (3) pyrolysis, (4) gasification, and (5) anaerobic digestion. An integrated MSW disposal policy comprises (1) reduction of MSW source, (2) reuse of MSW, (3) recycling of MSW, (4) landfill and gas-to-energy conversion, and (5) MSW-to-energy conversion. Traditionally, MSWs have been disposed in landfills. Landfill is the most inexpensive waste disposal option. The main MSW disposal policies and barriers have been concluded in this study.     

The relationship between electricity consumption,electricity prices and GDP in Pakistan

This study analyzes the relationship among electricity consumption, its price and real GDP at the aggregate and sectoral level in Pakistan. Using annual data for the period 1960–2008, the study finds the presence of unidirectional causality from real economic activity to electricity consumption. In particular, growth in output in commercial, manufacturing and agricultural sectors tend to increase electricity consumption, while in residential sector, growth in private expenditures is the cause of rising electricity consumption. The study concludes that electricity production and management needs to be better integrated with overall economic planning exercises. This is essential to avoid electricity shortfalls and unplanned load shedding.     

Process Optimization and Characterization of Popped Brown Rice

The popping process was optimized for brown rice based on an expansion ratio. A central composite design with interactive effect of three independent variables, including salt content (1–2.5 g/100 g raw material), moisture content (13–17 g/100 g raw material), and popping temperature (210–240°C) was used to study their effects on the expansion ratio of rice using response surface methodology. The experimental values of expansion ratio were ranged from 5.24 to 6.85. On fitting the experimental values of expansion ratio to a second order polynomial equation, a mathematical model with the predictability was developed with the statistical adequacy and validity (p ? 0.05). From the model, the optimal condition including salt content (1.75 g/100 g raw material), moisture content (15 g/100 g raw material), and popping temperature (225°C) were predicted for a maximum expansion ratio of 6.79, which was then proved to be 6.85 through experiment. Raw and popped brown rice were investigated for physical properties including hardness, L*, a*, and b* value, length/breadth ratio, bulk density, and minerals, which showed the significant differences. The optimized popped rice sample was evaluated for structural, spectroscopic, and thermal properties, which showed the significant difference from raw rice.     

Liaison of phenolic acids and biological activity of escalating cultivars of Daucus carota

The objective of the present study was to analyze and compare the phenolic compounds and their antioxidant capacities of new lines of Dacus carota. The selected cultivars showed high variation in the contents of total phenolics (30.26–65.39 mg/100 g FW) and total ascorbic acid (41.12–58.36 mg/100 g FW). Analysis on RP-HPLC revealed that hydroxycinnamic acids and its derivatives were major phenolic compounds present in D. carota extracts, whereas 5-caffeolquinic acid was a major hydroxycinnamic acid (ranged from 30.26 to 65.39 mg/100 g FW). DCP cultivar showed high total antioxidant capacity (77.69 mg/100 g), 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging capacity (52.36 mg/100 g), superoxide radical scavenging capacity (53.69 mg/100 g), and hydroxyl radical scavenging capacity (51.91 mg/100 g). A linear relationship was found between total phenolic acid contents and antioxidant capacity. Both phenolic compounds and antioxidant capacities varied significantly (ρ < 0.05) among cultivars. DCP cultivar was found to be a rich source of phenolics and ascorbic acid with high antioxidant activity.     

Transforming rice cultivation in flood prone coastal Odisha to ensure food and economic security

Flash floods leading to complete submergence of rice plants for 10–15 days is one of the major constraints for rice production, mainly in rainfed lowland areas. In India, 30% of the rice growing area (12–14 M ha) is prone to flash flooding with average productivity of only 0.5–0.8 t ha^?1. Coastal Odisha is one of the most flood prone areas of India where the paddy crop in the wet season is often devastated by flash floods, forcing farmers either to discontinue paddy cultivation or to revert to traditional varieties with very low yields. The flood tolerant variety, Swarna-Sub1 (SS1), was introduced through cluster demonstrations in some villages of the Bari block of Odisha in 2013. SS1 seeds were provided to 355 farmers in two villages affected by floods twice in 2013. The majority of the farmers cultivated SS1 in 2013 and about 75% of them persisted with the variety in 2014. There has been a steady and significant increase in paddy cultivation and yields per unit area between 2012 and 2014 and a sharp increase in paddy sales during 2013 and 2014. The present study showed that farmers preferred to cultivate low yielding traditional land races owing to their better flood tolerance and the unavailability of flood tolerant high yielding varieties (HYVs). Traditional varieties gave 30–42% higher yields than non-SS1 HYVs when flooding occurred. SS1 on the other hand offered a significant yield advantage of about twice that of traditional varieties, in both flooding and non-flooding years. There is an additional social advantage of SSI in that famers belonging to scheduled castes in flood prone villages, have greater numbers of plots that are exposed to prolonged floods. Thus they benefit proportionately more from the introduction of SS1.     

Wrinkle free plaited knitted fabrics without pre-heat setting

Wrinkle free fabric at low cost is always a desirable aesthetic property. Different type of resins/finishes and pre-heat setting prior to processing are applied to avoid wrinkles in woven and hosiery, respectively. Current study is proposed to produce wrinkle free circular plaited knitted fabric by the elimination of a pre-boarding step. In this achievement, yarn covering parameters and compatibility of yarns with knitting machines are examined. Sock samples were analyzed for improved physical appearance (wrinkles) after various processes (pre-tumbling, dyeing, bleaching, and washing). Yarn specifications (sheath yarn fineness, sheath yarn texture i.e. shrink/un-shrink, covering air-knots) impact on socks physical appearance were also analyzed. The results clearly showed that by decreasing number of yarn covering air knots and sheath yarn fineness leads to prevention of wrinkle formation. The results also prove to be supportive for cost effectiveness by eliminating the pre-setting stage.