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.     

Characterization and elemental analysis of wood pellets obtained from low-valued types of wood

In this study, we compared the quality of wood pellets obtained from several different raw materials, i.e., Rhododendron ponticum (Type 1), Laurus nobilis (Type 2), and Castanea sativa (Type 3). The quality of the wood pellets was characterized mainly by their bulk density, moisture content, ash content, volatiles, sulfur content in the ash, total sulfur content, heating values, elemental analysis of the ash, and chlorine content. The results showed that bulk density was similar for each type of pellet. In quality values, ash content and the sulfur content in the ash were found to be lower for Type 3 (Chestnut wood pellets) than they were for the other two types. The results also showed that dry samples of Type 1, Type 2, and Type 3 wood pellets had heating values of 5057, 4691, and 4571 kcal/kg, respectively, whereas the original (undried) samples had heating values of 4571, 4409, and 4293 kcal/kg, respectively.     

A review: Fibre metal laminates,background, bonding types and applied test methods

During the past decades, increasing demand in aircraft industry for high-performance, lightweight structures have stimulated a strong trend towards the development of refined models for fibre-metal laminates (FMLs). Fibre metal laminates are hybrid composite materials built up from interlacing layers of thin metals and fibre reinforced adhesives. The most commercially available fibre metal laminates (FMLs) are ARALL (Aramid Reinforced Aluminium Laminate), based on aramid fibres, GLARE (Glass Reinforced Aluminium Laminate), based on high strength glass fibres and CARALL (Carbon Reinforced Aluminium Laminate), based on carbon fibres. Taking advantage of the hybrid nature from their two key constituents: metals (mostly aluminium) and fibre-reinforced laminate, these composites offer several advantages such as better damage tolerance to fatigue crack growth and impact damage especially for aircraft applications. Metallic layers and fibre reinforced laminate can be bonded by classical techniques, i.e. mechanically and adhesively. Adhesively bonded fibre metal laminates have been shown to be far more fatigue resistant than equivalent mechanically bonded structures.     

An experimental investigation on the low velocity impact response of composite plates repaired by VARIM and hand lay-up processes

This paper presents results of an experimental investigation on the impact response of repaired and unrepaired glass/epoxy composite plates. Repaired samples were prepared by two different manufacturing methods; vacuum assisted resin infusion process and hand lay-up technique. In order to compare impact response of the repaired and unrepaired samples a number of single impact tests were performed under various impact energies. Damage process of the samples is analyzed from cross-examining load–deflection curves and damaged specimens. From the visual inspection, for the impacted side of the samples, it is noted that the main damage modes for repaired samples are matrix and fiber cracks around point of impact and delaminations while severe matrix cracks expanded through fiber directions are the dominant damage mode for unrepaired samples. At the back surfaces, delaminations and fiber–matrix debonding oriented in the fiber directions are observed for unrepaired samples. However, for repaired samples the fiber fractures through repair line as well as the delaminations become dominant modes. For a reasoning justification in discussing impact test results, interlaminar fracture toughness (Mode I and Mode II) and flexural tests for repaired and non-repaired samples were also conducted.     

A risk analysis model for radioactive wastes

Hazardous wastes affect natural environmental systems to a significant extend, and therefore, it is necessary to control their harm through risk analysis. Herein, an effective risk methodology is proposed by considering their uncertain behaviors on stochastic, statistical and probabilistic bases. The basic element is attachment of a convenient probability distribution function (pdf) to a given waste quality measurement sequence. In this paper, (40)K contaminant measurements are adapted for risk assessment application after derivation of necessary fundamental formulations. The spatial contaminant distribution of (40)K is presented in the forms of maps and three-dimensional surfaces.     

Environmental optimization of chromium recovery from tannery sludge using a life cycle assessment approach

Life cycle assessment (LCA) was used to evaluate the environmental impact of an oxidative chromium recovery method from tannery sludge, in comparison with the usual landfilling process. Three improvement options (water reduction, byproduct use and anaerobic sludge digestion) were considered. The results showed that the proposed chromium recovery process would be better environmentally than conventional landfilling in all the evaluated impact categories if the amount of chromium recovered was 43 kg per ton of sludge. This amount could be recovered if the chromium concentration was about 20 times higher than that considered in this study. Alternatively, a lower chromium concentration would produce a better result if the recovery method was optimized and implemented at industrial rather than laboratory scale, and if more accurate data were provided on environmental credits for avoiding the chromium production process. Thus, the recovery method is environmentally beneficial when tannery sludge contains a chromium concentration of about 100,000 ppm. According to the literature, such concentrations are not unusual. The results could serve as the basis for further environmental improvements in chromium recovery and tannery sludge management and should be used in decision-making processes, especially for end-of-pipe treatments.     

Half-metallic ferromagnetism in ZnCrTe and CdCrTe: Ab initio study

Using the first-principles method, we investigate the structural, electronic and magnetic properties of the diluted magnetic semiconductors ZnCrTe and CdCrTe in the zinc blende phase with 25% of Cr. We have treated the ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic phases. The calculations are performed by a developed full-potential augmented plane wave plus local orbitals (FP-L/APW + lo) method within the spin density functional theory. As exchange–correlation potential we used the new generalized gradient approximation GGA form and GGA + U. Structural properties are determined from the total energy calculations and we found that these compounds are stable in the ferromagnetic phase. We discuss the electronic structures, total and partial densities of states and local moments. Furthermore, we predict the values of spin-exchange splitting energies Δ_x(d) and Δ_x(pd) and exchange constants N_0α and N_0β produced by the Cr 3d states. Finally, we demonstrate that the half-metallicity is robust with respect to lattice contraction.     

物理学对现代表面技术的支撑作用

从真空技术、等离子体技术、激光技术等表面技术发展的几个方面论述了电学、磁学、光学等物理学知识在表面技术中的广泛应用以及对表面处理技术科学的巨大推动作用.指出,物理学的进步对表面技术的进步有着非常重要的支撑作用.     

Mycobacterium behavior in wastewater treatment plant, a bacterial model distinct from Escherichia coli and Enterococci

Mycobacteria are waterborne emerging pathogens causing infections in human. Mycobacteria have been previously isolated from wastewater and sludge, but their densities were not estimated due to cultural biases. In order to evaluate the impact of wastewater treatment processes on mycobacteria removal, we used a real time PCR method. First we compared six DNA extraction methods and second we used the more efficient DNA extraction procedure (i.e., enzymatic lysis combined with hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide-NaCl procedure) in order to quantify Mycobacterium. With the aim to identify parameters that could serve as indicator of mycobacterial behavior, mycobacterial densities were measured in parallel to those of Escherichia coli and enterococci, and to concentrations of chemical parameters usually monitored in wastewater. Mycobacterium reached 5.5 × 10? ± 3.9 × 10? copies/L in the influent, but was not detected in the effluent after decantation and biofiltration. Most mycobacteria (98.6 ± 2.7%, i.e. 2.4 ± 0.7 log??) were removed by the physical-chemical decantation, and the remaining mycobacteria were removed by biofiltration. In contrast, enterococci and E. coli were lightly removed by decantation step and mainly removed by biofiltration. Our results showed that Mycobacterium corresponds to a hydrophobic behavior linked to insoluble compound removal, whereas enterococci and E. coli refer to hydrophilic behaviors linked to soluble compound removals.