Search results for: salt deposition

Authors: Azwan Hamdan, Mohd Qayyum Ab Latip, Hasliza Abu Hassim, Tengku Rinalfi Putra Tengku Azizan, Hafandi Ahmad

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Animal cognition provides some evidence for self-recognition, which is described as the ability to recognize oneself as an individual separate from the environment and other individuals. The mirror self-recognition (MSR) or mark test is a behavioral technique to determine whether an animal have the ability of self-recognition or self-awareness in front of the mirror. It also describes the capability for an animal to be aware of and make judgments about its new environment. Thus, the objectives of this study are to measure and to compare the ability of wild and captive wildlife in mirror self-recognition. Wild animals from the Royal Belum Rainforest Malaysia were identified based on the animal trails and salt lick grounds. Acrylic mirrors with wood frame (200 x 250cm) were located near to animal trails. Camera traps (Bushnell, UK) with motion-detection infrared sensor are placed near the animal trails or hiding spot. For captive wildlife, animals such as Malayan sun bear (Helarctos malayanus) and chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) were selected from Zoo Negara Malaysia. The captive animals were also marked using odorless and non-toxic white paint on its forehead. An acrylic mirror with wood frame (200 x 250cm) and a video camera were placed near the cage. The behavioral data were analyzed using ethogram and classified through four stages of MSR; social responses, physical inspection, repetitive mirror-testing behavior and realization of seeing themselves. Results showed that wild animals such as barking deer (Muntiacus muntjak) and long-tailed macaque (Macaca fascicularis) increased their physical inspection (e.g inspecting the reflected image) and repetitive mirror-testing behavior (e.g rhythmic head and leg movement). This would suggest that the ability to use a mirror is most likely related to learning process and cognitive evolution in wild animals. However, the sun bear’s behaviors were inconsistent and did not clearly undergo four stages of MSR. This result suggests that when keeping Malayan sun bear in captivity, it may promote communication and familiarity between conspecific. Interestingly, chimp has positive social response (e.g manipulating lips) and physical inspection (e.g using hand to inspect part of the face) when they facing a mirror. However, both animals did not show any sign towards the mark due to lost of interest in the mark and realization that the mark is inconsequential. Overall, the results suggest that the capacity for MSR is the beginning of a developmental process of self-awareness and mental state attribution. In addition, our findings show that self-recognition may be based on different complex neurological and level of encephalization in animals. Thus, research on self-recognition in animals will have profound implications in understanding the cognitive ability of an animal as an effort to help animals, such as enhanced management, design of captive individuals’ enclosures and exhibits, and in programs to re-establish populations of endangered or threatened species.

Keywords: mirror self-recognition (MSR), self-recognition, self-awareness, wildlife

Procedia PDF Downloads 242

Authors: Ekaterina S. Marchenko, Gulsharat A. Baigonakova, Kirill M. Dubovikov, Igor A. Khlusov

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NiTi alloys combine biomechanical and biochemical properties. This makes them a perfect candidate for medical applications. However, there is a serious problem with these alloys, such as the release of Ni from the matrix. Ni ions are known to be toxic to living tissues and leach from the matrix into the surrounding implant tissues due to corrosion after prolonged use. To prevent the release of Ni ions, corrosive strong coatings are usually used. Titanium nitride-based coatings are perfect corrosion inhibitors and also have good bioactive properties. However, there is an opportunity to improve the biochemical compatibility of the surface by depositing another layer. This layer can consist of elements such as calcium and phosphorus. The Ca and P ions form different calcium phosphate phases, which are present in the mineral part of human bones. We therefore believe that these elements must promote osteogenesis and osteointegration. In view of the above, the aim of this study is to investigate the effect of crystallinity on the biocompatibility of a two-layer coating deposited on NiTi substrate by sputtering. The first step of the research, apart from the NiTi polishing, is the layer-by-layer deposition of Ti-Ni-Ti by magnetron sputtering and the subsequent synthesis of this composite in an N atmosphere at 900 °C. The total thickness of the corrosion resistant layer is 150 nm. Plasma assisted RF sputtering was then used to deposit a bioactive film on the titanium nitride layer. A Ca-P powder target was used to obtain such a film. We deposited three types of Ca-P layers with different crystallinity and compared them in terms of cytotoxicity. One group of samples had no Ca-P coating and was used as a control. We obtained different crystallinity by varying the sputtering parameters such as bias voltage, plasma source current and pressure. XRD analysis showed that all coatings are calcium phosphate, but the sample obtained at maximum bias and plasma source current and minimum pressure has the most intense peaks from the coating phase. SEM and EDS showed that all three coatings have a homogeneous and dense structure without cracks and consist of calcium, phosphorus and oxygen. Cytotoxic tests carried out on three types of samples with Ca-P coatings and a control group showed that the control sample and the sample with Ca-P coating obtained at maximum bias voltage and plasma source current and minimum pressure had the lowest number of dead cells on the surface, around 11 ± 4%. Two other types of samples with Ca-P coating have 40 ± 9% and 21 ± 7% dead cells on the surface. It can therefore be concluded that these two sputtering modes have a negative effect on the corrosion resistance of the whole samples. The third sputtering mode does not affect the corrosion resistance and has the same level of cytotoxicity as the control. It can be concluded that the most suitable sputtering mode is the third with maximum bias voltage and plasma source current and minimum pressure.

Keywords: calcium phosphate coating, cytotoxicity, NiTi alloy, two-layer coating

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Authors: Emre Basturk, Memet Vezir Kahraman

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In many developing countries, with the rapid economic improvements, energy shortage and environmental issues have become a serious problem. Therefore, it has become a very critical issue to improve energy usage efficiency and also protect the environment. Thermal energy storage system is an essential approach to match the thermal energy claim and supply. Thermal energy can be stored by heating, cooling or melting a material with the energy and then enhancing accessible when the procedure is reversed. The overall thermal energy storage techniques are sorted as; latent heat or sensible heat thermal energy storage technology segments. Among these methods, latent heat storage is the most effective method of collecting thermal energy. Latent heat thermal energy storage depend on the storage material, emitting or discharging heat as it undergoes a solid to liquid, solid to solid or liquid to gas phase change or vice versa. Phase change materials (PCMs) are promising materials for latent heat storage applications due to their capacities to accumulate high latent heat storage per unit volume by phase change at an almost constant temperature. Phase change materials (PCMs) are being utilized to absorb, collect and discharge thermal energy during the cycle of melting and freezing, converting from one phase to another. Phase Change Materials (PCMs) can generally be arranged into three classes: organic materials, salt hydrates and eutectics. Many kinds of organic and inorganic PCMs and their blends have been examined as latent heat storage materials. Organic PCMs are rather expensive and they have average latent heat storage per unit volume and also have low density. Most organic PCMs are combustible in nature and also have a wide range of melting point. Organic PCMs can be categorized into two major categories: non-paraffinic and paraffin materials. Paraffin materials have been extensively used, due to their high latent heat and right thermal characteristics, such as minimal super cooling, varying phase change temperature, low vapor pressure while melting, good chemical and thermal stability, and self-nucleating behavior. Ultraviolet (UV)-curing technology has been generally used because it has many advantages, such as low energy consumption , high speed, high chemical stability, room-temperature operation, low processing costs and environmental friendly. For many years, PCMs have been used for heating and cooling industrial applications including textiles, refrigerators, construction, transportation packaging for temperature-sensitive products, a few solar energy based systems, biomedical and electronic materials. In this study, UV-curable, fatty alcohol containing soybean oil based phase change materials (PCMs) were obtained and characterized. The phase transition behaviors and thermal stability of the prepared UV-cured biobased PCMs were analyzed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The heating process phase change enthalpy is measured between 30 and 68 J/g, and the freezing process phase change enthalpy is found between 18 and 70 J/g. The decomposition of UVcured PCMs started at 260 ºC and reached a maximum of 430 ºC.

Keywords: fatty alcohol, phase change material, thermal energy storage, UV curing

Procedia PDF Downloads 342

Authors: Eva L. Suarez, Daniel E. Meeroff, Yan Yong

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The U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) developed flood maps based on experts’ experience and estimates of the probability of flooding. Current flood-risk models evaluate flood risk with regional and subjective measures without impact from torrential rain and nuisance flooding at the neighborhood level. Nuisance flooding occurs in small areas in the community, where a few streets or blocks are routinely impacted. This type of flooding event occurs when torrential rainstorm combined with high tide and sea level rise temporarily exceeds a given threshold. In South Florida, this threshold is 1.7 ft above Mean Higher High Water (MHHW). The National Weather Service defines torrential rain as rain deposition at a rate greater than 0.3-inches per hour or three inches in a single day. Data from the Florida Climate Center, 1970 to 2020, shows 371 events with more than 3-inches of rain in a day in 612 months. The purpose of this research is to develop a data-driven method to determine comprehensive analytical damage-avoidance criteria that account for nuisance flood events at the single-family home level. The method developed uses the Failure Mode and Effect Analysis (FMEA) method from the American Society of Quality (ASQ) to estimate the Damage Avoidance (DA) preparation for a 1-day 100-year storm. The Consequence of Nuisance Flooding (CoNF) is estimated from community mitigation efforts to prevent nuisance flooding damage. The Probability of Nuisance Flooding (PoNF) is derived from the frequency and duration of torrential rainfall causing delays and community disruptions to daily transportation, human illnesses, and property damage. Urbanization and population changes are related to the U.S. Census Bureau's annual population estimates. Data collected by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service’s National Resources Inventory (NRI) and locally by the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) track the development and land use/land cover changes with time. The intent is to include temporal trends in population density growth and the impact on land development. Results from this investigation provide the risk of nuisance flooding as a function of CoNF and PoNF for coastal areas of South Florida. The data-based criterion provides awareness to local municipalities on their flood-risk assessment and gives insight into flood management actions and watershed development.

Keywords: flood risk, nuisance flooding, urban flooding, FMEA

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Authors: Kiran Sharma, Viktor Kunder, Zerha Rizvi, Ricardo Soubelet

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Platelet rich plasma (PRP) has been recognized as a method of treatment in medicine since the 1980s. It primarily functions by releasing cytokines and growth factors that promote wound healing; these growth promoting factors released by PRP enact new processes such as angiogenesis, collagen deposition, and tissue formation that can change wound healing outcomes. Many studies recognize that PRP aids in chronic wound healing, which is advantageous for patients who suffer from chronic diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs). This scoping review aims to examine literature to identify the efficacy of PRP use in the healing of DFUs. Following PRISMA guidelines, we searched randomized-controlled trials involving PRP use in diabetic patients with foot ulcers using PubMed, Medline, CINAHL Complete, and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. We restricted the search to articles published during 2005-2022, full texts in the English language, articles involving patients aged 19 years or older, articles that used PRP on specifically DFUs, articles that included a control group, articles on human subjects. The initial search yielded 119 articles after removing duplicates. Final analysis for relevance yielded 8 articles. In all cases except one, the PRP group showed either faster healing, more complete healing, or a larger percentage of healed participants. There were no situations in the included studies where the control group had a higher rate of healing or decreased wound size as compared to a group with isolated PRP-only use. Only one study did not show conclusive evidence that PRP caused accelerated healing in DFUs, and this study did not have an isolated PRP variable group. Application styles of PRP for treatment were shown to influence the level of healing in patients, with injected PRP appearing to achieve the best results as compared to topical PRP application. However, this was not conclusive due to the involvement of several other variables. Two studies additionally found PRP to be useful in healing refractory DFUs, and one study found that PRP use in patients with additional comorbidities was still more effective in healing DFUs than the standard control groups. The findings of this review suggest that PRP is a useful tool in reducing healing times and improving rates of complete wound healing in DFUs. There is room for further research in the application styles of PRP before conclusive statements can be made on the efficacy of injected versus topical PRP healing based on the findings in this study. The results of this review provide a baseline for further research in PRP use in diabetic patients and can be used by both physicians and public health experts to guide future treatment options for DFUs.

Keywords: diabetic foot ulcer, DFU, platelet rich plasma, PRP

Procedia PDF Downloads 49

Authors: Sarah F. M. Pilati, Carolina S. Flausino, Guilherme F. Hoffmeister, Davi R. Tames, Telmo J. Mezadri

Abstract:

The effects that may be related to narghile smoking in the tissues of the oral cavity, trachea and lung and associated inflammation has been the question raised lately. The objective of this study was to identify histopathological changes and the presence of inflammation through the exposure of mice to narghile smoking through a whole-body study. The animals were divided in 4 groups with 5 animals in each group, being: one control group, one with 7 days of exposure, 15 days and the last one with 30 days. The animals were exposed to the conventional hookah smoke from Mizo brand with 0.5% percentage of unwashed tobacco and the EcOco brand coconut fiber having a dimension of 2cm × 2cm. The duration of the session was 30 minutes / day per 7, 15 and 30 days. The tobacco smoke concentration at which test animals were exposed was 35 ml every two seconds while the remaining 58 seconds were pure air. Afterward, the mice were sacrificed and submitted to histological evaluation through slices. It was found in the tongue of the 7-day group the presence in epithelium areas with acanthosis, hyperkeratosis and epithelial projections. In-depth, more intense inflammation was observed. All alteration processes increased significantly as the days of exposure increased. In trachea, with the 7-day group, there was a decrease in thickening of the pseudostratified epithelium and a slight decrease in lashes, giving rise to the metaplasia process, a process that was established in the 31-day sampling when the epithelium became stratified. In the conjunctive tissue, it was observed the presence of defense cells and formation of new vessels, evidencing the chronic inflammatory process, which decreased in the course of the samples due to the deposition of collagen fibers as seen in the 15 and 31 days groups. Among the structures of the lung, the study focused on the bronchioles and alveoli. From the 7-day group, intra-alveolar septum thickness increased, alveolar space decreased, inflammatory infiltrate with mononuclear and defense cells and new vessels formation were observed, increasing the number of red blood cells in the region. The results showed that with the passing of the days a progressive increase of the signs of changes in the region was observed, a factor that shows that narghile smoking stimulates alterations mainly in the alveoli (place where gas exchanges occur that should not present alterations) calling attention to the harmful and aggressive effect of narghile smoking. These data also highlighted the harmful effect of smoking, since the presence of acanthosis, hyperkeratosis, epithelial projections and inflammation evidences the cellular alteration process for the tongue tissue protection. Also, the narghile smoking stimulates both epithelial and inflammatory changes in the trachea, in addition to a process of metaplasia, a factor that reinforces the harmful effect and the carcinogenic potential of the narghile smoking.

Keywords: metaplasia, inflammation, pathological constriction, hyperkeratosis

Procedia PDF Downloads 146

Authors: Moaawia Abdulgader Gdara

Abstract:

This work presents a study of Carbone dioxide generation and migration in the Bahi sandstone reservoir over the EPSA 120/136 (conc 72). En Naga Sub Basin, Sirte Basin Libya. The Lower Cretaceous Bahi Sandstone is the result of deposition that occurred between the start of the Cretaceous rifting that formed the area's Horsts, Grabens and Cenomanian marine transgression. Bahi sediments were derived mainly from those Nubian sediments exposed on the structurally higher blocks, transported short distances into newly forming depocenters such as the En Naga Sub-basin and were deposited by continental processes over the Sirte Unconformity (pre-Late Cretaceous surface) Bahi Sandstone facies are recognized in the En Naga Sub-basin within different lithofacies distribution over this sub-base. One of the two lithofacies recognized in the Bahi is a very fine to very coarse, subangular to angular, pebbly and occasionally conglomeratic quartz sandstone, which is commonly described as being compacted but friable. This sandstone may contain pyrite and minor kaolinite. This facies was encountered at 11,042 feet in F1-72 well, and at 9,233 feet in L1-72. Good, reservoir quality sandstones are associated with paleotopographic highs within the sub-basin and around its margins where winnowing and/or deflationary processes occurred. The second Bahi Lithofacies is a thinly bedded sequence dominated by shales and siltstones with subordinate sandstones and carbonates. The sandstones become more abundant with depth. This facies was encountered at 12,580 feet in P1 -72 and at 11,850 feet in G1a -72. This argillaceous sequence is likely the Bahi sandstone's lateral facies equivalent deposited in paleotopographic lows, which received finer-grained material. The Bahi sandstones are generally described as a good reservoir rock, which after prolific production tests for the drilled wells makes Bahi sandstones the principal reservoir rocks for CO₂ where large volumes of CO₂ gas have been discovered in the Bahi Formation on and near EPSA 120/136, (conc 72). CO₂ occurs in this area as a result of the igneous activity of the Al Harouge Al Aswad complex. Igneous extrusive have been pierced in the subsurface and are exposed at the surface. Bahi CO₂ prospectivity is thought to be excellent in the central to western areas of EPSA 120/136 (CONC 72) where there are better reservoir quality sandstones associated with Paleostructural highs. Condensate and gas prospectivity increases to the east as the CO₂ productivity decreases with distance away from the Al Haruj Al Aswad igneous complex. To date, it has not been possible to accurately determine the volume of these strategically valuable reserves, although there are positive indications that they are very large. Three main structures (Barrut I, En Naga A and En Naga O) are thought to be prospective for the lower Cretaceous Bahi sandstone development. These leads are the most attractive on EPSA 120/136 for the deep potential.

Keywords: En Naga Sub Basin, Al Harouge Al Aswad's Igneous complex, carbon dioxide generation, migration in the Bahi sandstone reservoir, lower cretaceous Bahi Sandstone

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Authors: Moaawia Abdulgader Gdara

Abstract:

This work presents a study of carbon dioxide generation and migration in the Bahi sandstone reservoir over the EPSA 120/136 (conc 72), En Naga Sub Basin, Sirte Basin, Libya. The Lower Cretaceous Bahi Sandstone is the result of deposition that occurred between the start of the Cretaceous rifting that formed the area's Horsts, Grabens, and Cenomanian marine transgression. Bahi sediments were derived mainly from those Nubian sediments exposed on the structurally higher blocks, transported short distances into newly forming depocenters such as the En Naga Sub-basin, and were deposited by continental processes over the Sirte Unconformity (pre-Late Cretaceous surface). Bahi Sandstone facies are recognized in the En Naga Sub-basin within different lithofacies distributed over this sub-base. One of the two lithofacies recognized in the Bahi is a very fine to very coarse, subangular to angular, pebbly, and occasionally conglomeratic quartz sandstone, which is commonly described as being compacted but friable. This sandstone may contain pyrite, minor kaolinite. This facies was encountered at 11,042 feet in F1-72 well and at 9,233 feet in L1-72. Good, reservoir quality sandstones are associated with paleotopographic highs within the sub-basin and around its margins where winnowing and/or deflationary processes occurred. The second Bahi Lithofacies is a thinly bedded sequence dominated by shales and siltstones with subordinate sandstones and carbonates. The sandstones become more abundant with depth. This facies was encountered at 12,580 feet in P1 -72 and at 11,850 feet in G1a -72. This argillaceous sequence is likely the Bahi sandstone's lateral facies equivalent deposited in paleotopographic lows, which received finer grained material. The Bahi sandstones are generally described as a good reservoir rock, which after prolific production tests for the drilled wells that makes Bahi sandstones the principal reservoir rocks for CO₂ where large volumes of CO₂ gas have been discovered in the Bahi Formation on and near EPSA 120/136, (conc 72). CO₂ occurs in this area as a result of the igneous activity of the Al Harouge Al Aswad complex. Igneous extrusive have been pierced in the subsurface and are exposed at the surface. Bahi CO₂ prospectivity is thought to be excellent in the central to western areas of EPSA 120/136 (CONC 72), where there are better reservoir quality sandstones associated with Paleostructural highs. Condensate and gas prospectivity increases to the east as the CO₂ prospectivity decreases with distance away from the Al Haruj Al Aswad igneous complex. To date, it has not been possible to accurately determine the volume of these strategically valuable reserves, although there are positive indications that they are very large. Three main structures (Barrut I, En Naga A, and En Naga O) are thought to be prospective for the lower Cretaceous Bahi sandstone development. These leads are the most attractive on EPSA 120/136 for the deep potential.

Keywords: En Naga Sub Basin, Al Harouge Al Aswad’s Igneous Complex, carbon dioxide generation and migration in the Bahi sandstone reservoir, lower cretaceous Bahi sandstone

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Authors: Ashok Kumar, Shiv Brat Singh, Kalyan Kumar Ray

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There is growing awareness to design steels against fatigue damage Ferrite martensite dual-phase steels are known to exhibit favourable mechanical properties like good strength, ductility, toughness, continuous yielding, and high work hardening rate. However, dual-phase steels containing bainite as second phase are potential alternatives for ferrite martensite steels for certain applications where good fatigue property is required. Fatigue properties of dual phase steels are popularly assessed by the nature of variation of crack growth rate (da/dN) with stress intensity factor range (∆K), and the magnitude of fatigue threshold (∆Kth) for long cracks. There exists an increased emphasis to understand not only the long crack fatigue behavior but also short crack growth behavior of ferrite bainite dual phase steels. The major objective of this report is to examine the influence of microstructures on the short and long crack growth behavior of a series of developed dual-phase steels with varying amounts of bainite and. Three low carbon steels containing Nb, Cr and Mo as microalloying elements steels were selected for making ferrite-bainite dual-phase microstructures by suitable heat treatments. The heat treatment consisted of austenitizing the steel at 1100°C for 20 min, cooling at different rates in air prior to soaking these in a salt bath at 500°C for one hour, and finally quenching in water. Tensile tests were carried out on 25 mm gauge length specimens with 5 mm diameter using nominal strain rate 0.6x10⁻³ s⁻¹ at room temperature. Fatigue crack growth studies were made on a recently developed specimen configuration using a rotating bending machine. The crack growth was monitored by interrupting the test and observing the specimens under an optical microscope connected to an Image analyzer. The estimated crack lengths (a) at varying number of cycles (N) in different fatigue experiments were analyzed to obtain log da/dN vs. log °∆K curves for determining ∆Kthsc. The microstructural features of these steels have been characterized and their influence on the near threshold crack growth has been examined. This investigation, in brief, involves (i) the estimation of ∆Kthsc and (ii) the examination of the influence of microstructure on short and long crack fatigue threshold. The maximum fatigue threshold values obtained from short crack growth experiments on various specimens of dual-phase steels containing different amounts of bainite are found to increase with increasing bainite content in all the investigated steels. The variations of fatigue behavior of the selected steel samples have been explained with the consideration of varying amounts of the constituent phases and their interactions with the generated microstructures during cyclic loading. Quantitative estimation of the different types of fatigue crack paths indicates that the propensity of a crack to pass through the interfaces depends on the relative amount of the microstructural constituents. The fatigue crack path is found to be predominantly intra-granular except for the ones containing > 70% bainite in which it is predominantly inter-granular.

Keywords: bainite, dual phase steel, fatigue crack growth rate, long crack fatigue threshold, short crack fatigue threshold

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Authors: Sunil Kumar, Rajesh Sharma

Abstract:

Toxic epidermal necrolysis, pruritis, rashes, lichen planus like eruption, hyper pigmentation of skin are rare toxic effects of choloroquine used over a long time. Skin and mucus membrane hyper pigmentation is generally of a bluish black or grayish color and irreversible after discontinuation of the drug. According to Ayurveda, Dushivisha is the name given to any poisonous substance which is not fully endowed with the qualities of poison by nature (i.e. it acts as an impoverished or weak poison) and because of its mild potency, it remains in the body for many years causing various symptoms, one among them being discoloration of skin.The objective of this case report is to investigate the effect of Ayurvedic management of chloroquine induced hyper-pigmentation on the line of treatment of Dushivisha. Case Report: A 26-year-old female was suffering from hyper-pigmentation of the skin over the neck, forehead, temporo-mandibular joints, upper back and posterior aspect of both the arms since 8 years had history of taking Chloroquine came to Out Patient Department of National Institute of Ayurveda, Jaipur, India in Jan. 2015. The routine investigations (CBC, ESR, Eosinophil count) were within normal limits. Punch biopsy skin studied for histopathology under hematoxylin and eosin staining showed epidermis with hyper-pigmentation of the basal layer. In the papillary dermis as well as deep dermis there were scattered melanophages along with infiltration by mononuclear cells. There was no deposition of amyloid-like substances. These histopathological findings were suggestive of Chloroquine induced hyper-pigmentation. The case was treated on the line of treatment of Dushivisha and was given Vamana and Virechana (therapeutic emesis and purgation) every six months followed by Snehana karma (oleation therapy) with Panchatikta Ghrit and Swedana (sudation). Arogyavardhini Vati -1 g, Dushivishari Vati 500 mg, Mahamanjisthadi Quath 20 ml were given twelve hourly and Aragwadhadi Quath 25 ml at bed time orally. The patient started showing lightening of the pigments after six months and almost complete remission after 12 months of the treatment. Conclusion: This patient presented with the Dushivisha effect of Chloroquineandwas administered two relevant procedures from Panchakarma viz. Vamana and Virechana. Both Vamana and Virechanakarma here referred to Shodhana karma (purification procedures) eliminates accumulated toxins from the body. In this process, oleation dislodge the toxins from the tissues and sudation helps to bring them to the alimentary tract. The line of treatment did not target direct hypo pigmentary effects; rather aimed to eliminate the Dushivisha. This gave promising results in this condition.

Keywords: Ayurveda, chloroquine, Dushivisha, hyper-pigmentation

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Authors: Priyanka Mondal, Santosh K. Sarkar

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The present study investigated the spatiotemporal distribution and ecological risk assessment of trace elements of surface sediments (top 0 - 5 cm; grain size ≤ 0.63 µm) in relevance to sediment quality characteristics along the Ganges River Estuary, India. Sediment samples were collected during ebb tide from intertidal regions covering seven sampling sites of diverse environmental stresses. The elements were analyzed with the help of ICPAES. This positive, mixohaline, macro-tidal estuary has global significance contributing ecological and economic services. Presence of fine-clayey particle (47.03%) enhances the adsorption as well as transportation of trace elements. There is a remarkable inter-metallic variation (mg kg-1 dry weight) in the distribution pattern in the following manner: Al (31801± 15943) > Fe (23337± 7584) > Mn (461±147) > S(381±235) > Zn(54 ±18) > V(43 ±14) > Cr(39 ±15) > As (34±15) > Cu(27 ±11) > Ni (24 ±9) > Se (17 ±8) > Co(11 ±3) > Mo(10 ± 2) > Hg(0.02 ±0.01). An overall trend of enrichment of majority of trace elements was very much pronounced at the site Lot 8, ~ 35km upstream of the estuarine mouth. In contrast, the minimum concentration was recorded at site Gangasagar, mouth of the estuary, with high energy profile. The prevalent variations in trace element distribution are being liable for a set of cumulative factors such as hydrodynamic conditions, sediment dispersion pattern and textural variations as well as non-homogenous input of contaminants from point and non-point sources. In order to gain insight into the trace elements distribution, accumulation, and their pollution status, geoaccumulation index (Igeo) and enrichment factor (EF) were used. The Igeo indicated that surface sediments were moderately polluted with As (0.60) and Mo (1.30) and strongly contaminated with Se (4.0). The EF indicated severe pollution of Se (53.82) and significant pollution of As (4.05) and Mo (6.0) and indicated the influx of As, Mo and Se in sediments from anthropogenic sources (such as industrial and municipal sewage, atmospheric deposition, agricultural run-off, etc.). The significant role of the megacity Calcutta in relevance to the untreated sewage discharge, atmospheric inputs and other anthropogenic activities is worthwhile to mention. The ecological risk for different trace elements was evaluated using sediment quality guidelines, effects range low (ERL), and effect range median (ERM). The concentration of As, Cu and Ni at 100%, 43% and 86% of the sampling sites has exceeded the ERL value while none of the element concentration exceeded ERM. The potential ecological risk index values revealed that As at 14.3% of the sampling sites would pose relatively moderate risk to benthic organisms. The effective role of finer clay particles for trace element distribution was revealed by multivariate analysis. The authors strongly recommend regular monitoring emphasizing on accurate appraisal of the potential risk of trace elements for effective and sustainable management of this estuarine environment.

Keywords: pollution assessment, sediment contamination, sediment quality, trace elements

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Authors: Carolina N. França, Jônatas B. do Amaral, Maria C.O. Izar, Ighor L. Teixeira, Francisco A. Fonseca

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Introduction: Atherosclerosis is a progressive disease, characterized by lipid and fibrotic element deposition in large-caliber arteries. Conditions related to the development of atherosclerosis, as dyslipidemia, hypertension, diabetes, and smoking are associated with endothelial dysfunction. There is a frequent recurrence of cardiovascular outcomes after acute myocardial infarction and, at this sense, cycles of mobilization of monocyte subtypes (classical, intermediate and nonclassical) secondary to myocardial infarction may determine the colonization of atherosclerotic plaques in different stages of the development, contributing to early recurrence of ischemic events. The recruitment of different monocyte subsets during inflammatory process requires the expression of chemokine receptors CCR2, CCR5, and CX3CR1, to promote the migration of monocytes to the inflammatory site. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of lipid-lowering treatment by six months in the monocyte phenotype and chemokine receptor levels of patients after Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI). Methods: This is a PROBE (prospective, randomized, open-label trial with blinded endpoints) study (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02428374). Adult patients (n=147) of both genders, ageing 18-75 years, were randomized in a 2x2 factorial design for treatment with rosuvastatin 20 mg/day or simvastatin 40 mg/day plus ezetimibe 10 mg/day as well as ticagrelor 90 mg 2x/day and clopidogrel 75 mg, in addition to conventional AMI therapy. Blood samples were collected at baseline, after one month and six months of treatment. Monocyte subtypes (classical - inflammatory, intermediate - phagocytic and nonclassical – anti-inflammatory) were identified, quantified and characterized by flow cytometry, as well as the expressions of the chemokine receptors (CCR2, CCR5 and CX3CR1) were also evaluated in the mononuclear cells. Results: After six months of treatment, there was an increase in the percentage of classical monocytes and reduction in the nonclassical monocytes (p=0.038 and p < 0.0001 Friedman Test), without differences for intermediate monocytes. Besides, classical monocytes had higher expressions of CCR5 and CX3CR1 after treatment, without differences related to CCR2 (p < 0.0001 for CCR5 and CX3CR1; p=0.175 for CCR2). Intermediate monocytes had higher expressions of CCR5 and CX3CR1 and lower expression of CCR2 (p = 0.003; p < 0.0001 and p = 0.011, respectively). Nonclassical monocytes had lower expressions of CCR2 and CCR5, without differences for CX3CR1 (p < 0.0001; p = 0.009 and p = 0.138, respectively). There were no differences after the comparison between the four treatment arms. Conclusion: The data suggest a time-dependent modulation of classical and nonclassical monocytes and chemokine receptor levels. The higher percentage of classical monocytes (inflammatory cells) suggest a residual inflammatory risk, even under preconized treatments to AMI. Indeed, these changes do not seem to be affected by choice of the lipid-lowering strategy.

Keywords: acute myocardial infarction, chemokine receptors, lipid-lowering treatment, monocyte subtypes

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Authors: Laura Gonzalez, Santiago Benavides, Martha Elena Londono, Ana Elisa Casas, Adriana Restrepo-Osorio

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Cotton products are sensitive to microorganisms due to its ability to retain moisture, which might cause change into the coloration, mechanical properties reduction or foul odor generation; consequently, this represents risks to the health of users. Nowadays, have been carried out researches to give antibacterial properties to textiles using different strategies, which included the use of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). The antibacterial behavior can be affected by laundering process reducing its effectiveness. In the other way, the environmental impact generated for the synthetic antibacterial agents has motivated to seek new and more ecological ways for produce AgNPs. The aims of this work are to determine the antibacterial activity of cotton fabric functionalized with green (G) and commercial (C) AgNPs after twenty washing cycles, also to evaluate morphological and color changes. A plain weave cotton fabric suitable for dyeing and two AgNPs solutions were use. C a commercial product and G produced using an ecological method, both solutions with 0.5 mM concentration were impregnated on cotton fabric without stabilizer, at a liquor to fabric ratio of 1:20 in constant agitation during 30min and then dried at 70 °C by 10 min. After that the samples were subjected to twenty washing cycles using phosphate-free detergent simulated on agitated flask at 150 rpm, then were centrifuged and dried on a tumble. The samples were characterized using Kirby-Bauer test determine antibacterial activity against E. coli y S. aureus microorganisms, the results were registered by photographs establishing the inhibition halo before and after the washing cycles, the tests were conducted in triplicate. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) was used to observe the morphologies of cotton fabric and treated samples. The color changes of cotton fabrics in relation to the untreated samples were obtained by spectrophotometer analysis. The images, reveals the presence of inhibition halo in the samples treated with C and G AgNPs solutions, even after twenty washing cycles, which indicated a good antibacterial activity and washing durability, with a tendency to better results against to S. aureus bacteria. The presence of AgNPs on the surface of cotton fiber and morphological changes were observed through SEM, after and before washing cycles. The own color of the cotton fiber has been significantly altered with both antibacterial solutions. According to the colorimetric results, the samples treated with C lead to yellowing while the samples modified with G to red yellowing Cotton fabrics treated AgNPs C and G from 0.5 mM solutions exhibited excellent antimicrobial activity against E. coli and S. aureus with good laundering durability effects. The surface of the cotton fibers was modified with the presence of AgNPs C and G due to the presence of NPs and its agglomerates. There are significant changes in the natural color of cotton fabric due to deposition of AgNPs C and G which were maintained after laundering process.

Keywords: antibacterial property, cotton fabric, fastness to wash, Kirby-Bauer test, silver nanoparticles

Procedia PDF Downloads 218

Authors: Fatemeh Faramarzi, Hosein Mahjoob

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Building dams on rivers for utilization of water resources causes problems in hydrodynamic equilibrium and results in leaving all or part of the sediments carried by water in dam reservoir. This phenomenon has also significant impacts on water and sediment flow regime and in the long term can cause morphological changes in the environment surrounding the river, reducing the useful life of the reservoir which threatens sustainable development through inefficient management of water resources. In the past, empirical methods were used to predict the sedimentation amount in dam reservoirs and to estimate its efficient lifetime. But recently the mathematical and computational models are widely used in sedimentation studies in dam reservoirs as a suitable tool. These models usually solve the equations using finite element method. This study compares the results from tow software packages, GSTARS4 & HEC-6, in the prediction of the sedimentation amount in Dez dam, southern Iran. The model provides a one-dimensional, steady-state simulation of sediment deposition and erosion by solving the equations of momentum, flow and sediment continuity and sediment transport. GSTARS4 (Generalized Sediment Transport Model for Alluvial River Simulation) which is based on a one-dimensional mathematical model that simulates bed changes in both longitudinal and transverse directions by using flow tubes in a quasi-two-dimensional scheme to calibrate a period of 47 years and forecast the next 47 years of sedimentation in Dez Dam, Southern Iran. This dam is among the highest dams all over the world (with its 203 m height), and irrigates more than 125000 square hectares of downstream lands and plays a major role in flood control in the region. The input data including geometry, hydraulic and sedimentary data, starts from 1955 to 2003 on a daily basis. To predict future river discharge, in this research, the time series data were assumed to be repeated after 47 years. Finally, the obtained result was very satisfactory in the delta region so that the output from GSTARS4 was almost identical to the hydrographic profile in 2003. In the Dez dam due to the long (65 km) and a large tank, the vertical currents are dominant causing the calculations by the above-mentioned method to be inaccurate. To solve this problem, we used the empirical reduction method to calculate the sedimentation in the downstream area which led to very good answers. Thus, we demonstrated that by combining these two methods a very suitable model for sedimentation in Dez dam for the study period can be obtained. The present study demonstrated successfully that the outputs of both methods are the same.

Keywords: Dez Dam, prediction, sedimentation, water resources, computational models, finite element method, GSTARS4, HEC-6

Procedia PDF Downloads 288

Authors: Fong-Zuo Lee, Jihn-Sung Lai, Yung-Bin Lin, Xiaoqin Liu, Kuo-Chun Chang, Zhi-Xian Yang, Wen-Dar Guo, Jian-Hao Hong

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In recent years, climate change is a major factor to increase rainfall intensity and extreme rainfall frequency. The increased rainfall intensity and extreme rainfall frequency will increase the probability of flash flood with abundant sediment transport in a river basin. The floods caused by heavy rainfall may cause damages to the bridge, embankment, hydraulic works, and the other disasters. Therefore, the foundation scouring of bridge pier, embankment and spur dike caused by floods has been a severe problem in the worldwide. This severe problem has happened in many East Asian countries such as Taiwan and Japan because of these areas are suffered in typhoons, earthquakes, and flood events every year. Results from the complex interaction between fluid flow patterns caused by hydraulic works and the sediment transportation leading to the formation of river morphology, it is extremely difficult to develop a reliable and durable sensor to measure river bed degradation and bridge pier scouring. Therefore, an innovative scour monitoring sensor using vibration-based Micro-Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS) was developed. This vibration-based MEMS sensor was packaged inside a stainless sphere with the proper protection of the full-filled resin, which can measure free vibration signals to detect scouring/deposition processes at the bridge pier. In addition, a friendly operational system includes rainfall runoff model, one-dimensional and two-dimensional numerical model, and the applicability of sediment transport equation and local scour formulas of bridge pier are included in this research. The friendly operational system carries out the simulation results of flood events that includes the elevation changes of river bed erosion near the specified bridge pier and the erosion depth around bridge piers. In addition, the system is developed with easy operation and integrated interface, the system can supplies users to calibrate and verify numerical model and display simulation results through the interface comparing to the scour monitoring sensors. To achieve the forecast of the erosion depth of river bed and main bridge pier in the study area, the system also connects the rainfall forecast data from Taiwan Typhoon and Flood Research Institute. The results can be provided available information for the management unit of river and bridge engineering in advance.

Keywords: flash flood, river bed degradation, bridge pier scouring, a friendly operational system

Procedia PDF Downloads 167

Authors: P.P. Rupasinghe, A.H. Farid

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The Aleutian mink disease virus (AMDV, Carnivore amdoparvovirus 1) causes persistent infection, plasmacytosis, and formation and deposition of immune complexes in various organs in adult mink, leading to glomerulonephritis, arteritis and sometimes death. The disease has no cure nor an effective vaccine, and identification and culling of mink positive for anti-AMDV antibodies have not been successful in controlling the infection in many countries. The failure to eradicate the virus from infected farms may be caused by keeping false-negative individuals on the farm, virus transmission from wild animals, or neighboring farms. The identification of sources of infection, which can be performed by comparing viral sequences, is important in the success of viral eradication programs. High mutation rates could cause inaccuracies when viral sequences are used to trace back an infection to its origin. There is no published information on the mutation rate of AMDV either in vivo or in vitro. The in vivo estimation is the most accurate method, but it is difficult to perform because of the inherent technical complexities, namely infecting live animals, the unknown numbers of viral generations (i.e., infection cycles), the removal of deleterious mutations over time and genetic drift. The objective of this study was to determine the mutation rate of AMDV on which no information was available. A homogenate was prepared from the spleen of one naturally infected American mink (Neovison vison) from Nova Scotia, Canada (parental template). The near full-length genome of this isolate (91.6%, 4,143 bp) was bidirectionally sequenced. A group of black mink was inoculated with this homogenate (descendant mink). Spleen sampled were collected from 10 descendant mink after 16 weeks post-inoculation (wpi) and from anther 10 mink after 176 wpi, and their near-full length genomes were bi-directionally sequenced. Sequences of these mink were compared with each other and with the sequence of the parental template. The number of nucleotide substitutions at 176 wpi was 3.1 times greater than that at 16 wpi (113 vs 36) whereas the estimates of mutation rate at 176 wpi was 3.1 times lower than that at 176 wpi (2.85×10-3 vs 9.13×10-4 substitutions/ site/ year), showing a decreasing trend in the mutation rate per unit of time. Although there is no report on in vivo estimate of the mutation rate of DNA viruses in animals using the same method which was used in the current study, these estimates are at the higher range of reported values for DNA viruses determined by various techniques. These high estimates are logical based on the wide range of diversity and pathogenicity of AMDV isolates. The results suggest that increases in the number of nucleotide substitutions over time and subsequent divergence make it difficult to accurately trace back AMDV isolates to their origin when several years elapsed between the two samplings.

Keywords: Aleutian mink disease virus, American mink, mutation rate, nucleotide substitution

Procedia PDF Downloads 100

Authors: Ioannis Panagiotopoulos, Aristidis Anastasakis, Konstantinos Toutouzas, Ioannis Iakovou, Charalampos Vlachopoulos, Vasilis Voudris, Georgios Tziomalos, Konstantinos Tsioufis, Efstathios Kastritis, Alexandros Briassoulis, Kimon Stamatelopoulos, Alexios Antonopoulos, Paraskevi Exadaktylou, Evanthia Giannoula, Anastasia Katinioti, Maria Kalantzi, Evangelos Leontiadis, Eftychia Smparouni, Ioannis Malakos, Nikolaos Aravanis, Argyrios Doumas, Maria Koutelou

Abstract:

Introduction: Cardiac amyloidosis from Transthyretin (ATTR-CA) is an infiltrative disease characterized by the deposition of pathological transthyretin complexes in the myocardium. This study describes the characteristics of patients diagnosed with ATTR-CA from 2019 until present at the Nuclear Medicine Department of Onassis Cardiac Surgery Center and AHEPA Hospital. These centers have extensive experience in amyloidosis and modern technological equipment for its diagnosis. Materials and Methods: Records of consecutive patients (N=73) diagnosed with any type of amyloidosis were collected, analyzed, and prospectively followed. The diagnosis of amyloidosis was made using specific myocardial scintigraphy with Tc-99m DPD. Demographic characteristics, including age, gender, marital status, height, and weight, were collected in a database. Clinical characteristics, such as amyloidosis type (ATTR and AL), serum biomarkers (BNP, troponin), electrocardiographic findings, ultrasound findings, NYHA class, aortic valve replacement, device implants, and medication history, were also collected. Some of the most significant results are presented. Results: A total of 73 cases (86% male) were diagnosed with amyloidosis over four years. The mean age at diagnosis was 82 years, and the main symptom was dyspnea. Most patients suffered from ATTR-CA (65 vs. 8 with AL). Out of all the ATTR-CA patients, 61 were diagnosed with wild-type and 2 with two rare mutations. Twenty-eight patients had systemic amyloidosis with extracardiac involvement, and 32 patients had a history of bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome. Four patients had already developed polyneuropathy, and the diagnosis was confirmed by DPD scintigraphy, which is known for its high sensitivity. Among patients with isolated cardiac involvement, only 6 had left ventricular ejection fraction below 40%. The majority of ATTR patients underwent tafamidis treatment immediately after diagnosis. Conclusion: In conclusion, the experiences shared by the two centers and the continuous exchange of information provide valuable insights into the diagnosis and management of cardiac amyloidosis. Clinical suspicion of amyloidosis and early diagnostic approach are crucial, given the availability of non-invasive techniques. Cardiac scintigraphy with DPD can confirm the presence of the disease without the need for a biopsy. The ultimate goal still remains continuous education and awareness of clinical cardiologists so that this systemic and treatable disease can be diagnosed and certified promptly and treatment can begin as soon as possible.

Keywords: amyloidosis, diagnosis, myocardial scintigraphy, Tc-99m DPD, transthyretin

Procedia PDF Downloads 47

Authors: Moaawia Abdulgader Gdara

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En -Naga sub - basin considered to be the most southern of the concessions in the Sirte Basin operated by HOO. En Naga Sub – basin have likely been point-sourced of CO₂ accumulations during the last 7 million years from local satellite intrusives associated with the Haruj Al Aswad igneous complex. CO2 occurs in the En Naga Sub-basin as a result of the igneous activity of the Al Harouge Al Aswad complex.Igneous extrusive have been pierced in the subsurface are exposed at the surface. The lower cretaceous Bahi Sandstone facies are recognized in the En Naga Sub-basin. They result from the influence of paleotopography on the processes associated with continental deposition over the Sirt Unconformity and the Cenomanian marine transgression In the Lower Cretaceous Bahi Sandstones, the presence of trapped carbon dioxide is proven within the En Naga Sub-basin. This makes it unique in providing an abundance of CO₂ gas reservoirs with almost pure magmatic CO₂, which can be easily sampled. Huge amounts of CO2 exist in the Lower Cretaceous Bahi Sandstones in the En-Naga sub-basin, where the economic value of CO₂ is related to its use for enhanced oil recovery (EOR) Based on the production tests for the drilled wells that makes Lower Cretaceous Bahi sandstones the principle reservoir rocks for CO2 where large volumes of CO2 gas have been discovered in the Bahi Formation on and near EPSA 120/136(En -Naga sub basin). The Bahi sandstones are generally described as a good reservoir rock. Intergranular porosities and permeabilities are highly variable and can exceed 25% and 100 MD. In the (En Naga sub – basin), three main developed structures (Barrut I, En Naga A and En Naga O) are thought to be prospective for the lower Cretaceous Bahi sandstone reservoir. These structures represents a good example for the deep over pressure potential in (En Naga sub - basin). The very high pressures assumed associated with local igneous intrusives may account for the abnormally high Bahi (and Lidam) reservoir pressures. The best gas tests from this facies are at F1-72 on the (Barrut I structure) from part of a 458 feet+ section having an estimated high value of CO2 as 98% overpressured. Bahi CO) en naga sub basin, 2)al harouge al aswad igneous complex., 3) lower cretaceous bahi reservoir, 4)co) en naga sub basin, 2)al harouge al aswad igneous complex., 3) lower cretaceous bahi reservoir, 4)co) en naga sub basin, 2)al harouge al aswad igneous complex., 3) lower cretaceous bahi reservoir, 4)co) en naga sub basin, 2)al harouge al aswad igneous complex., 3) lower cretaceous bahi reservoir, 4)co₂ generation and migration to the bahi sandstone reservoir generation and migration to the bahi sandstone reservoir generation and migration to the bahi sandstone reservoir generation and migration to the bahi sandstone reservoir prospectivity is thought to be excellent in the central to western areas where At U1-72 (En Naga O structure) a significant CO2 gas kick occurred at 11,971 feet and quickly led to blowout conditions due to uncontrollable leaks in the surface equipment. Which reflects a better reservoir quality sandstones associated with Paleostructural highs. Condensate and gas prospectivity increases to the east as the CO₂) en naga sub basin, 2)al harouge al aswad igneous complex., 3) lower cretaceous bahi reservoir, 4)co) en naga sub basin, 2)al harouge al aswad igneous complex., 3) lower cretaceous bahi reservoir, 4)co₂ generation and migration to the bahi sandstone reservoir generation and migration to the bahi sandstone reservoir prospectivity decreases with distance away from the Al Haruj Al Aswad igneous complex. To date, it has not been possible to accurately determine the volume of these strategically valuable reserves although there are positive indications that they are very large.

Keywords: 1) en naga sub basin, 2)al harouge al aswad igneous complex., 3) lower cretaceous bahi reservoir, 4)co2 generation and migration to the bahi sandstone reservoir

Procedia PDF Downloads 41

Authors: Fei Wang, Jie Meng, Qingxiang Meng

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China is rich in straw and by-product resources, whose utilization has always been a hot topic. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of feeding soybean straw and wine distiller’s grain as a replacement for corn stover on performance of beef cattle. Sixty Simmental×local crossbred bulls averaging 12 months old and 335.7 ± 39.1 kg of body weight (BW) were randomly assigned into four groups (15 animals per group) and allocated to a diet with 40% maize stover (MSD), a diet with 40% wrapping package maize silage (PMSD), a diet with 12% soybean straw plus 28% maize stover (SSD) and a diet with 12% wine distiller’s grain plus 28% maize stover (WDD). Bulls were fed ad libitum an TMR consisting of 36.0% maize, 12.5% of DDGS, 5.0% of cottonseed meal, 4.0% of soybean meal and 40.0% of by-product as described above. Treatment period lasted for 22 weeks, consisting of 1 week of dietary adaptation. The results showed that dry matter intake (DMI) was significantly higher (P < 0.01) for PMSD group than MSD and SSD groups during 0-7 week and 8-14week, and PMSD and WDD groups had higher (P < 0.05) DMI values than MSD and SSD groups during the whole period. Average daily gain (ADG) values were 1.56, 1.72, 1.68 and 1.58 kg for MSD, PMSD, SSD and WDD groups respectively, although the differences were not significant (P > 0.05). The value of blood sugar concentration was significantly higher (P < 0.01) for MSD group than WDD group, and the blood urea nitrogen concentration of SSD group was lower (P < 0.05) than MSD and WDD groups. No significant difference (P > 0.05) of serum total cholesterol, triglycerides or total protein content was observed among the different groups. Ten bulls with similar body weight were selected at the end of feeding trial and slaughtered for measurement of slaughtering performance, carcass quality and meat chemical composition. SSD group had significantly lower (P < 0.05) shear force value and cooking loss than MSD and PMSD groups. The pH values of MSD and SSD groups were lower (P < 0.05) than PMSD and WDD groups. WDD group had a higher fat color brightness (L*) value than PMSD and SSD groups. There were no significant differences in dressing percentage, meat percentage, top grade meat weight, ribeye area, marbling score, meat color and meat chemical compositions among different dietary treatments. Based on these results, the packed maize stover silage showed a potential of improving the average daily gain and feed intake of beef cattle. Soybean straw had a significant effect on improving the tenderness and reducing cooking loss of beef. In general, soybean straw and packed maize stover silage would be beneficial to nitrogen deposition and showed a potential to substitute maize stover in beef cattle diets.

Keywords: beef cattle, by-products, carcass quality, growth performance

Procedia PDF Downloads 480

Authors: A. A. Purohit, A. Basu, K. A. Chavan, M. D. Kudale

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Many estuarine harbours in the world are facing the problem of siltation in docks, channel entrances, etc. The harbours in India are not an exception and require maintenance dredging to achieve navigable depths for keeping them operable. Hence, dredging is inevitable and is a costly affair. The heavy siltation in docks in well mixed tide dominated estuaries is mainly due to settlement of cohesive sediments in suspension. As such there is a need to have a permanent solution for minimising the siltation in such docks to alter the hydrodynamic flow field responsible for siltation by constructing structures outside the dock. One of such docks on the west coast of India, wherein siltation of about 2.5-3 m/annum prevails, was considered to understand the hydrodynamic flow field responsible for siltation. The dock is situated in such a region where macro type of semi-diurnal tide (range of about 5m) prevails. In order to change the flow field responsible for siltation inside the dock, suitability of Current Deflecting Wall (CDW) outside the dock was studied, which will minimise the sediment exchange rate and siltation in the dock. The well calibrated physical tidal model was used to understand the flow field during various phases of tide for the existing dock in Mumbai harbour. At the harbour entrance where the tidal flux exchanges in/out of the dock, measurements on water level and current were made to estimate the sediment transport capacity. The distorted scaled model (1:400 (H) & 1:80 (V)) of Mumbai area was used to study the tidal flow phenomenon, wherein tides are generated by automatic tide generator. Hydraulic model studies carried out under the existing condition (without CDW) reveal that, during initial hours of flood tide, flow hugs the docks breakwater and part of flow which enters the dock forms number of eddies of varying sizes inside the basin, while remaining part of flow bypasses the entrance of dock. During ebb, flow direction reverses, and part of the flow re-enters the dock from outside and creates eddies at its entrance. These eddies do not allow water/sediment-mass to come out and result in settlement of sediments in dock both due to eddies and more retention of sediment. At latter hours, current strength outside the dock entrance reduces and allows the water-mass of dock to come out. In order to improve flow field inside the dockyard, two CDWs of length 300 m and 40 m were proposed outside the dock breakwater and inline to Pier-wall at dock entrance. Model studies reveal that, during flood, major flow gets deflected away from the entrance and no eddies are formed inside the dock, while during ebb flow does not re-enter the dock, and sediment flux immediately starts emptying it during initial hours of ebb. This reduces not only the entry of sediment in dock by about 40% but also the deposition by about 42% due to less retention. Thus, CDW is a promising solution to significantly reduce siltation in dock.

Keywords: current deflecting wall, eddies, hydraulic model, macro tide, siltation

Procedia PDF Downloads 273

Authors: Drago Diaz Aleman, Jose Luis Saorin Perez, Cecile Meier, Itahisa Perez Conesa, Jorge De La Torre Cantero

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Traditional manufacturing techniques used in artistic contexts compete with highly productive and efficient industrial procedures. The craft techniques and associated business models tend to disappear under the pressure of the appearance of mass-produced products that compete in all niche markets, including those traditionally reserved for the work of art. The surplus value derived from the prestige of the author, the exclusivity of the product or the mastery of the artist, do not seem to be sufficient reasons to preserve this productive model. In the last years, the adoption of open source digital manufacturing technologies in small art workshops can favor their permanence by assuming great advantages such as easy accessibility, low cost, and free modification, adapting to specific needs of each workshop. It is possible to use pieces modeled by computer and made with FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling) 3D printers that use PLA (polylactic acid) in the procedures of artistic casting. Models printed by PLA are limited to approximate minimum sizes of 3 cm, and optimal layer height resolution is 0.1 mm. Due to these limitations, it is not the most suitable technology for artistic casting processes of smaller pieces. An alternative to solve size limitation, are printers from the type (SLS) "selective sintering by laser". And other possibility is a laser hardens, by layers, metal powder and called DMLS (Direct Metal Laser Sintering). However, due to its high cost, it is a technology that is difficult to introduce in small artistic foundries. The low-cost DLP (Digital Light Processing) type printers can offer high resolutions for a reasonable cost (around 0.02 mm on the Z axis and 0.04 mm on the X and Y axes), and can print models with castable resins that allow the subsequent direct artistic casting in precious metals or their adaptation to processes such as electroforming. In this work, the design of a DLP 3D printer is detailed, using backlit LCD screens with ultraviolet light. Its development is totally "open source" and is proposed as a kit made up of electronic components, based on Arduino and easy to access mechanical components in the market. The CAD files of its components can be manufactured in low-cost FDM 3D printers. The result is less than 500 Euros, high resolution and open-design with free access that allows not only its manufacture but also its improvement. In future works, we intend to carry out different comparative analyzes, which allow us to accurately estimate the print quality, as well as the real cost of the artistic works made with it.

Keywords: traditional artistic techniques, DLP 3D printer, artistic casting, electroforming

Procedia PDF Downloads 120

Authors: Celine Bonnaud, Isabelle Billard, Nicolas Papaiconomou, Eric Chainet

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Thanks to their high magnetization and low mass, permanent magnets (NdFeB and SmCo) have quickly became essential for new energies (wind turbines, electrical vehicles…). They contain large quantities of neodymium, samarium and dysprosium, that have been recently classified as critical elements and that therefore need to be recycled. Electrochemical processes including electrodissolution followed by electrodeposition are an elegant and environmentally friendly solution for the recycling of such lanthanides contained in permanent magnets. However, electrochemistry of the lanthanides is a real challenge as their standard potentials are highly negative (around -2.5V vs ENH). Consequently, non-aqueous solvents are required. Ionic liquids (IL) are novel electrolytes exhibiting physico-chemical properties that fulfill many requirements of the sustainable chemistry principles, such as extremely low volatility and non-flammability. Furthermore, their chemical and electrochemical properties (solvation of metallic ions, large electrochemical windows, etc.) render them very attractive media to implement alternative and sustainable processes in view of integrated processes. All experiments that will be presented were carried out using butyl-methylpyrrolidinium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide. Linear sweep, cyclic voltammetry and potentiostatic electrochemical techniques were used. The reliability of electrochemical experiments, performed without glove box, for the classic three electrodes cell used in this study has been assessed. Deposits were obtained by chronoamperometry and were characterized by scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The IL cathodic behavior under different constraints (argon, nitrogen, oxygen atmosphere or water content) and using several electrode materials (Pt, Au, GC) shows that with argon gas flow and gold as a working electrode, the cathodic potential can reach the maximum value of -3V vs Fc+/Fc; thus allowing a possible reduction of lanthanides. On a gold working electrode, the reduction potential of samarium and neodymium was found to be -1.8V vs Fc+/Fc while that of dysprosium was -2.1V vs Fc+/Fc. The individual deposits obtained were found to be porous and presented some significant amounts of C, N, F, S and O atoms. Selective deposition of neodymium in presence of dysprosium was also studied and will be discussed. Next, metallic Sm, Nd and Dy electrodes were used in replacement of Au, which induced changes in the reduction potential values and the deposit structures of lanthanides. The individual corrosion potentials were also measured in order to determine the parameters influencing the electrodissolution of these metals. Finally, a full recycling process was investigated. Electrodissolution of a real permanent magnet sample was monitored kinetically. Then, the sequential electrodeposition of all lanthanides contained in the IL was investigated. Yields, quality of the deposits and consumption of chemicals will be discussed in depth, in view of the industrial feasibility of this process for real permanent magnets recycling.

Keywords: electrodeposition, electrodissolution, ionic liquids, lanthanides, rcycling

Procedia PDF Downloads 247

Authors: Dorottya Guban, Irina Borbath, Istvan Bakos, Peter Nemeth, Andras Tompos

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One of the greatest challenges of the implementation of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) is to find active and durable electrocatalysts. The cell performance is always limited by the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) on the cathode since it is at least 6 orders of magnitude slower than the hydrogen oxidation on the anode. Therefore high loading of Pt is required. Catalyst corrosion is also more significant on the cathode, especially in case of mobile applications, where rapid changes of loading have to be tolerated. Pt-Sn bulk alloys and SnO2-decorated Pt3Sn nanostructures are among the most studied bimetallic systems for fuel cell applications. Exclusive formation of supported Sn-Pt alloy phases with different Pt/Sn ratios can be achieved by using controlled surface reactions (CSRs) between hydrogen adsorbed on Pt sites and tetraethyl tin. In this contribution our results for commercial and a home-made 20 wt.% Pt/C catalysts modified by tin anchoring via CSRs are presented. The parent Pt/C catalysts were synthesized by modified NaBH4-assisted ethylene-glycol reduction method using ethanol as a solvent, which resulted either in dispersed and highly stable Pt nanoparticles or evenly distributed raspberry-like agglomerates according to the chosen synthesis parameters. The 20 wt.% Pt/C catalysts prepared that way showed improved electrocatalytic performance in the ORR and stability in comparison to the commercial 20 wt.% Pt/C catalysts. Then, in order to obtain Sn-Pt/C catalysts with Pt/Sn= 3 ratio, the Pt/C catalysts were modified with tetraethyl tin (SnEt4) using three and five consecutive tin anchoring periods. According to in situ XPS studies in case of catalysts with highly dispersed Pt nanoparticles, pre-treatment in hydrogen even at 170°C resulted in complete reduction of the ionic tin to Sn0. No evidence of the presence of SnO2 phase was found by means of the XRD and EDS analysis. These results demonstrate that the method of CSRs is a powerful tool to create Pt-Sn bimetallic nanoparticles exclusively, without tin deposition onto the carbon support. On the contrary, the XPS results revealed that the tin-modified catalysts with raspberry-like Pt agglomerates always contained a fraction of non-reducible tin oxide. At the same time, they showed increased activity and long-term stability in the ORR than Pt/C, which was assigned to the presence of SnO2 in close proximity/contact with Pt-Sn alloy phase. It has been demonstrated that the content and dispersion of the fcc Pt3Sn phase within the electrocatalysts can be controlled by tuning the reaction conditions of CSRs. The bimetallic catalysts displayed an outstanding performance in the ORR. The preparation of a highly dispersed 20Pt/C catalyst permits to decrease the Pt content without relevant decline in the electrocatalytic performance of the catalysts.

Keywords: anode catalyst, cathode catalyst, controlled surface reactions, oxygen reduction reaction, PtSn/C electrocatalyst

Procedia PDF Downloads 207

Authors: Jyoti Sahu, Vinay A. Juvekar

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Electrolytes are often used to bring about salting-in and salting-out of organic molecules and polymers (e.g. polyethylene glycols/proteins) from the aqueous solutions. For quantification of these phenomena, a thermodynamic model which can accurately predict activity coefficient of electrolyte as a function of temperature is needed. The thermodynamics models available in the literature contain a large number of empirical parameters. These parameters are estimated using lower/upper critical solution temperature of the solution in the electrolyte/organic molecule at different temperatures. Since the number of parameters is large, inaccuracy can bethe creep in during their estimation, which can affect the reliability of prediction beyond the range in which these parameters are estimated. Cloud point of solution is related to its free energy through temperature and composition derivative. Hence, the Cloud point measurement can be used for accurate estimation of the temperature and composition dependence of parameters in the model for free energy. Hence, if we use a two pronged procedure in which we first use cloud point of solution to estimate some of the parameters of the thermodynamic model and determine the rest using osmotic coefficient data, we gain on two counts. First, since the parameters, estimated in each of the two steps, are fewer, we achieve higher accuracy of estimation. The second and more important gain is that the resulting model parameters are more sensitive to temperature. This is crucial when we wish to use the model outside temperatures window within which the parameter estimation is sought. The focus of the present work is to prove this proposition. We have used electrolyte (NaCl/Na2CO3)-water-organic molecule (Iso-propanol/ethanol) as the model system. The model of Robinson-Stokes-Glukauf is modified by incorporating the temperature dependent Flory-Huggins interaction parameters. The Helmholtz free energy expression contains, in addition to electrostatic and translational entropic contributions, three Flory-Huggins pairwise interaction contributions viz., and (w-water, p-polymer, s-salt). These parameters depend both on temperature and concentrations. The concentration dependence is expressed in the form of a quadratic expression involving the volume fractions of the interacting species. The temperature dependence is expressed in the form .To obtain the temperature-dependent interaction parameters for organic molecule-water and electrolyte-water systems, Critical solution temperature of electrolyte -water-organic molecules is measured using cloud point measuring apparatus The temperature and composition dependent interaction parameters for electrolyte-water-organic molecule are estimated through measurement of cloud point of solution. The model is used to estimate critical solution temperature (CST) of electrolyte water-organic molecules solution. We have experimentally determined the critical solution temperature of different compositions of electrolyte-water-organic molecule solution and compared the results with the estimates based on our model. The two sets of values show good agreement. On the other hand when only osmotic coefficients are used for estimation of the free energy model, CST predicted using the resulting model show poor agreement with the experiments. Thus, the importance of the CST data in the estimation of parameters of the thermodynamic model is confirmed through this work.

Keywords: concentrated electrolytes, Debye-Hückel theory, interaction parameters, Robinson-Stokes-Glueckauf model, Flory-Huggins model, critical solution temperature

Procedia PDF Downloads 360

Authors: Lucie Speyer, Vincent Lecocq, Séverine Humbert, Antoine Hugon

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Mesoporous alumina is commonly used as a catalyst support for the hydrotreating of heavy petroleum cuts. The process of fabrication usually involves: the synthesis of the boehmite AlOOH precursor, a kneading-extrusion step, and a calcination in order to obtain the final alumina extrudates. Alumina is described as a complex porous medium, generally agglomerates constituted of aggregated nanocrystallites. Its porous texture directly influences the active phase deposition and mass transfer, and the catalytic properties. Then, it is easy to figure out that each step of the fabrication of the supports has a role on the building of their porous network, and has to be well understood to optimize the process. The synthesis of boehmite by precipitation of aluminum salts was extensively studied in the literature and the effect of various parameters, such as temperature or pH, are known to influence the size and shape of the crystallites and the specific surface area of the support. The calcination step, through the topotactic transition from boehmite to alumina, determines the final properties of the support and can tune the surface area, pore volume and pore diameters from those of boehmite. However, the kneading extrusion step has been subject to a very few studies. It generally consists in two steps: an acid, then a basic kneading, where the boehmite powder is introduced in a mixer and successively added with an acid and a base solution to form an extrudable paste. During the acid kneading, the induced positive charges on the hydroxyl surface groups of boehmite create an electrostatic repulsion which tends to separate the aggregates and even, following the conditions, the crystallites. The basic kneading, by reducing the surface charges, leads to a flocculation phenomenon and can control the reforming of the overall structure. The separation and reassembling of the particles constituting the boehmite paste have a quite obvious influence on the textural properties of the material. In this work, we are focused on the influence of the kneading step on the alumina catalysts supports. Starting from an industrial boehmite, extrudates are prepared using various kneading conditions. The samples are studied by nitrogen physisorption in order to analyze the evolution of the textural properties, and by synchrotron small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), a more original method which brings information about agglomeration and aggregation of the samples. The coupling of physisorption and SAXS enables a precise description of the samples, as same as an accurate monitoring of their evolution as a function of the kneading conditions. These ones are found to have a strong influence of the pore volume and pore size distribution of the supports. A mechanism of evolution of the texture during the kneading step is proposed and could be attractive in order to optimize the texture of the supports and then, their catalytic performances.

Keywords: alumina catalyst support, kneading, nitrogen physisorption, small-angle X-ray scattering

Procedia PDF Downloads 231

Authors: Yu-Hsien Lin, Yu-Ru Lin, Yung-Chun Wu

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This work demonstrates the ultra-thin poly-Si (polycrystalline Silicon) nanowire junctionless thin film transistors (NWs JL-TFT) with nickel silicide contact. For nickel silicide film, this work designs to use two-step annealing to form ultra-thin, uniform and low sheet resistance (Rs) Ni silicide film. The NWs JL-TFT with nickel silicide contact exhibits the good electrical properties, including high driving current (>10⁷ Å), subthreshold slope (186 mV/dec.), and low parasitic resistance. In addition, this work also compares the electrical characteristics of NWs JL-TFT with nickel silicide and non-silicide contact. Nickel silicide techniques are widely used for high-performance devices as the device scaling due to the source/drain sheet resistance issue. Therefore, the self-aligned silicide (salicide) technique is presented to reduce the series resistance of the device. Nickel silicide has several advantages including low-temperature process, low silicon consumption, no bridging failure property, smaller mechanical stress, and smaller contact resistance. The junctionless thin-film transistor (JL-TFT) is fabricated simply by heavily doping the channel and source/drain (S/D) regions simultaneously. Owing to the special doping profile, JL-TFT has some advantages such as lower thermal the budget which can integrate with high-k/metal-gate easier than conventional MOSFETs (Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistors), longer effective channel length than conventional MOSFETs, and avoidance of complicated source/drain engineering. To solve JL-TFT has turn-off problem, JL-TFT needs ultra-thin body (UTB) structure to reach fully depleted channel region in off-state. On the other hand, the drive current (Iᴅ) is declined as transistor features are scaled. Therefore, this work demonstrates ultra thin poly-Si nanowire junctionless thin film transistors with nickel silicide contact. This work investigates the low-temperature formation of nickel silicide layer by physical-chemical deposition (PVD) of a 15nm Ni layer on the poly-Si substrate. Notably, this work designs to use two-step annealing to form ultrathin, uniform and low sheet resistance (Rs) Ni silicide film. The first step was promoted Ni diffusion through a thin interfacial amorphous layer. Then, the unreacted metal was lifted off after the first step. The second step was annealing for lower sheet resistance and firmly merged the phase.The ultra-thin poly-Si nanowire junctionless thin film transistors NWs JL-TFT with nickel silicide contact is demonstrated, which reveals high driving current (>10⁷ Å), subthreshold slope (186 mV/dec.), and low parasitic resistance. In silicide film analysis, the second step of annealing was applied to form lower sheet resistance and firmly merge the phase silicide film. In short, the NWs JL-TFT with nickel silicide contact has exhibited a competitive short-channel behavior and improved drive current.

Keywords: poly-Si, nanowire, junctionless, thin-film transistors, nickel silicide

Procedia PDF Downloads 216

Authors: M. Lehtihet, S. Rosado, C. Pradère, J. Leng

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Poly(3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT: PSS), is a polymer mixture well-known for its semiconducting properties and is widely used in the coating industry for its visible transparency and high electronic conductivity (up to 4600 S/cm) as a transparent non-metallic electrode and in organic light-emitting diodes (OLED). It also possesses strong absorption properties in the Near Infra-Red (NIR) range (λ ranging between 900 nm to 2.5 µm). In the present work, we take advantage of this absorption to explore its potential use as a transparent light-to-heat converter. PEDOT: PSS aqueous dispersions are deposited onto a glass substrate using a blade-coating technique in order to produce uniform coatings with controlled thicknesses ranging in ≈ 400 nm to 2 µm. Blade-coating technique allows us good control of the deposit thickness and uniformity by the tuning of several experimental conditions (blade velocity, evaporation rate, temperature, etc…). This liquid coating technique is a well-known, non-expensive technique to realize thin film coatings on various substrates. For coatings on glass substrates destined to solar insulation applications, the ideal coating would be made of a material able to transmit all the visible range while reflecting the NIR range perfectly, but materials possessing similar properties still have unsatisfactory opacity in the visible too (for example, titanium dioxide nanoparticles). NIR absorbing thin films is a more realistic alternative for such an application. Under solar illumination, PEDOT: PSS thin films heat up due to absorption of NIR light and thus act as planar heaters while maintaining good transparency in the visible range. Whereas they screen some NIR radiation, they also generate heat which is then conducted into the substrate that re-emits this energy by thermal emission in every direction. In order to quantify the heating power of these coatings, a sample (coating on glass) is placed in a black enclosure and illuminated with a solar simulator, a lamp emitting a calibrated radiation very similar to the solar spectrum. The temperature of the rear face of the substrate is measured in real-time using thermocouples and a black-painted Peltier sensor measures the total entering flux (sum of transmitted and re-emitted fluxes). The heating power density of the thin films is estimated from a model of the thin film/glass substrate describing the system, and we estimate the Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC) to quantify the light-to-heat conversion efficiency of such systems. Eventually, the effect of additives such as dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) or optical scatterers (particles) on the performances are also studied, as the first one can alter the IR absorption properties of PEDOT: PSS drastically and the second one can increase the apparent optical path of light within the thin film material.

Keywords: PEDOT: PSS, blade-coating, heat, thin-film, Solar spectrum

Procedia PDF Downloads 137

Authors: Fabio N. Moreno, Letícia B. Marinho, Beatriz D. Ruiz, Maria Helena R. B. Martins

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Brazil is a top consumer of pesticides worldwide, and the São Paulo State is one of the highest consumers among the Brazilian federative states. However, representative data about the occurrence of pesticides in surface waters of the São Paulo State is scarce. This paper aims to present the results of pesticides monitoring executed within the Water Quality Monitoring Network of CETESB (The Environmental Agency of the São Paulo State) between the 2018-2022 period. Surface water sampling points (21 to 25) were selected within basins of predominantly agricultural land-use (5 to 85% of cultivated areas). The samples were collected throughout the year, including high-flow and low-flow conditions. The frequency of sampling varied between 6 to 4 times per year. Selection of pesticide molecules for monitoring followed a prioritizing process from EMBRAPA (Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation) databases of pesticide use. Pesticides extractions in aqueous samples were performed according to USEPA 3510C and 3546 methods following quality assurance and quality control procedures. Determination of pesticides in water (ng L-1) extracts were performed by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS) and by gas chromatography with nitrogen phosphorus (GC-NPD) and electron capture detectors (GC-ECD). The results showed higher frequencies (20- 65%) in surface water samples for Carbendazim (fungicide), Diuron/Tebuthiuron (herbicides) and Fipronil/Imidaclopride (insecticides). The frequency of observations for these pesticides were generally higher in monitoring points located in sugarcane cultivated areas. The following pesticides were most frequently quantified above the Aquatic life benchmarks for freshwater (USEPA Office of Pesticide Programs, 2023) or Brazilian Federal Regulatory Standards (CONAMA Resolution no. 357/2005): Atrazine, Imidaclopride, Carbendazim, 2,4D, Fipronil, and Chlorpiryfos. Higher median concentrations for Diuron and Tebuthiuron in the rainy months (october to march) indicated pesticide transport through surface runoff. However, measurable concentrations in the dry season (april to september) for Fipronil and Imidaclopride also indicates pathways related to subsurface or base flow discharge after pesticide soil infiltration and leaching or dry deposition following pesticide air spraying. With exception to Diuron, no temporal trends related to median concentrations of the most frequently quantified pesticides were observed. These results are important to assist policymakers in the development of strategies aiming at reducing pesticides migration to surface waters from agricultural areas. Further studies will be carried out in selected points to investigate potential risks as a result of pesticides exposure on aquatic biota.

Keywords: pesticides monitoring, são paulo state, water quality, surface waters

Procedia PDF Downloads 37

Authors: Bernard Polednik, Adam Piotrowicz, Lukasz Guz, Marzenna Dudzinska

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Transportation is considered to be responsible for increased exposure of road users – i.e., drivers, car passengers, and pedestrians as well as inhabitants of houses located near roads - to pollutants emitted from vehicles. Accurate estimates are, however, difficult as exposure depends on many factors such as traffic intensity or type of fuel as well as the topography and the built-up area around the individual routes. The season and weather conditions are also of importance. In the case of inhabitants of houses located near roads, their exposure depends on the distance from the road, window tightness and other factors that decrease pollutant infiltration. This work reports the variations of particle concentrations along a selected road in Lublin, Poland. Their impact on the exposure for road users as well as for inhabitants of houses located near the road is also presented. Mobile and fixed-site measurements were carried out in peak (around 8 a.m. and 4 p.m.) and off-peak (12 a.m., 4 a.m., and 12 p.m.) traffic times in all 4 seasons. Fixed-site measurements were performed in 12 measurement points along the route. The number and mass concentration of particles was determined with the use of P-Trak model 8525, OPS 3330, DustTrak DRX model 8533 (TSI Inc. USA) and Grimm Aerosol Spectrometer 1.109 with Nano Sizer 1.321 (Grimm Aerosol Germany). The obtained results indicated that the highest concentrations of traffic-related pollution were measured near 4-way traffic intersections during peak hours in the autumn and winter. The highest average number concentration of ultrafine particles (PN0.1), and mass concentration of fine particles (PM2.5) in fixed-site measurements were obtained in the autumn and amounted to 23.6 ± 9.2×10³ pt/cm³ and 135.1 ± 11.3 µg/m³, respectively. The highest average number concentration of submicrometer particles (PN1) was measured in the winter and amounted to 68 ± 26.8×10³ pt/cm³. The estimated doses of particles deposited in the commuters’ and pedestrians’ lungs within an hour near 4-way TIs in peak hours in the summer amounted to 4.3 ± 3.3×10⁹ pt/h (PN0.1) and 2.9 ± 1.4 µg/h (PM2.5) and 3.9 ± 1.1×10⁹ pt/h (PN0.1) or 2.5 ± 0.4 µg/h (PM2.5), respectively. While estimating the doses inhaled by the inhabitants of premises located near the road one should take into account different fractional penetration of particles from outdoors to indoors. Such doses assessed for the autumn and winter are up to twice as high as the doses inhaled by commuters and pedestrians in the summer. In the winter traffic-related ultrafine particles account for over 70% of all ultrafine particles deposited in the pedestrians’ lungs. The share of traffic-related PM10 particles was estimated at approximately 33.5%. Concluding, the results of the particle concentration measurements along a road in Lublin indicated that the concentration is mainly affected by the traffic intensity and weather conditions. Further detailed research should focus on how the season and the metrological conditions affect concentration levels of traffic-related pollutants and the exposure of commuters and pedestrians as well as the inhabitants of houses located near traffic routes.

Keywords: air quality, deposition dose, health effects, vehicle emissions

Procedia PDF Downloads 76

Authors: Nader Mohamed

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The Late Cretaceous deposits are well developed through-out Egypt. This is due to a ‎transgression phase associated with the subsidence caused by the neo-Tethyan rift event that ‎took place across the northern margin of Africa, resulting in a period of dominantly marine ‎deposits in the Gulf of Suez. The Late Cretaceous Nezzazat Group represents the Cenomanian, ‎Turonian and clastic sediments of the Lower Senonian. The Nezzazat Group has been divided ‎into four formations namely, from base to top, the Raha Formation, the Abu Qada Formation, ‎the Wata Formation and the Matulla Formation. The Cenomanian Raha and the Lower Senonian ‎Matulla formations are the most important clastic sequence in the Nezzazat Group because they ‎provide the highest net reservoir thickness and the highest net/gross ratio. This study emphasis ‎on Matulla formation located in the eastern part of the Gulf of Suez. The three stratigraphic ‎surface sections (Wadi Sudr, Wadi Matulla and Gabal Nezzazat) which represent the exposed ‎Coniacian-Santonian sediments in Sinai are used for correlating Matulla sediments of Ras ‎Budran field. Cutting description, petrographic examination, log behaviors, biostratigraphy with ‎outcrops are used to identify the reservoir characteristics, lithology, facies environment logs and ‎subdivide the Matulla formation into three units. The lower unit is believed to be the main ‎reservoir where it consists mainly of sands with shale and sandy carbonates, while the other ‎units are mainly carbonate with some streaks of shale and sand. Reservoir modeling is an ‎effective technique that assists in reservoir management as decisions concerning development ‎and depletion of hydrocarbon reserves, So It was essential to model the Matulla reservoir as ‎accurately as possible in order to better evaluate, calculate the reserves and to determine the ‎most effective way of recovering as much of the petroleum economically as possible. All ‎available data on Matulla formation are used to build the reservoir structure model, lithofacies, ‎porosity, permeability and water saturation models which are the main parameters that describe ‎the reservoirs and provide information on effective evaluation of the need to develop the oil ‎potentiality of the reservoir. This study has shown the effectiveness of; 1) the integration of ‎geological data to evaluate and subdivide Matulla formation into three units. 2) Lithology and ‎facies environment interpretation which helped in defining the nature of deposition of Matulla ‎formation. 3) The 3D reservoir modeling technology as a tool for adequate understanding of the ‎spatial distribution of property and in addition evaluating the unlocked new reservoir areas of ‎Matulla formation which have to be drilled to investigate and exploit the un-drained oil. 4) This ‎study led to adding a new room of production and additional reserves to Ras Budran field. ‎

Keywords: geology, oil and gas, geoscience, sequence stratigraphy

Procedia PDF Downloads 79