DEFINITIVE SOX CONTROL PROCESS EVALUATIONS: LIMESTONE, DOUBLE ALKALI, AND CITRATE FGD PROCESSES

EPA Science Inventory

The report gives results of a detailed comparative technical and economic evaluation of limestone slurry, generic double alkali, and citrate flue gas desulfurization (FGD) processes, assuming proven technology and using representative power plant, process design, and economic pre...

EVALUATION OF THE POLYAD FB AIR PURIFICATION AND SOLVENT RECOVERY PROCESS FOR STYRENE REMOVAL

EPA Science Inventory

The report gives results of a study evaluating the Polyad fluidized-bed (FB) process for controlling styrene emissions at a representative fiberglass shower stall and bath tub manufacturing plan*t. he process was evaluated using a transport able unit supplied by Weatherly, Inc., ...

EARTH TECH INC.'S ENHANCED IN-SITU BIOREMEDIATION PROCESS; INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY EVALUATION REPORT

EPA Science Inventory

The USEPA conducted an evaluation of the Enhanced In-situ Bioremediation process, a biostimulation technology developed by the USDOE at the Westinghouse Savannah River Plant site in Aiken, SC. DOE has licensed the process to Earth Tech, Inc. The evaluation described in this bulle...

Situation awareness acquired from monitoring process plants - the Process Overview concept and measure.

PubMed

Lau, Nathan; Jamieson, Greg A; Skraaning, Gyrd

2016-07-01

We introduce Process Overview, a situation awareness characterisation of the knowledge derived from monitoring process plants. Process Overview is based on observational studies of process control work in the literature. The characterisation is applied to develop a query-based measure called the Process Overview Measure. The goal of the measure is to improve coupling between situation and awareness according to process plant properties and operator cognitive work. A companion article presents the empirical evaluation of the Process Overview Measure in a realistic process control setting. The Process Overview Measure demonstrated sensitivity and validity by revealing significant effects of experimental manipulations that corroborated with other empirical results. The measure also demonstrated adequate inter-rater reliability and practicality for measuring SA based on data collected by process experts. Practitioner Summary: The Process Overview Measure is a query-based measure for assessing operator situation awareness from monitoring process plants in representative settings.

Evaluation of engineering foods for closed Ecological Life Support System (CELSS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Karel, M.

1982-01-01

A nutritionally adequate and acceptable diet was evaluated and developed. A design for a multipurpose food plant is discussed. The types and amounts of foods needed to be regenerated in a partially closed ecological life support system (PCELSS) were proposed. All steps of food processes to be utilized in the multipurpose food plant of PCELSS were also considered. Equipment specifications, simplification of the proposed processes, and food waste treatment were analyzed.

Direct heat geothermal opportunities at Pahoa, Hawaii

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Moreau, J.; Jones, W.L.

1980-09-01

A geothermal commercial park located near Pahoa, Hawaii, has been found to be technically feasible. However, community acceptance varies from optimistic support for the job opportunities to only lukewarm acceptance by most residents of the nearby planned residential community. Interviews, team evaluations, and calculations of energy and transportation savings were used to reduce a list of candidate processes to four. These four include an ethanol plant, a cattle feed mill, a protein recovery plant, and a papaya processing facility. In addition, a research laboratory is planned for the evaluation of other processes identified as very promising.

Robust crop and weed segmentation under uncontrolled outdoor illumination.

PubMed

Jeon, Hong Y; Tian, Lei F; Zhu, Heping

2011-01-01

An image processing algorithm for detecting individual weeds was developed and evaluated. Weed detection processes included were normalized excessive green conversion, statistical threshold value estimation, adaptive image segmentation, median filter, morphological feature calculation and Artificial Neural Network (ANN). The developed algorithm was validated for its ability to identify and detect weeds and crop plants under uncontrolled outdoor illuminations. A machine vision implementing field robot captured field images under outdoor illuminations and the image processing algorithm automatically processed them without manual adjustment. The errors of the algorithm, when processing 666 field images, ranged from 2.1 to 2.9%. The ANN correctly detected 72.6% of crop plants from the identified plants, and considered the rest as weeds. However, the ANN identification rates for crop plants were improved up to 95.1% by addressing the error sources in the algorithm. The developed weed detection and image processing algorithm provides a novel method to identify plants against soil background under the uncontrolled outdoor illuminations, and to differentiate weeds from crop plants. Thus, the proposed new machine vision and processing algorithm may be useful for outdoor applications including plant specific direct applications (PSDA).

Potassium starvation limits soybean growth more than the photosynthetic processes across CO2 levels

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Potassium (K) deficiency might alter plant response to rising atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) and influence growth, and photosynthetic processes differently. To evaluate the combined effects of K and CO2 on soybean photosynthesis, growth, biomass partitioning, and yields, plants were grown under co...

Empirical evaluation of the Process Overview Measure for assessing situation awareness in process plants.

PubMed

Lau, Nathan; Jamieson, Greg A; Skraaning, Gyrd

2016-03-01

The Process Overview Measure is a query-based measure developed to assess operator situation awareness (SA) from monitoring process plants. A companion paper describes how the measure has been developed according to process plant properties and operator cognitive work. The Process Overview Measure demonstrated practicality, sensitivity, validity and reliability in two full-scope simulator experiments investigating dramatically different operational concepts. Practicality was assessed based on qualitative feedback of participants and researchers. The Process Overview Measure demonstrated sensitivity and validity by revealing significant effects of experimental manipulations that corroborated with other empirical results. The measure also demonstrated adequate inter-rater reliability and practicality for measuring SA in full-scope simulator settings based on data collected on process experts. Thus, full-scope simulator studies can employ the Process Overview Measure to reveal the impact of new control room technology and operational concepts on monitoring process plants. Practitioner Summary: The Process Overview Measure is a query-based measure that demonstrated practicality, sensitivity, validity and reliability for assessing operator situation awareness (SA) from monitoring process plants in representative settings.

Silicon production process evaluations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1981-01-01

The chemical engineering analysis of the preliminary process design of a process for producing solar cell grade silicon from dichlorosilane is presented. A plant to produce 1,000 MT/yr of silicon is analyzed. Progress and status for the plant design are reported for the primary activities of base case conditions (60 percent), reaction chemistry (50 percent), process flow diagram (35 percent), energy balance (10 percent), property data (10 percent) and equipment design (5 percent).

Effects of plant roots on the hydraulic performance during the clogging process in mesocosm vertical flow constructed wetlands.

PubMed

Hua, G F; Zhao, Z W; Kong, J; Guo, R; Zeng, Y T; Zhao, L F; Zhu, Q D

2014-11-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of plant roots (Typha angustifolia roots) on the hydraulic performance during the clogging process from the perspective of time and space distributions in mesocosm vertical flow-constructed wetlands with coarse sand matrix. For this purpose, a pair of lab-scale experiments was conducted to compare planted and unplanted systems by measuring the effective porosity and hydraulic conductivity of the substrate within different operation periods. Furthermore, the flow pattern of the clogging process in the planted and unplanted wetland systems were evaluated by their hydraulic performance (e.g., mean residence time, short circuiting, volumetric efficiency, number of continuously stirred tank reactors, and hydraulic efficiency factor) in salt tracer experiments. The results showed that the flow conditions would change in different clogging stages, which indicated that plants played different roles related to time and space. In the early clogging stages, plant roots restricted the flow of water, while in the middle and later clogging stages, especially the later stage, growing roots opened new pore spaces in the substrate. The roots played an important role in affecting the hydraulic performance in the upper layer (0-30 cm) where the sand matrix had a larger root volume fraction. Finally, the causes of the controversy over plant roots' effects on clogging were discussed. The results helped further understand the effects of plant roots on hydraulic performance during the clogging process.

SITE DEMONSTRATION BULLETIN - ENHANCED IN-SITU BIOREMEDIATION PROCESS, EARTH TECH, INC.

EPA Science Inventory

The USEPA conducted an evaluation of the Enhanced In-situ Bioremediation process, a biostimulation technology developed by the USDOE at the Westinghouse Savannah River Plant site in Aiken, SC. DOE has licensed the process to Earth Tech, Inc. The evaluation described in this bulle...

Direct quantitative evaluation of disease symptoms on living plant leaves growing under natural light.

PubMed

Matsunaga, Tomoko M; Ogawa, Daisuke; Taguchi-Shiobara, Fumio; Ishimoto, Masao; Matsunaga, Sachihiro; Habu, Yoshiki

2017-06-01

Leaf color is an important indicator when evaluating plant growth and responses to biotic/abiotic stress. Acquisition of images by digital cameras allows analysis and long-term storage of the acquired images. However, under field conditions, where light intensity can fluctuate and other factors (shade, reflection, and background, etc.) vary, stable and reproducible measurement and quantification of leaf color are hard to achieve. Digital scanners provide fixed conditions for obtaining image data, allowing stable and reliable comparison among samples, but require detached plant materials to capture images, and the destructive processes involved often induce deformation of plant materials (curled leaves and faded colors, etc.). In this study, by using a lightweight digital scanner connected to a mobile computer, we obtained digital image data from intact plant leaves grown in natural-light greenhouses without detaching the targets. We took images of soybean leaves infected by Xanthomonas campestris pv. glycines , and distinctively quantified two disease symptoms (brown lesions and yellow halos) using freely available image processing software. The image data were amenable to quantitative and statistical analyses, allowing precise and objective evaluation of disease resistance.

Robust Crop and Weed Segmentation under Uncontrolled Outdoor Illumination

PubMed Central

Jeon, Hong Y.; Tian, Lei F.; Zhu, Heping

2011-01-01

An image processing algorithm for detecting individual weeds was developed and evaluated. Weed detection processes included were normalized excessive green conversion, statistical threshold value estimation, adaptive image segmentation, median filter, morphological feature calculation and Artificial Neural Network (ANN). The developed algorithm was validated for its ability to identify and detect weeds and crop plants under uncontrolled outdoor illuminations. A machine vision implementing field robot captured field images under outdoor illuminations and the image processing algorithm automatically processed them without manual adjustment. The errors of the algorithm, when processing 666 field images, ranged from 2.1 to 2.9%. The ANN correctly detected 72.6% of crop plants from the identified plants, and considered the rest as weeds. However, the ANN identification rates for crop plants were improved up to 95.1% by addressing the error sources in the algorithm. The developed weed detection and image processing algorithm provides a novel method to identify plants against soil background under the uncontrolled outdoor illuminations, and to differentiate weeds from crop plants. Thus, the proposed new machine vision and processing algorithm may be useful for outdoor applications including plant specific direct applications (PSDA). PMID:22163954

Evaluation of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Public Outreach Program during the Certification Process at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in New Mexico

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The EPA Office of Radiation and Indoor Air (ORIA) contracted with Phoenix Environmental and EnviroIssues to evaluate the effectiveness of its public outreach program during its certification of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) in Carlsbad, NM.

Benchmark Simulation Model No 2: finalisation of plant layout and default control strategy.

PubMed

Nopens, I; Benedetti, L; Jeppsson, U; Pons, M-N; Alex, J; Copp, J B; Gernaey, K V; Rosen, C; Steyer, J-P; Vanrolleghem, P A

2010-01-01

The COST/IWA Benchmark Simulation Model No 1 (BSM1) has been available for almost a decade. Its primary purpose has been to create a platform for control strategy benchmarking of activated sludge processes. The fact that the research work related to the benchmark simulation models has resulted in more than 300 publications worldwide demonstrates the interest in and need of such tools within the research community. Recent efforts within the IWA Task Group on "Benchmarking of control strategies for WWTPs" have focused on an extension of the benchmark simulation model. This extension aims at facilitating control strategy development and performance evaluation at a plant-wide level and, consequently, includes both pretreatment of wastewater as well as the processes describing sludge treatment. The motivation for the extension is the increasing interest and need to operate and control wastewater treatment systems not only at an individual process level but also on a plant-wide basis. To facilitate the changes, the evaluation period has been extended to one year. A prolonged evaluation period allows for long-term control strategies to be assessed and enables the use of control handles that cannot be evaluated in a realistic fashion in the one week BSM1 evaluation period. In this paper, the finalised plant layout is summarised and, as was done for BSM1, a default control strategy is proposed. A demonstration of how BSM2 can be used to evaluate control strategies is also given.

Foodborne Pathogens Prevention and Sensory Attributes Enhancement in Processed Cheese via Flavoring with Plant Extracts.

PubMed

Tayel, Ahmed A; Hussein, Heba; Sorour, Noha M; El-Tras, Wael F

2015-12-01

Cheese contaminations with foodborne bacterial pathogens, and their health outbreaks, are serious worldwide problems that could happen from diverse sources during cheese production or storage. Plants, and their derivatives, were always regarded as the potential natural and safe antimicrobial alternatives for food preservation and improvement. The extracts from many plants, which are commonly used as spices and flavoring agents, were evaluated as antibacterial agents against serious foodborne pathogens, for example Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella Typhimurium, Staphylococcus aureus, and Escherichia coli O157:H7, using qualitative and quantitative assaying methods. Dairy-based media were also used for evaluating the practical application of plant extracts as antimicrobial agents. Most of the examined plant extracts exhibited remarkable antibacterial activity; the extracts of cinnamon, cloves, garden cress, and lemon grass were the most powerful, either in synthetic or in dairy-based media. Flavoring processed cheese with plant extracts resulted in the enhancement of cheese sensory attributes, for example odor, taste, color, and overall quality, especially in flavored samples with cinnamon, lemon grass, and oregano. It can be concluded that plant extracts are strongly recommended, as powerful and safe antibacterial and flavoring agents, for the preservation and sensory enhancement of processed cheese. © 2015 Institute of Food Technologists®

Participatory Plant Breeding with Traders and Farmers for White Pea Bean in Ethiopia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Assefa, T.; Sperling, L.; Dagne, B.; Argaw, W.; Tessema, D.; Beebe, S.

2014-01-01

Purpose: This research, conducted in Ethiopia, involved select stakeholders in the variety evaluation process early: to identify a greater number of acceptable varieties and to shorten a lengthy research and release process. Design/methodology/approach: A Participatory Plant Breeding (PPB) approach was used in both on-station and community-based…

Energy Assessment Helps Kaiser Aluminum Save Energy and Improve Productivity

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

2008-07-01

The Kaiser Aluminum plant in Sherman, Texas, adjusted controls and made repairs to a furnace for a simple payback of 1 month. Kaiser adopted DOE's Process Heating Assessment and Survey Tool (PHAST) software as the corporate diagnostic tool and has used it to evaluate process heating systems at five other aluminum plants.

Pasteurization of strawberry puree using a pilot plant pulsed electric fields (PEF) system

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The processing of strawberry puree by pulsed electric fields (PEF) in a pilot plant system has never been evaluated. In addition, a method does not exist to validate the exact number and shape of the pulses applied during PEF processing. Both buffered peptone water (BPW) and fresh strawberry puree (...

Soil Oxidation-Reduction in Wetlands and Its Impact on Plant Functioning

PubMed Central

Pezeshki, S. R.; DeLaune, R. D.

2012-01-01

Soil flooding in wetlands is accompanied by changes in soil physical and chemical characteristics. These changes include the lowering of soil redox potential (Eh) leading to increasing demand for oxygen within the soil profile as well as production of soil phytotoxins that are by-products of soil reduction and thus, imposing potentially severe stress on plant roots. Various methods are utilized for quantifying plant responses to reducing soil conditions that include measurement of radial oxygen transport, plant enzymatic responses, and assessment of anatomical/morphological changes. However, the chemical properties and reducing nature of soil environment in which plant roots are grown, including oxygen demand, and other associated processes that occur in wetland soils, pose a challenge to evaluation and comparison of plant responses that are reported in the literature. This review emphasizes soil-plant interactions in wetlands, drawing attention to the importance of quantifying the intensity and capacity of soil reduction for proper evaluation of wetland plant responses, particularly at the process and whole-plant levels. Furthermore, while root oxygen-deficiency may partially account for plant stress responses, the importance of soil phytotoxins, produced as by-products of low soil Eh conditions, is discussed and the need for development of methods to allow differentiation of plant responses to reduced or anaerobic soil conditions vs. soil phytotoxins is emphasized. PMID:24832223

PKI solar thermal plant evaluation at Capitol Concrete Products, Topeka, Kansas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hauger, J. S.; Borton, D. N.

1982-07-01

A system feasibility test to determine the technical and operational feasibility of using a solar collector to provide industrial process heat is discussed. The test is of a solar collector system in an industrial test bed plant at Capitol Concrete Products in Topeka, Kansas, with an experiment control at Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque. Plant evaluation will occur during a year-long period of industrial utilization. It will include performance testing, operability testing, and system failure analysis. Performance data will be recorded by a data acquisition system. User, community, and environmental inputs will be recorded in logs, journals, and files. Plant installation, start-up, and evaluation, are anticipated for late November, 1981.

PKI solar thermal plant evaluation at Capitol Concrete Products, Topeka, Kansas

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hauger, J. S.; Borton, D. N.

1982-01-01

A system feasibility test to determine the technical and operational feasibility of using a solar collector to provide industrial process heat is discussed. The test is of a solar collector system in an industrial test bed plant at Capitol Concrete Products in Topeka, Kansas, with an experiment control at Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque. Plant evaluation will occur during a year-long period of industrial utilization. It will include performance testing, operability testing, and system failure analysis. Performance data will be recorded by a data acquisition system. User, community, and environmental inputs will be recorded in logs, journals, and files. Plant installation, start-up, and evaluation, are anticipated for late November, 1981.

A cost and returns evaluation of alternative dairy products to determine capital investment and operational feasibility of a small-scale dairy processing facility.

PubMed

Becker, K M; Parsons, R L; Kolodinsky, J; Matiru, G N

2007-05-01

This study examines the economic feasibility of 50- and 500-cow dairy processing facilities for fluid milk, yogurt, and cheese. Net present value and internal rate of return calculations for projected costs and returns over a 10-yr period indicate that larger yogurt and cheese processing plants offer the most profitable prospects, whereas a smaller yogurt plant would break even. A smaller cheese plant would have insufficient returns to cover the cost of capital, and fluid milk processing at either scale is economically infeasible. Economic success in processing is greatly contingent upon individual business, financial management, and marketing skills.

Impact of liquid fertilizers on plant growth, yield, fruit quality and fertigation management in an organic processing blackberry production system

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The impact of organic fertilizer source on the growth, fruit quality, and yield of blackberry cultivars (‘Marion’ and ‘Black Diamond’) grown in machine-harvested, organic production systems for the processed market was evaluated from 2011-13. The planting was established in spring 2010 using approve...

DSC: software tool for simulation-based design of control strategies applied to wastewater treatment plants.

PubMed

Ruano, M V; Ribes, J; Seco, A; Ferrer, J

2011-01-01

This paper presents a computer tool called DSC (Simulation based Controllers Design) that enables an easy design of control systems and strategies applied to wastewater treatment plants. Although the control systems are developed and evaluated by simulation, this tool aims to facilitate the direct implementation of the designed control system to the PC of the full-scale WWTP (wastewater treatment plants). The designed control system can be programmed in a dedicated control application and can be connected to either the simulation software or the SCADA of the plant. To this end, the developed DSC incorporates an OPC server (OLE for process control) which facilitates an open-standard communication protocol for different industrial process applications. The potential capabilities of the DSC tool are illustrated through the example of a full-scale application. An aeration control system applied to a nutrient removing WWTP was designed, tuned and evaluated with the DSC tool before its implementation in the full scale plant. The control parameters obtained by simulation were suitable for the full scale plant with only few modifications to improve the control performance. With the DSC tool, the control systems performance can be easily evaluated by simulation. Once developed and tuned by simulation, the control systems can be directly applied to the full-scale WWTP.

Dual phase high-temperature membranes for CO2 separation - performance assessment in post- and pre-combustion processes.

PubMed

Anantharaman, Rahul; Peters, Thijs; Xing, Wen; Fontaine, Marie-Laure; Bredesen, Rune

2016-10-20

Dual phase membranes are highly CO 2 -selective membranes with an operating temperature above 400 °C. The focus of this work is to quantify the potential of dual phase membranes in pre- and post-combustion CO 2 capture processes. The process evaluations show that the dual phase membranes integrated with an NGCC power plant for CO 2 capture are not competitive with the MEA process for post-combustion capture. However, dual phase membrane concepts outperform the reference Selexol technology for pre-combustion CO 2 capture in an IGCC process. The two processes evaluated in this work, post-combustion NGCC and pre-combustion IGCC, represent extremes in CO 2 partial pressure fed to the separation unit. Based on the evaluations it is expected that dual phase membranes could be competitive for post-combustion capture from a pulverized coal fired power plant (PCC) and pre-combustion capture from an Integrated Reforming Cycle (IRCC).

Modified application of HS-SPME for quality evaluation of essential oil plant materials.

PubMed

Dawidowicz, Andrzej L; Szewczyk, Joanna; Dybowski, Michal P

2016-01-01

The main limitation in the standard application of head space analysis employing solid phase microextraction (HS-SPME) for the evaluation of plants as sources of essential oils (EOs) are different quantitative relations of EO components from those obtained by direct analysis of EO which was got in the steam distillation (SD) process from the same plant (EO/SD). The results presented in the paper for thyme, mint, sage, basil, savory, and marjoram prove that the quantitative relations of EO components established by HS-SPME procedure and direct analysis of EO/SD are similar when the plant material in the HS-SPME process is replaced by its suspension in oil of the same physicochemical character as that of SPME fiber coating. The observed differences in the thyme EO composition estimated by both procedures are insignificant (F(exp)

Validation of a plant-wide phosphorus modelling approach with minerals precipitation in a full-scale WWTP.

PubMed

Kazadi Mbamba, Christian; Flores-Alsina, Xavier; John Batstone, Damien; Tait, Stephan

2016-09-01

The focus of modelling in wastewater treatment is shifting from single unit to plant-wide scale. Plant-wide modelling approaches provide opportunities to study the dynamics and interactions of different transformations in water and sludge streams. Towards developing more general and robust simulation tools applicable to a broad range of wastewater engineering problems, this paper evaluates a plant-wide model built with sub-models from the Benchmark Simulation Model No. 2-P (BSM2-P) with an improved/expanded physico-chemical framework (PCF). The PCF includes a simple and validated equilibrium approach describing ion speciation and ion pairing with kinetic multiple minerals precipitation. Model performance is evaluated against data sets from a full-scale wastewater treatment plant, assessing capability to describe water and sludge lines across the treatment process under steady-state operation. With default rate kinetic and stoichiometric parameters, a good general agreement is observed between the full-scale datasets and the simulated results under steady-state conditions. Simulation results show differences between measured and modelled phosphorus as little as 4-15% (relative) throughout the entire plant. Dynamic influent profiles were generated using a calibrated influent generator and were used to study the effect of long-term influent dynamics on plant performance. Model-based analysis shows that minerals precipitation strongly influences composition in the anaerobic digesters, but also impacts on nutrient loading across the entire plant. A forecasted implementation of nutrient recovery by struvite crystallization (model scenario only), reduced the phosphorus content in the treatment plant influent (via centrate recycling) considerably and thus decreased phosphorus in the treated outflow by up to 43%. Overall, the evaluated plant-wide model is able to jointly describe the physico-chemical and biological processes, and is advocated for future use as a tool for design, performance evaluation and optimization of whole wastewater treatment plants. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Identification and preliminary evaluation of polychlorinated naphthalene emissions from hot dip galvanizing plants.

PubMed

Liu, Guorui; Lv, Pu; Jiang, Xiaoxu; Nie, Zhiqiang; Liu, Wenbin; Zheng, Minghui

2015-01-01

Hot dip galvanizing (HDG) processes are sources of polychlorinated-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs). Close correlations have been found between the concentration of PCDD/Fs and polychlorinated naphthalenes (PCNs) that are produced and released during industrial thermal processes. We speculated, therefore, that HDG plants are potential PCN sources. In this preliminary study, PCNs were analyzed in solid residues, ash and precipitate from three HDG plants of different sizes. The total PCN concentrations (∑2-8PCNs) in the residue samples ranged from 60.3 to 226pgg(-1). The PCN emission factors for the combined ash and precipitate residues from the HDG plants ranged from 75 to 178ngt(-1) for the dichlorinated and octachlorinated naphthalenes. The preliminary results suggested that the HDG industry might not currently be a significant source of PCN emissions. The trichloronaphthalenes were the dominant homologs followed by the dichloronaphthalenes and the tetrachloronaphthalenes. The PCN congeners CN37/33/34, CN52/60, CN66/67, and CN73 dominated the tetrachlorinated, pentachlorinated, hexachlorinated, and heptachlorinated naphthalene homologs, respectively. The PCNs emitted from the HDG plants had similar homolog distributions and congener profiles to the PCNs emitted from combustion plants and other metallurgical processes. The identification and preliminary evaluation of PCN emissions from HDG plants presented here will help in the prioritization of measures for controlling PCN emissions from industrial sources. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The effects of cultivar, production system, and nursery on the composition of the rhizosphere microbiome of cultivated rhododendrons in Oregon

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The composition of plant microbiomes influences important agricultural processes such as nutrient absorption and plant health. Plant genotype and environment affect the microbiome, but the nature and relative importance of these effects are not well understood. We evaluated the effect of host genoty...

The Use of High-resolution Infrared Thermography (HRIT) for the Study of Ice Nucleation and Ice Propagation in Plants

PubMed Central

Wisniewski, Michael; Neuner, Gilbert; Gusta, Lawrence V.

2015-01-01

Freezing events that occur when plants are actively growing can be a lethal event, particularly if the plant has no freezing tolerance. Such frost events often have devastating effects on agricultural production and can also play an important role in shaping community structure in natural populations of plants, especially in alpine, sub-arctic, and arctic ecosystems. Therefore, a better understanding of the freezing process in plants can play an important role in the development of methods of frost protection and understanding mechanisms of freeze avoidance. Here, we describe a protocol to visualize the freezing process in plants using high-resolution infrared thermography (HRIT). The use of this technology allows one to determine the primary sites of ice formation in plants, how ice propagates, and the presence of ice barriers. Furthermore, it allows one to examine the role of extrinsic and intrinsic nucleators in determining the temperature at which plants freeze and evaluate the ability of various compounds to either affect the freezing process or increase freezing tolerance. The use of HRIT allows one to visualize the many adaptations that have evolved in plants, which directly or indirectly impact the freezing process and ultimately enables plants to survive frost events. PMID:25992743

The use of high-resolution infrared thermography (HRIT) for the study of ice nucleation and ice propagation in plants.

PubMed

Wisniewski, Michael; Neuner, Gilbert; Gusta, Lawrence V

2015-05-08

Freezing events that occur when plants are actively growing can be a lethal event, particularly if the plant has no freezing tolerance. Such frost events often have devastating effects on agricultural production and can also play an important role in shaping community structure in natural populations of plants, especially in alpine, sub-arctic, and arctic ecosystems. Therefore, a better understanding of the freezing process in plants can play an important role in the development of methods of frost protection and understanding mechanisms of freeze avoidance. Here, we describe a protocol to visualize the freezing process in plants using high-resolution infrared thermography (HRIT). The use of this technology allows one to determine the primary sites of ice formation in plants, how ice propagates, and the presence of ice barriers. Furthermore, it allows one to examine the role of extrinsic and intrinsic nucleators in determining the temperature at which plants freeze and evaluate the ability of various compounds to either affect the freezing process or increase freezing tolerance. The use of HRIT allows one to visualize the many adaptations that have evolved in plants, which directly or indirectly impact the freezing process and ultimately enables plants to survive frost events.

Techno-economic assessment of the Mobil Two-Stage Slurry Fischer-Tropsch/ZSM-5 process

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

El Sawy, A.; Gray, D.; Neuworth, M.

1984-11-01

A techno-economic assessment of the Mobil Two-Stage Slurry Fischer-Tropsch reactor system was carried out. Mobil bench-scale data were evaluated and scaled to a commercial plant design that produced specification high-octane gasoline and high-cetane diesel fuel. Comparisons were made with three reference plants - a SASOL (US) plant using dry ash Lurgi gasifiers and Synthol synthesis units, a modified SASOL plant with a British Gas Corporation slagging Lurgi gasifier (BGC/Synthol) and a BGC/slurry-phase process based on scaled data from the Koelbel Rheinpreussen-Koppers plant. A conceptual commercial version of the Mobil two-stage process shows a higher process efficiency than a SASOL (US)more » and a BGC/Synthol plant. The Mobil plant gave lower gasoline costs than obtained from the SASOL (US) and BGC/Synthol versions. Comparison with published data from a slurry-phase Fischer-Tropsch (Koelbel) unit indicated that product costs from the Mobil process were within 6% of the Koelbel values. A high-wax version of the Mobil process combined with wax hydrocracking could produce gasoline and diesel fuel at comparable cost to the lowest values achieved from prior published slurry-phase results. 27 references, 18 figures, 49 tables.« less

Occurrence and enumeration of Campylobacter spp. during the processing of Chilean broilers.

PubMed

Figueroa, Guillermo; Troncoso, Miriam; López, Cristián; Rivas, Patricia; Toro, Magaly

2009-05-15

Thermotolerant Campylobacter is among the more prevalent bacterial pathogens that cause foodborne diseases. This study aimed at evaluating the occurrence of thermotolerant Campylobacter contamination in chicken carcasses and processing plant stations (chilling water, scalding water, defeathering machinery, evisceration machine, and transport crates) in two of the Chilean main slaughterhouses. In addition, the isolation rates of thermotolerant Campylobacter during evisceration and following chiller processing were compared. The overall slaughterhouse contamination with thermotolerant Campylobacter was 54%. Differences were evident when the results from each plant were compared (plant A and plant B was 72% and 36%, respectively). The sampling points with the greatest contamination rates in both plants were after evisceration (90% and 54%, for plants A and B respectively). The decrease of thermotolerant Campylobacter contamination after chilling was significant (2 and 1.6 logs for plant A and B respectively P < 0.05). Our findings indicate that chilling process has a limited effect in the final products Campylobacter contamination because poultry enter the slaughter processing with high counts of contamination. This may represent a health risk to consumers, if proper cooking practices are not employed. The levels and frequencies of Campylobacter found during the processing of Chilean poultry appear to be similar to those reported elsewhere in the world.

Occurrence and enumeration of Campylobacter spp. during the processing of Chilean broilers

PubMed Central

2009-01-01

Background Thermotolerant Campylobacter is among the more prevalent bacterial pathogens that cause foodborne diseases. This study aimed at evaluating the occurrence of thermotolerant Campylobacter contamination in chicken carcasses and processing plant stations (chilling water, scalding water, defeathering machinery, evisceration machine, and transport crates) in two of the Chilean main slaughterhouses. In addition, the isolation rates of thermotolerant Campylobacter during evisceration and following chiller processing were compared. Results The overall slaughterhouse contamination with thermotolerant Campylobacter was 54%. Differences were evident when the results from each plant were compared (plant A and plant B was 72% and 36%, respectively). The sampling points with the greatest contamination rates in both plants were after evisceration (90% and 54%, for plants A and B respectively). The decrease of thermotolerant Campylobacter contamination after chilling was significant (2 and 1.6 logs for plant A and B respectively P < 0.05). Conclusion Our findings indicate that chilling process has a limited effect in the final products Campylobacter contamination because poultry enter the slaughter processing with high counts of contamination. This may represent a health risk to consumers, if proper cooking practices are not employed. The levels and frequencies of Campylobacter found during the processing of Chilean poultry appear to be similar to those reported elsewhere in the world. PMID:19445680

Hypersensitivity pneumonitis in a hardwood processing plant related to heavy mold exposure.

PubMed

Veillette, Marc; Cormier, Yvon; Israël-Assayaq, Evelyne; Meriaux, Anne; Duchaine, Caroline

2006-06-01

Two workers employed in a hardwood floor plant presented symptoms suggestive of hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP). At that plant, kiln-dried wood often shows moldy growth and is subsequently brought inside for processing. This study evaluated the environment in attempt to identify the causative antigen and verify whether other workers of this and similar plants had or were at risk of developing HP. Dust from dust-removing systems and molds on the surface of wood planks were collected and air samples taken from a sister plant. Blood samples, spirometry, and symptoms' questionnaires were obtained from 11 co-workers. Dense Paecilomyces growth was observed on the surface of the dried processed wood in the index plant. This fungal genus was not detected in the sister plant. An additional worker had symptoms suggestive of HP, and his bronchoalveolar lavage revealed a lymphocytic alveolitis. The 3 confirmed cases of HP and the other 10 workers had positive specific IgG antibodies to Paecilomyces. We report 3 cases of HP out of 13 workers and a 100% sensitization to molds in workers of a hardwood processing plant. This rate is much higher than what is commonly seen in other environments associated with HP. The drying process is suspected of being responsible for the massive Paecilomyces contamination likely responsible for the HP.

Evaluation of Methods for Decladding LWR Fuel for a Pyroprocessing-Based Reprocessing Plant

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-10-01

oAD-A275 326 ORN.rFM-1121o04 OAK RIDGE NATIONAL LABORATORY Evaluation of Methods for Decladding _LWR Fuel for a Pyroprocessing -Based Reprocessing...Dist. Category UC-526 EVALUATION OF METHODS FOR DECLADDING LWR FUEL FOR A PYROPROCESSING -BASED REPROCESSING PLANT W. D. Bond J. C. Mailen G. E...decladding technologies has been performed to identify candidate decladding processes suitable for LWR fuel and compatible with downstream pyroprocesses

Efficiency of a cleaning protocol for the removal of enterotoxigenic Staphylococcus aureus strains in dairy plants.

PubMed

Martin, José Guilherme Prado; de Oliveira E Silva, Gabriela; da Fonseca, Carolina Rodrigues; Morales, Caio Baptista; Souza Pamplona Silva, Caroline; Miquelluti, Daniel Lima; Porto, Ernani

2016-12-05

Staphylococci are considered a major concern in dairy plants mainly due to the intensive production flow, automation of processing plants and increased demand in the microbiological quality of dairy products. This study aimed to identify S. aureus strains isolated from three Brazilian dairy plants, evaluate the influence of time, temperature and contact surface on the bacterial adhesion process, as well as the efficiency of simulated hygiene and sanitation protocol in removing adhered cells. For genotypic analyses, the presence of icaA and icaD in strains was evaluated. Adherence assays were performed in biofilm reactor, comparing the influence of 2 temperatures (5°C and 35°C), 2 surfaces (stainless steel and polypropylene) and 4 contact times (3, 6, 12h and post-sanitization). To evaluate the process effectiveness in removing adhered cells, neutral detergent and sanitizing agent based on sodium hypochlorite were used in order to simulate the situation observed in one of the dairy plants analyzed. The presence of icaA and icaD genes was determined in 75.3% and 77.6% of strains, respectively; 70.6% of isolates showed both genes, whereas 17.6% showed no genes. Genes for enterotoxin production were found in all samples, relating to SEG and SEH toxins. The number of cells adhered on both surfaces was about 3 and 6 log 10 CFU/cm 2 at temperatures of 5°C and 35°C, respectively, for most situations evaluated, with significant increase over the evaluation period. In general, the temperature of 35°C favored greater adherence of S. aureus. At 5°C, there was a considerable number of adhered cells, but in populations significantly lower than those observed at 35°C. The cleaning and sanitizing protocol was ineffective in removing adhered cells; better performance of sodium hypochlorite was observed at 5°C, which should be related to lower adherence observed at this temperature. Thus, the process was not able to reduce the number of S. aureus bacteria adhered on both surfaces to safe levels under the conditions evaluated. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The effect of primary sedimentation on full-scale WWTP nutrient removal performance.

PubMed

Puig, S; van Loosdrecht, M C M; Flameling, A G; Colprim, J; Meijer, S C F

2010-06-01

Traditionally, the performance of full-scale wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) is measured based on influent and/or effluent and waste sludge flows and concentrations. Full-scale WWTP data typically have a high variance which often contains (large) measurement errors. A good process engineering evaluation of the WWTP performance is therefore difficult. This also makes it usually difficult to evaluate effect of process changes in a plant or compare plants to each other. In this paper we used a case study of a full-scale nutrient removing WWTP. The plant normally uses presettled wastewater, as a means to increase the nutrient removal the plant was operated for a period by-passing raw wastewater (27% of the influent flow). The effect of raw wastewater addition has been evaluated by different approaches: (i) influent characteristics, (ii) design retrofit, (iii) effluent quality, (iv) removal efficiencies, (v) activated sludge characteristics, (vi) microbial activity tests and FISH analysis and, (vii) performance assessment based on mass balance evaluation. This paper demonstrates that mass balance evaluation approach helps the WWTP engineers to distinguish and quantify between different strategies, where others could not. In the studied case, by-passing raw wastewater (27% of the influent flow) directly to the biological reactor did not improve the effluent quality and the nutrient removal efficiency of the WWTP. The increase of the influent C/N and C/P ratios was associated to particulate compounds with low COD/VSS ratio and a high non-biodegradable COD fraction. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

AP reclamation and reuse in RSRM propellant

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miks, Kathryn F.; Harris, Stacey A.

1995-01-01

A solid propellant ingredient reclamation pilot plant has been evaluated at the Strategic Operations of Thiokol Corporation, located in Brigham City, Utah. The plant produces AP wet cake (95 percent AP, 5 percent water) for recycling at AP vendors. AP has been obtained from two standard propellant binder systems (PBAN and HTPB). Analytical work conducted at Thiokol indicates that the vendor-recrystallized AP meets Space Shuttle propellant specification requirements. Thiokol has processed 1-, 5-, and 600-gallon propellant mixes with the recrystallized AP. Processing, cast, cure, ballistic, mechanical, and safety properties have been evaluated. Phillips Laboratory static-test-fired 70-pound and 800-pound BATES motors. The data indicate that propellant processed with reclaimed AP has nominal properties.

Homer City Multistream Coal Cleaning Demonstration: A progress report. Report for January 1979-July 1983

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Carey, D.W.; Higgins, S.T.; Slowik, A.A.

1984-08-01

The report gives an overview of ongoing testing and evaluation of the Homer City Coal Cleaning Plant, built to enable the Homer City Power Complex to meet sulfur dioxide (SO2) emission levels mandated by the State of Pennsylvania and the U.S. Government. The plant was constructed as a result of an extensive comparative evaluation of flue gas desulfurization (FGD) and physical coal cleaning. The Homer City System, the Multistream Coal Cleaning System (MCCS), was chosen as an economical alternative to FGD. The plant contains circuits for cleaning coarse, medium, and fine coals and for recovering fine and very fine coals.more » The dominant type of cleaning equipment used in the plant is the dense medium cyclone. The original '93 plant' configuration was never able to clean coal to the conditions specified in the plant design. An extensive test and evaluation program was begun to identify and correct the causes of plant operating problems. After extensive pilot plant equipment tests and engineering studies were completed, recommendations were made for plant modifications necessary to correct the design and operating deficiencies of the plant. Extensive modifications were made to one of two parallel processing trains in the plant (the 'B' circuits), and a test program was initiated to evaluate these corrective measures. The modified 'B' circuits have not yet met design conditions.« less

Indicator methods to evaluate the hygienic performance of industrial scale operating Biowaste Composting Plants.

PubMed

Martens, Jürgen

2005-01-01

The hygienic performance of biowaste composting plants to ensure the quality of compost is of high importance. Existing compost quality assurance systems reflect this importance through intensive testing of hygienic parameters. In many countries, compost quality assurance systems are under construction and it is necessary to check and to optimize the methods to state the hygienic performance of composting plants. A set of indicator methods to evaluate the hygienic performance of normal operating biowaste composting plants was developed. The indicator methods were developed by investigating temperature measurements from indirect process tests from 23 composting plants belonging to 11 design types of the Hygiene Design Type Testing System of the German Compost Quality Association (BGK e.V.). The presented indicator methods are the grade of hygienization, the basic curve shape, and the hygienic risk area. The temperature courses of single plants are not distributed normally, but they were grouped by cluster analysis in normal distributed subgroups. That was a precondition to develop the mentioned indicator methods. For each plant the grade of hygienization was calculated through transformation into the standard normal distribution. It shows the part in percent of the entire data set which meet the legal temperature requirements. The hygienization grade differs widely within the design types and falls below 50% for about one fourth of the plants. The subgroups are divided visually into basic curve shapes which stand for different process courses. For each plant the composition of the entire data set out of the various basic curve shapes can be used as an indicator for the basic process conditions. Some basic curve shapes indicate abnormal process courses which can be emended through process optimization. A hygienic risk area concept using the 90% range of variation of the normal temperature courses was introduced. Comparing the design type range of variation with the legal temperature defaults showed hygienic risk areas over the temperature courses which could be minimized through process optimization. The hygienic risk area of four design types shows a suboptimal hygienic performance.

Ergonomic development work: co-education as a support for user participation at a car assembly plant. A case study.

PubMed

Garmer, K; Dahlman, S; Sperling, L

1995-12-01

This study deals with the design, trials and evaluation of a co-education programme at the Volvo Uddevalla plant in Sweden. Involving operators, manufacturing engineers and managers, the programme served as a support for the creation of a participatory ergonomics process, intended for continuous use at the plant. It consisted of a basic ergonomics knowledge package, and a dialogue model defining the roles and relations of actors involved. As a practical part of the programme, trial development projects were also carried out by the participants. The main and long term objective of the project was to start the participants cooperating in a continuous change and development process on the shop-floor. The outcome of the co-education programme was evaluated immediately after the first two regular courses, and, as a longterm follow-up, after seven subsequent courses shortly after the closing of the Uddevalla plant. The co-education programme was shown to be successful. Later on, the expertize of both operators and manufacturing engineers became obvious to everyone at the plant, and the cooperation between operators and manufacturing engineers increased steadily. The main conclusion drawn was that the co-education programme is a good starting point for a process of participation and industrial change work. However, in order to get a permanent impact, the whole organization must nurse and nourish the further development, and implementation of the process.

Silver nanoparticles uptake by salt marsh plants - Implications for phytoremediation processes and effects in microbial community dynamics.

PubMed

Fernandes, Joana P; Mucha, Ana P; Francisco, Telmo; Gomes, Carlos Rocha; Almeida, C Marisa R

2017-06-15

This study investigated the uptake of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) by a salt marsh plant, Phragmites australis, as well as AgNPs effects on rhizospheric microbial community, evaluating the implications for phytoremediation processes. Experiments were carried out with elutriate solution doped with Ag, either in ionic form or in NP form. Metal uptake was evaluated in plant tissues, elutriate solutions and sediments (by AAS) and microbial community was characterized in terms of bacterial community structure (evaluated by ARISA). Results showed Ag accumulation but only in plant belowground tissues and only in the absence of rhizosediment, the presence of sediment reducing Ag availability. But in plant roots Ag accumulation was higher when Ag was in NP form. Multivariate analysis of ARISA profiles showed significant effect of the absence/presence of Ag either in ionic or NP form on microbial community structure, although without significant differences among bacterial richness and diversity. Overall, P. australis can be useful for phytoremediation of medium contaminated with Ag, including with AgNPs. However, the presence of Ag in either forms affected the microbial community structure, which may cause disturbances in ecosystems function and compromise phytoremediation processes. Such considerations need to be address regarding environmental management strategies applied to the very important estuarine areas. The form in which the metal was added affected metal uptake by Phragmites australis and rhizosediment microbial community structure, which can affect phytoremediation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fossil Energy Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McNeese, L. E.

1981-01-01

Increased utilization of coal and other fossil fuel alternatives as sources of clean energy is reported. The following topics are discussed: coal conversion development, chemical research and development, materials technology, component development and process evaluation studies, technical support to major liquefaction projects, process analysis and engineering evaluations, fossil energy environmental analysis, flue gas desulfurization, solid waste disposal, coal preparation waste utilization, plant control development, atmospheric fluidized bed coal combustor for cogeneration, TVA FBC demonstration plant program technical support, PFBC systems analysis, fossil fuel applications assessments, performance assurance system support for fossil energy projects, international energy technology assessment, and general equilibrium models of liquid and gaseous fuel supplies.

Bench-scale performance testing and economic analyses of electrostatic dry coal cleaning. Final report, October 1980-July 1983

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rich, S.R.

1987-02-01

The report gives results of preliminary performance evaluations and economic analyses of the Advanced Energy Dynamics (AED) electrostatic dry coal-cleaning process. Grab samples of coal-feed-product coals were obtained from 25 operating physical coal-cleaning (PCC) plants. These samples were analyzed for ash, sulfur, and energy content and splits of the original samples of feed run-of-mine coal were provided for bench-scale testing in an electrostatic separation apparatus. The process showed superior sulfur-removal performance at equivalent cost and energy-recovery levels. The ash-removal capability of the process was not evaluated completely: overall, ash-removal results indicated that the process did not perform as well asmore » the PCC plants.« less

Modeling of solar polygeneration plant

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leiva, Roberto; Escobar, Rodrigo; Cardemil, José

2017-06-01

In this work, a exergoeconomic analysis of the joint production of electricity, fresh water, cooling and process heat for a simulated concentrated solar power (CSP) based on parabolic trough collector (PTC) with thermal energy storage (TES) and backup energy system (BS), a multi-effect distillation (MED) module, a refrigeration absorption module, and process heat module is carried out. Polygeneration plant is simulated in northern Chile in Crucero with a yearly total DNI of 3,389 kWh/m2/year. The methodology includes designing and modeling a polygeneration plant and applying exergoeconomic evaluations and calculating levelized cost. Solar polygeneration plant is simulated hourly, in a typical meteorological year, for different solar multiple and hour of storage. This study reveals that the total exergy cost rate of products (sum of exergy cost rate of electricity, water, cooling and heat process) is an alternative method to optimize a solar polygeneration plant.

Thermal, High Pressure, and Electric Field Processing Effects on Plant Cell Membrane Integrity and Relevance to Fruit and Vegetable Quality

PubMed Central

Gonzalez, Maria E; Barrett, Diane M

2010-01-01

Advanced food processing methods that accomplish inactivation of microorganisms but minimize adverse thermal exposure are of great interest to the food industry. High pressure (HP) and pulsed electric field (PEF) processing are commercially applied to produce high quality fruit and vegetable products in the United States, Europe, and Japan. Both microbial and plant cell membranes are significantly altered following exposure to heat, HP, or PEF. Our research group sought to quantify the degree of damage to plant cell membranes that occurs as a result of exposure to heat, HP, or PEF, using the same analytical methods. In order to evaluate whether new advanced processing methods are superior to traditional thermal processing methods, it is necessary to compare them. In this review, we describe the existing state of knowledge related to effects of heat, HP, and PEF on both microbial and plant cells. The importance and relevance of compartmentalization in plant cells as it relates to fruit and vegetable quality is described and various methods for quantification of plant cell membrane integrity are discussed. These include electrolyte leakage, cell viability, and proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-NMR). PMID:20492210

Thermal, high pressure, and electric field processing effects on plant cell membrane integrity and relevance to fruit and vegetable quality.

PubMed

Gonzalez, Maria E; Barrett, Diane M

2010-09-01

Advanced food processing methods that accomplish inactivation of microorganisms but minimize adverse thermal exposure are of great interest to the food industry. High pressure (HP) and pulsed electric field (PEF) processing are commercially applied to produce high quality fruit and vegetable products in the United States, Europe, and Japan. Both microbial and plant cell membranes are significantly altered following exposure to heat, HP, or PEF. Our research group sought to quantify the degree of damage to plant cell membranes that occurs as a result of exposure to heat, HP, or PEF, using the same analytical methods. In order to evaluate whether new advanced processing methods are superior to traditional thermal processing methods, it is necessary to compare them. In this review, we describe the existing state of knowledge related to effects of heat, HP, and PEF on both microbial and plant cells. The importance and relevance of compartmentalization in plant cells as it relates to fruit and vegetable quality is described and various methods for quantification of plant cell membrane integrity are discussed. These include electrolyte leakage, cell viability, and proton nuclear magnetic resonance (¹H-NMR).

High proportion of cactus species threatened with extinction.

PubMed

Goettsch, Bárbara; Hilton-Taylor, Craig; Cruz-Piñón, Gabriela; Duffy, James P; Frances, Anne; Hernández, Héctor M; Inger, Richard; Pollock, Caroline; Schipper, Jan; Superina, Mariella; Taylor, Nigel P; Tognelli, Marcelo; Abba, Agustín M; Arias, Salvador; Arreola-Nava, Hilda J; Baker, Marc A; Bárcenas, Rolando T; Barrios, Duniel; Braun, Pierre; Butterworth, Charles A; Búrquez, Alberto; Caceres, Fátima; Chazaro-Basañez, Miguel; Corral-Díaz, Rafael; Del Valle Perea, Mario; Demaio, Pablo H; Duarte de Barros, Williams A; Durán, Rafael; Yancas, Luis Faúndez; Felger, Richard S; Fitz-Maurice, Betty; Fitz-Maurice, Walter A; Gann, George; Gómez-Hinostrosa, Carlos; Gonzales-Torres, Luis R; Patrick Griffith, M; Guerrero, Pablo C; Hammel, Barry; Heil, Kenneth D; Hernández-Oria, José Guadalupe; Hoffmann, Michael; Ishihara, Mario Ishiki; Kiesling, Roberto; Larocca, João; León-de la Luz, José Luis; Loaiza S, Christian R; Lowry, Martin; Machado, Marlon C; Majure, Lucas C; Ávalos, José Guadalupe Martínez; Martorell, Carlos; Maschinski, Joyce; Méndez, Eduardo; Mittermeier, Russell A; Nassar, Jafet M; Negrón-Ortiz, Vivian; Oakley, Luis J; Ortega-Baes, Pablo; Ferreira, Ana Beatriz Pin; Pinkava, Donald J; Porter, J Mark; Puente-Martinez, Raul; Gamarra, José Roque; Pérez, Patricio Saldivia; Martínez, Emiliano Sánchez; Smith, Martin; Manuel Sotomayor M Del C, J; Stuart, Simon N; Muñoz, José Luis Tapia; Terrazas, Teresa; Terry, Martin; Trevisson, Marcelo; Valverde, Teresa; Van Devender, Thomas R; Véliz-Pérez, Mario Esteban; Walter, Helmut E; Wyatt, Sarah A; Zappi, Daniela; Alejandro Zavala-Hurtado, J; Gaston, Kevin J

2015-10-05

A high proportion of plant species is predicted to be threatened with extinction in the near future. However, the threat status of only a small number has been evaluated compared with key animal groups, rendering the magnitude and nature of the risks plants face unclear. Here we report the results of a global species assessment for the largest plant taxon evaluated to date under the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List Categories and Criteria, the iconic Cactaceae (cacti). We show that cacti are among the most threatened taxonomic groups assessed to date, with 31% of the 1,478 evaluated species threatened, demonstrating the high anthropogenic pressures on biodiversity in arid lands. The distribution of threatened species and the predominant threatening processes and drivers are different to those described for other taxa. The most significant threat processes comprise land conversion to agriculture and aquaculture, collection as biological resources, and residential and commercial development. The dominant drivers of extinction risk are the unscrupulous collection of live plants and seeds for horticultural trade and private ornamental collections, smallholder livestock ranching and smallholder annual agriculture. Our findings demonstrate that global species assessments are readily achievable for major groups of plants with relatively moderate resources, and highlight different conservation priorities and actions to those derived from species assessments of key animal groups.

MIMO model of an interacting series process for Robust MPC via System Identification.

PubMed

Wibowo, Tri Chandra S; Saad, Nordin

2010-07-01

This paper discusses the empirical modeling using system identification technique with a focus on an interacting series process. The study is carried out experimentally using a gaseous pilot plant as the process, in which the dynamic of such a plant exhibits the typical dynamic of an interacting series process. Three practical approaches are investigated and their performances are evaluated. The models developed are also examined in real-time implementation of a linear model predictive control. The selected model is able to reproduce the main dynamic characteristics of the plant in open-loop and produces zero steady-state errors in closed-loop control system. Several issues concerning the identification process and the construction of a MIMO state space model for a series interacting process are deliberated. 2010 ISA. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Getty Oil Company Diatomite project

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zuber, I.L.

1984-09-01

The feasibility of using Diatomite as a synthetic fuels feedstock is discussed. The asphaltic outcropping near McKittrick, California are evidence of oil bearing deposits. Two different processes have been taken to the pilot plant stage to evaluate the viability of recovering oil from the Diatomite ore. One approach was the retorting process which was developed by Lurgi. The other process is based on a totally different concept of solvent extracting the oil from the ore. The operation and performance of the pilot plants are described.

Evaluating plant biodiversity measurements and exotic species detection in National Resources Inventory Sampling protocols using examples from the Northern Great Plains of the USA

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Native plant biodiversity loss and exotic species invasions are threatening the ability of many ecosystems to maintain key functions and processes. We currently lack detailed plant biodiversity data at a national scale with which to make management decisions and recommendations based on current cons...

Potential usefulness of bacteriophages that infect Bacteroides fragilis as model organisms for monitoring virus removal in drinking water treatment plants.

PubMed Central

Jofre, J; Ollé, E; Ribas, F; Vidal, A; Lucena, F

1995-01-01

The presence of bacteriophages at different stages in three drinking water treatment plants was evaluated to study the usefulness of phages as model organisms for assessing the efficiency of the processes. The bacteriophages tested were somatic coliphages, F-specific coliphages, and phages infecting Bacteroides fragilis. The presence of enteroviruses and currently used bacterial indicators was also determined. Most bacteriophages were removed during the prechlorination-flocculation-sedimentation step. In these particular treatment plants, which include prechlorination, phages were, in general, more resistant to the treatment processes than present bacterial indicators, with the exception, in some cases, of clostridia. Bacteriophages infecting B. fragilis were found to be more resistant to water treatment than either somatic or F-specific coliphages or even clostridia. Enteric viruses were found only in untreated water in low numbers, and consequently, the efficiency of the plants in the removal of viruses could not be evaluated with precision. The numbers and frequencies of detection of the various microorganisms in water samples taken in the distribution network served by the three plants confirm the results found in the finished water at the plants. PMID:7574632

Multi-criteria GIS-based siting of an incineration plant for municipal solid waste.

PubMed

Tavares, Gilberto; Zsigraiová, Zdena; Semiao, Viriato

2011-01-01

Siting a municipal solid waste (MSW) incineration plant requires a comprehensive evaluation to identify the best available location(s) that can simultaneously meet the requirements of regulations and minimise economic, environmental, health, and social costs. A spatial multi-criteria evaluation methodology is presented to assess land suitability for a plant siting and applied to Santiago Island of Cape Verde. It combines the analytical hierarchy process (AHP) to estimate the selected evaluation criteria weights with Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for spatial data analysis that avoids the subjectivity of the judgements of decision makers in establishing the influences between some criteria or clusters of criteria. An innovative feature of the method lies in incorporating the environmental impact assessment of the plant operation as a criterion in the decision-making process itself rather than as an a posteriori assessment. Moreover, a two-scale approach is considered. At a global scale an initial screening identifies inter-municipal zones satisfying the decisive requirements (socio-economic, technical and environmental issues, with weights respectively, of 48%, 41% and 11%). A detailed suitability ranking inside the previously identified zones is then performed at a local scale in two phases and includes environmental assessment of the plant operation. Those zones are ranked by combining the non-environmental feasibility of Phase 1 (with a weight of 75%) with the environmental assessment of the plant operation impact of Phase 2 (with a weight of 25%). The reliability and robustness of the presented methodology as a decision supporting tool is assessed through a sensitivity analysis. The results proved the system effectiveness in the ranking process. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Development of evaluation models of manpower needs for dismantling the dry conversion process-related equipment in uranium refining and conversion plant (URCP)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sari Izumo; Hideo Usui; Mitsuo Tachibana

Evaluation models for determining the manpower needs for dismantling various types of equipment in uranium refining and conversion plant (URCP) have been developed. The models are widely applicable to other uranium handling facilities. Additionally, a simplified model was developed for easily and accurately calculating the manpower needs for dismantling dry conversion process-related equipment (DP equipment). It is important to evaluate beforehand project management data such as manpower needs to prepare an optimized decommissioning plan and implement effective dismantling activity. The Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) has developed the project management data evaluation system for dismantling activities (PRODIA code), which canmore » generate project management data using evaluation models. For preparing an optimized decommissioning plan, these evaluation models should be established based on the type of nuclear facility and actual dismantling data. In URCP, the dry conversion process of reprocessed uranium and others was operated until 1999, and the equipment related to the main process was dismantled from 2008 to 2011. Actual data such as manpower for dismantling were collected during the dismantling activities, and evaluation models were developed using the collected actual data on the basis of equipment classification considering the characteristics of uranium handling facility. (authors)« less

[Metabolomics research of medicinal plants].

PubMed

Duan, Li-Xin; Dai, Yun-Tao; Sun, Chao; Chen, Shi-Lin

2016-11-01

Metabolomics is the comprehensively study of chemical processes involving small molecule metabolites. It is an important part of systems biology, and is widely applied in complex traditional Chinese medicine（TCM）system. Metabolites biosynthesized by medicinal plants are the effective basis for TCM. Metabolomics studies of medicinal plants will usher in a new period of vigorous development with the implementation of Herb Genome Program and the development of TCM synthetic biology. This manuscript introduces the recent research progresses of metabolomics technology and the main research contents of metabolomics studies for medicinal plants, including identification and quality evaluation for medicinal plants, cultivars breeding, stress resistance, metabolic pathways, metabolic network, metabolic engineering and synthetic biology researches. The integration of genomics, transcriptomics and metabolomics approaches will finally lay foundation for breeding of medicinal plants, R&D, quality and safety evaluation of innovative drug. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

Evaluation of plant biomass resources available for replacement of fossil oil

PubMed Central

Henry, Robert J

2010-01-01

The potential of plants to replace fossil oil was evaluated by considering the scale of production required, the area of land needed and the types of plants available. High yielding crops (50 tonnes/ha) that have a high conversion efficiency (75%) would require a global land footprint of around 100 million ha to replace current (2008) oil consumption. Lower yielding or less convertible plants would require a larger land footprint. Domestication of new species as dedicated energy crops may be necessary. A systematic analysis of higher plants and their current and potential uses is presented. Plant biotechnology provides tools to improve the prospects of replacing oil with plant-derived biomass by increasing the amount of biomass produced per unit area of land and improving the composition of the biomass to increase the efficiency of conversion to biofuel and biomaterials. Options for the production of high value coproducts and the expression of processing aids such as enzymes in the plant may add further value to plants as bioenergy resources. PMID:20070873

Validation of X1 motorcycle model in industrial plant layout by using WITNESSTM simulation software

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hamzas, M. F. M. A.; Bareduan, S. A.; Zakaria, M. Z.; Tan, W. J.; Zairi, S.

2017-09-01

This paper demonstrates a case study on simulation, modelling and analysis for X1 Motorcycles Model. In this research, a motorcycle assembly plant has been selected as a main place of research study. Simulation techniques by using Witness software were applied to evaluate the performance of the existing manufacturing system. The main objective is to validate the data and find out the significant impact on the overall performance of the system for future improvement. The process of validation starts when the layout of the assembly line was identified. All components are evaluated to validate whether the data is significance for future improvement. Machine and labor statistics are among the parameters that were evaluated for process improvement. Average total cycle time for given workstations is used as criterion for comparison of possible variants. From the simulation process, the data used are appropriate and meet the criteria for two-sided assembly line problems.

Electrochemical monitoring of high-temperature molten-salt corrosion

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gao, G.; Stott, F.H.; Dawson, J.L.

1990-02-01

Hot molten-salt corrosion can cause serious metal degradation in boiler plant, incinerators, and furnaces. In this research, electrochemical-impedance and electrochemical-noise techniques have been evaluated for the monitoring of hot-corrosion processes in such plants. Tests have been carried out on Ni-1% Co and Alloy 800, a commercial material of interest to operators of industrial plants. Electrochemical-impedance and electrochemical-noise data were compared with the results of metallographic examination of the test alloys and showed reasonable correlation between the electrochemical data and the actual degradation processes. This preliminary work indicated that the electrochemical techniques show considerable promise as instruments for the monitoring ofmore » high-temperature corrosion processes.« less

SER assistant: An expert system for safety evaluation reports

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

DeChaine, M.D.; Levine, S.H.; Feltus, M.A.

1993-01-01

The SER Assistant is an expert system that assists engineers to write safety evaluation reports (SERs). Section 50.59 of the Code of Federal Regulations allows modifications to be made to nuclear power plants without prior US Nuclear Regulatory Commission approval if two conditions are satisfied. First, the change must not affect the technical specifications of the plant. Second, the modification must not affect a part of the plant described in the final safety analysis report, or if it does, it must not create an unreviewed safety question. The purpose of an SER is to ensure that these conditions are satisfiedmore » for the proposed modification. The SER Assistant aids this process by providing relevant, but directed, questions and information as well as giving engineers an organized environment to document their thought processes.« less

Assessment of working conditions in a modern Russian milk processing plant from the aspect of occupational medicine.

PubMed

Belova, L V; Mishkich, I A; Kresova, G A; Liubomudrova, T A

1999-03-01

Assessment of harmful industrial factors caused by work conditions in a modern milk processing plant. Work conditions, rest, nutrition, medical service, and subjective health indices among the employees in a new milk processing plant were studied. We used a specially formed questionnaire; instrumental measurements of microclimate parameters, noise, and illumination at workplace; laboratory physical and chemical evaluation of air pollution with aerosols and gases in the plant premises; chronometric studies determining the workers' activity during the working day location, and physical and psychological body exertion at the time of industrial activities; and assessment of design and operating documents of the plant. Laboratory studies included 157 workers, 1,724 tests, 26 chronometric studies, and analysis of 11 plant's documents. Unfavorable microclimatic conditions, noise, inadequate illumination, air pollution with dust and toxic substances, physical workload, increased demand for concentration, and monotony of labor in mass production professions were found. A great proportion of workers was dissatisfied with their working conditions and many suffered from occupational diseases and work-related diseases. The conditions of work in the studied milk processing plant may be classified as harmful and dangerous. The flaws in technological process, omissions in design and construction of the plant, as well as its improper exploitation aggravated industrial harmful factors. In combination with unsatisfactory organization of rest, nutrition, and medical services in the plant these factors may affect the workers' health and cause general and occupational diseases.

Chemical Process Design: An Integrated Teaching Approach.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Debelak, Kenneth A.; Roth, John A.

1982-01-01

Reviews a one-semester senior plant design/laboratory course, focusing on course structure, student projects, laboratory assignments, and course evaluation. Includes discussion of laboratory exercises related to process waste water and sludge. (SK)

Operation of the solvent-refined-coal pilot plant, Wilsonville, Alabama. Annual technical report, January-December 1980

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lewis, H.E.

1981-08-01

The plant was in operation for the equivalent of 247 days, an on-stream factor of 67.7%. Kentucky 9 coals from the Lafayette, Dotiki and Fies mines were processed. During 1980, the operating conditions and equipment were adjusted to evaluate potential process improvements. These experiments produced significant results in the following areas: Operating V103 High Pressure Separator in the hot mode; varying T102 Vacuum Column operating temperature; adding light SRC (LSRC), a product of the third stage of the Critical Solvent Deashing (CSD) unit, to the process solvent; investigating the effects of the chlorine content of the feed coal on corrosionmore » in the process vessels; evaluating the effects of adding sodium carbonate on corrosion rates; operating under conditions of low severity; i.e., low reactor temperature and long residence time; and testing an alternate CSD deashing solvent. A series of simulation runs investigating the design operating conditions for a planned 6000 ton per day SRC-I demonstation plant were also completed. Numerous improvements were made in the CSD processing area, and the components for a hydrotreating unit were installed.« less

Model evaluation of temperature dependency for carbon and nitrogen removal in a full-scale activated sludge plant treating leather-tanning wastewater.

PubMed

Görgün, Erdem; Insel, Güçlü; Artan, Nazik; Orhon, Derin

2007-05-01

Organic carbon and nitrogen removal performance of a full-scale activated sludge plant treating pre-settled leather tanning wastewater was evaluated under dynamic process temperatures. Emphasis was placed upon observed nitrogen removal depicting a highly variable magnitude with changing process temperatures. As the plant was not specifically designed for this purpose, observed nitrogen removal could be largely attributed to simultaneous nitrification and denitrification presumably occurring at increased process temperatures (T>25 degrees C) and resulting low dissolved oxygen levels (DO<0.5 mgO2/L). Model evaluation using long-term data revealed that the yearly performance of activated sludge reactor could be successfully calibrated by means of temperature dependent parameters associated with nitrification, hydrolysis, ammonification and endogenous decay parameters. In this context, the Arrhenius coefficients of (i) for the maximum autotrophic growth rate, [image omitted]A, (ii) maximum hydrolysis rate, khs and (iii) endogenous heterotrophic decay rate, bH were found to be 1.045, 1.070 and 1.035, respectively. The ammonification rate (ka) defining the degradation of soluble organic nitrogen could not be characterized however via an Arrhenius-type equation.

Slipstream pilot-scale demonstration of a novel amine-based post-combustion technology for carbon dioxide capture from coal-fired power plant flue gas

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Krishnamurthy, Krish R.

Post-combustion CO 2 capture (PCC) technology offers flexibility to treat the flue gas from both existing and new coal-fired power plants and can be applied to treat all or a portion of the flue gas. Solvent-based technologies are today the leading option for PCC from commercial coal-fired power plants as they have been applied in large-scale in other applications. Linde and BASF have been working together to develop and further improve a PCC process incorporating BASF’s novel aqueous amine-based solvent technology. This technology offers significant benefits compared to other solvent-based processes as it aims to reduce the regeneration energy requirementsmore » using novel solvents that are very stable under the coal-fired power plant feed gas conditions. BASF has developed the desired solvent based on the evaluation of a large number of candidates. In addition, long-term small pilot-scale testing of the BASF solvent has been performed on a lignite-fired flue gas. In coordination with BASF, Linde has evaluated a number of options for capital cost reduction in large engineered systems for solvent-based PCC technology. This report provides a summary of the work performed and results from a project supported by the US DOE (DE-FE0007453) for the pilot-scale demonstration of a Linde-BASF PCC technology using coal-fired power plant flue gas at a 1-1.5 MWe scale in Wilsonville, AL at the National Carbon Capture Center (NCCC). Following a project kick-off meeting in November 2011 and the conclusion of pilot plant design and engineering in February 2013, mechanical completion of the pilot plant was achieved in July 2014, and final commissioning activities were completed to enable start-up of operations in January 2015. Parametric tests were performed from January to December 2015 to determine optimal test conditions and evaluate process performance over a variety of operation parameters. A long-duration 1500-hour continuous test campaign was performed from May to August 2016 at a selected process condition to evaluate process performance and solvent stability over a longer period similar to how the process would operate as a continuously running large-scale PCC plant. The pilot plant integrated a number of unique features of the Linde-BASF technology aimed at lowering overall energy consumption and capital costs. During the overall test period including startup, parametric testing and long-duration testing, the pilot plant was operated for a total of 6,764 hours out of which testing with flue gas was performed for 4,109 hours. The pilot plant testing demonstrated all of the performance targets including CO 2 capture rate exceeding 90%, CO 2 purity exceeding 99.9 mol% (dry), flue gas processing capacity up to 15,500 lbs/hr (equivalent to 1.5 MWe capacity slipstream), regeneration energy as low as 2.7 GJ/tonne CO 2, and regenerator operating pressure up to 3.4 bara. Excellent solvent stability performance data was measured and verified by Linde and BASF during both test campaigns. In addition to process data, significant operational learnings were gained from pilot tests that will contribute greatly to the commercial success of PCC. Based on a thorough techno-economic assessment (TEA) of the Linde-BASF PCC process integrated with a 550 MWe supercritical coal-fired power plant, the net efficiency of the integrated power plant with CO 2 capture is increased from 28.4% with the DOE/NETL Case 12 reference to 30.9% with the Linde-BASF PCC plant previously presented utilizing the BASF OASE® blue solvent [Ref. 4], and is further increased to 31.4% using a Linde-BASF PCC plant with BASF OASE® blue solvent and an advanced stripper interstage heater (SIH) configuration. The Linde-BASF PCC plant incorporating the BASF OASE® blue solvent also results in significantly lower overall capital costs, thereby reducing the cost of electricity (COE) and cost of CO 2 captured from $147.25/MWh and $56.49/MT CO 2, respectively, for the reference DOE/NETL Case 12 plant, to $128.49/MWh and $41.85/MT CO2 for process case LB1, respectively, and $126.65/MWh and $40.66/MT CO 2 for process case SIH, respectively. With additional innovative Linde-BASF PCC process configuration improvements, the COE and cost of CO 2 captured can be further reduced to $125.51/MWh and $39.90/MT CO 2 for a further optimized PCC process defined as LB1-CREB. Most notably, the Linde-BASF process options assessed have already demonstrated the potential to lower the cost of CO 2 captured below the DOE target of $40/MT CO 2 at the 550 MWe scale for second generation PCC technologies. Project organization, structure, goals, tasks, accomplishments, process criteria and milestones will be presented in this report along with highlights and key results from parametric and long-duration testing of the Linde-BASF PCC pilot. The parametric and long-duration testing campaigns were aimed at validating the performance of the PCC technology against targets determined from a preliminary techno-economic assessment. The stability of the solvent with extended operation in a realistic power plant setting was measured with performance verified. Additionally, general solvent classification information, process operating conditions, normalized solvent performance data, solvent stability test results, flue gas conditions data, CO 2 purity data in the gaseous product stream, steam requirements and process flow diagrams, and updated process economic data for a scaled-up 550 MWe supercritical power plant with CO 2 capture are presented and discussed in this report.« less

Assessment of Greenhouse Gas Retrofit Issues for Coal Fired Power Plants

EPA Science Inventory

Several studies have been published on carbon capture technology as an independent island. In contrast, this evaluation considered the impact on the existing plant and the potential improvements to ease the retrofit of a carbon capture process. This paper will provide insight i...

Micro-organism distribution sampling for bioassays

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nelson, B. A.

1975-01-01

Purpose of sampling distribution is to characterize sample-to-sample variation so statistical tests may be applied, to estimate error due to sampling (confidence limits) and to evaluate observed differences between samples. Distribution could be used for bioassays taken in hospitals, breweries, food-processing plants, and pharmaceutical plants.

Evaluation of the Effects of AFFF Inputs on the VIP Biological Nutrient Removal Process and Pass-Through Toxicity. Phase 1A. Volume I.

DTIC Science & Technology

1997-10-01

This report discusses the results of a bench scale study conducted to evaluate the potential inhibitory effects of untreated AFFF wastewater to the...untreated AFFF wastewater to the nitrification process of the Virginia Initiative Plant biological nutrient removal system. Under this testing, bench...scale reactors simulating the nitrification process were loaded at various AFFF concentrations and the influence on the process performance was

Optimization of site layout for change of plant operation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Reuwer, S.M.; Kasperski, E.; Joseph, T.D.

1995-12-31

Several of the Florida Power & Light operating fossil power plants have undergone significant site layout changes as well as changes in plant operation. The FPL Fort Lauderdale Plant was repowered in 1992 which consisted of using four (4) Westinghouse 501F Combustion Turbines rated at 158 Mw each, to repower two (2) existing steam turbines rates at 143 Mw each. In 1991, a physical security fence separation occurred between Turkey Point Plants`s fossil fueled Units 1&2, and its nuclear fueled Units 3&4. As a result of this separation, certain facilities common to both the nuclear side and fossil side ofmore » the plant required relocating. Also, the Sanford and Manatee Plants were evaluated for the use of a new fuel as an alternative source. Manatee Plant is currently in the licensing process for modifications to burn a new fuel, requiring expansion of backened clean-up equipment, with additional staff to operate this equipment. In order to address these plant changes, site development studies were prepared for each plant to determine the suitability of the existing ancillary facilities to support the operational changes, and to make recommendations for facility improvement if found inadequate. A standardized process was developed for all of the site studies. This proved to be a comprehensive process and approach, that gave FPL a successful result that all the various stake holders bought into. This process was objectively based, focused, and got us to where we need to be as quickly as possible. As a result, this paper details the outline and various methods developed to prepare a study following this process, that will ultimately provide the optimum site development plan for the changing plant operations.« less

1. VIEW LOOKING NORTHWEST AT BUILDING 701. BUILDING 701 WAS ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

1. VIEW LOOKING NORTHWEST AT BUILDING 701. BUILDING 701 WAS USED TO DESIGN, BUILD, AND EVALUATE BENCH-SCALE TECHNOLOGIES USED IN ROCKY FLATS WASTE TREATMENT PROCESSES. (1/98) - Rocky Flats Plant, Design Laboratory, Northwest quadrant of Plant, between buildings 776-777 & 771, Golden, Jefferson County, CO

Approaches in the determination of plant nutrient uptake and distribution in space flight conditions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Heyenga, A. G.; Forsman, A.; Stodieck, L. S.; Hoehn, A.; Kliss, M.

2000-01-01

The effective growth and development of vascular plants rely on the adequate availability of water and nutrients. Inefficiency in either the initial absorption, transportation, or distribution of these elements are factors which impinge on plant structure and metabolic integrity. The potential effect of space flight and microgravity conditions on the efficiency of these processes is unclear. Limitations in the available quantity of space-grown plant material and the sensitivity of routine analytical techniques have made an evaluation of these processes impractical. However, the recent introduction of new plant cultivating methodologies supporting the application of radionuclide elements and subsequent autoradiography techniques provides a highly sensitive investigative approach amenable to space flight studies. Experiments involving the use of gel based 'nutrient packs' and the radionuclides calcium-45 and iron-59 were conducted on the Shuttle mission STS-94. Uptake rates of the radionuclides between ground and flight plant material appeared comparable.

Approaches in the Determination of Plant Nutrient Uptake and Distribution in Space Flight Conditions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Heyenga, A. G.; Forsman, A.; Stodieck, L. S.; Hoehn, A.; Kliss, Mark

1998-01-01

The effective growth and development of vascular plants rely on the adequate availability of water and nutrients. Inefficiency in either the initial absorption, transportation, or distribution of these elements are factors which may impinge on plant structure and metabolic integrity. The potential effect of space flight and microgravity conditions on the efficiency of these processes is unclear. Limitations in the available quantity of space-grown plant material and the sensitivity of routine analytical techniques have made an evaluation of these processes impractical. However, the recent introduction of new plant cultivating methodologies supporting the application of radionuclide elements and subsequent autoradiography techniques provides a highly sensitive investigative approach amenable to space flight studies. Experiments involving the use of gel based 'nutrient packs' and the nuclides Ca45 and Fe59 were conducted on the Shuttle mission STS-94. Uptake rates of the radionuclides between ground and flight plant material appeared comparable.

Poultry Plant Noise Control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1982-01-01

A demonstration conducted last winter at the Tip Top Poultry Plant intended to show poultry plant managers from all over the U.S. potential solutions to the problem of plant noise. Plastic covers used over sound absorbing materials need to meet cleanability requirements, high- pressure water cleaning and other harsh maintenance procedures peculiar to the poultry processing industry. For the demonstration, Fiber Flex, Inc. manufactured and donated 750 noise panels; Owens-Corning Fiberglas Corporation donated the fiberglas cores; and the cover material was purchased from Howe and Bainbridge. The Engineering Experiment Station (EES) conducted before and after noise surveys and is evaluating the effect of noise reduction on turnover and productivity in the demonstration plant. EES plans to conduct a noise abatement workshop and update a handbook to help poultry processors with noise problems. EES study and demonstration may be applicable to other food processing plants where similar sanitary constraints exist.

Resilient Monitoring Systems: Architecture, Design, and Application to Boiler/Turbine Plant

DOE PAGES

Garcia, Humberto E.; Lin, Wen-Chiao; Meerkov, Semyon M.; ...

2014-11-01

Resilient monitoring systems, considered in this paper, are sensor networks that degrade gracefully under malicious attacks on their sensors, causing them to project misleading information. The goal of this work is to design, analyze, and evaluate the performance of a resilient monitoring system intended to monitor plant conditions (normal or anomalous). The architecture developed consists of four layers: data quality assessment, process variable assessment, plant condition assessment, and sensor network adaptation. Each of these layers is analyzed by either analytical or numerical tools. The performance of the overall system is evaluated using a simplified boiler/turbine plant. The measure of resiliencymore » is quantified using Kullback-Leibler divergence, and is shown to be sufficiently high in all scenarios considered.« less

Resilient monitoring systems: architecture, design, and application to boiler/turbine plant.

PubMed

Garcia, Humberto E; Lin, Wen-Chiao; Meerkov, Semyon M; Ravichandran, Maruthi T

2014-11-01

Resilient monitoring systems, considered in this paper, are sensor networks that degrade gracefully under malicious attacks on their sensors, causing them to project misleading information. The goal of this paper is to design, analyze, and evaluate the performance of a resilient monitoring system intended to monitor plant conditions (normal or anomalous). The architecture developed consists of four layers: data quality assessment, process variable assessment, plant condition assessment, and sensor network adaptation. Each of these layers is analyzed by either analytical or numerical tools. The performance of the overall system is evaluated using a simplified boiler/turbine plant. The measure of resiliency is quantified based on the Kullback-Leibler divergence and shown to be sufficiently high in all scenarios considered.

Evaluation and development plan of NRTA measurement methods for the Rokkasho Reprocessing Plant

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Li, T.K.; Hakkila, E.A.; Flosterbuer, S.F.

Near-real-time accounting (NRTA) has been proposed as a safeguards method at the Rokkasho Reprocessing Plant (RRP), a large-scale commercial boiling water and pressurized water reactors spent-fuel reprocessing facility. NRTA for RRP requires material balance closures every month. To develop a more effective and practical NRTA system for RRP, we have evaluated NRTA measurement techniques and systems that might be implemented in both the main process and the co-denitration process areas at RRP to analyze the concentrations of plutonium in solutions and mixed oxide powder. Based on the comparative evaluation, including performance, reliability, design criteria, operation methods, maintenance requirements, and estimatedmore » costs for each possible measurement method, recommendations for development were formulated. This paper discusses the evaluations and reports on the recommendation of the NRTA development plan for potential implementation at RRP.« less

Oxygen transfer in a full-depth biological aerated filter.

PubMed

Stenstrom, Michael K; Rosso, Diego; Melcer, Henryk; Appleton, Ron; Occiano, Victor; Langworthy, Alan; Wong, Pete

2008-07-01

The City of San Diego, California, evaluated the performance capabilities of biological aerated filters (BAFs) at the Point Loma Wastewater Treatment Plant. The City conducted a 1-year pilot-plant evaluation of BAF technology supplied by two BAF manufacturers. This paper reports on the first independent oxygen-transfer test of BAFs at full depth using the offgas method. The tests showed process-water oxygen-transfer efficiencies of 1.6 to 5.8%/m (0.5 to 1.8%/ft) and 3.9 to 7.9%/m (1.2 to 2.4%/ft) for the two different pilot plants, at their nominal design conditions. Mass balances using chemical oxygen demand and dissolved organic carbon corroborated the transfer rates. Rates are higher than expected from fine-pore diffusers for similar process conditions and depths and clean-water conditions for the same column and are mostly attributed to extended bubble retention time resulting from interactions with the media and biofilm.

National Needs for Critically Evaluated Physical and Chemical Data.

DTIC Science & Technology

1978-01-01

poorly conceived experimencs, ineffective or inefficient manufacturing plants , and a waste of both effort and resources. To those studying basic...aspects of research and development and in the design of most products, industrial plants , and processes. They are also needed to assess the need for...designs can be made more precise, tolerances reduced, and R&D options narrowed. The wasteful practice of overdesigning industrial plants to allow for

Ecosystem engineering and manipulation of host plant tissues by the insect borer Oncideres albomarginata chamela.

PubMed

Calderón-Cortés, Nancy; Uribe-Mú, Claudia A; Martínez-Méndez, A Karen; Escalera-Vázquez, Luis H; Cristobal-Pérez, E Jacob; García-Oliva, Felipe; Quesada, Mauricio

2016-01-01

Ecosystem engineering by insect herbivores occurs as the result of structural modification of plants manipulated by insects. However, only few studies have evaluated the effect of these modifications on the plant responses induced by stem-borers that act as ecosystem engineers. In this study, we evaluated the responses induced by the herbivory of the twig-girdler beetle Oncideres albomarginata chamela (Cerambycidae: Lamiinae) on its host plant Spondias purpurea (Anacardiaceae), and its relationship with the ecosystem engineering process carried out by this stem-borer. Our results demonstrated that O. albomarginata chamela branch removal induced the development of lateral branches increasing the resources needed for the development of future insect generations, of its own offspring and of many other insect species. Detached branches represent habitats with high content of nitrogen and phosphorous, which eventually can be incorporated into the ecosystem, increasing nutrient cycling efficiency. Consequently, branch removal and the subsequent plant tissue regeneration induced by O. albomarginata chamela represent key mechanisms underlying the ecosystem engineering process carried out by this stem-borer, which enhances arthropod diversity in the ecosystem. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Plant growth and arbuscular mycorrhizae development in oil sands processing by-products.

PubMed

Boldt-Burisch, Katja; Naeth, M Anne; Schneider, Uwe; Schneider, Beate; Hüttl, Reinhard F

2018-04-15

Soil pollutants such as hydrocarbons can induce toxic effects in plants and associated arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). This study was conducted to evaluate if the legume Lotus corniculatus and the grass Elymus trachycaulus and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi could grow in two oil sands processing by-products after bitumen extraction from the oil sands in northern Alberta, Canada. Substrate treatments were coarse tailings sand (CTS), a mix of dry mature fine tailings (MFT) with CTS (1:1) and Pleistocene sandy soil (hydrocarbon free); microbial treatments were without AMF, with AMF and AMF plus soil bacteria isolated from oil sands reclamation sites. Plant biomass, root morphology, leaf water content, shoot tissue phosphorus content and mycorrhizal colonization were evaluated. Both plant species had reduced growth in CTS and tailings mix relative to sandy soil. AMF frequency and intensity in roots of E. trachycaulus was not influenced by soil hydrocarbons; however, it decreased significantly over time in roots of L. corniculatus without bacteria in CTS. Mycorrhizal inoculation alone did not significantly improve plant growth in CTS and tailings mix; however, inoculation with mycorrhizae plus bacteria led to a significantly positive response of both plant species in CTS. Thus, combined inoculation with selected mycorrhizae and bacteria led to synergistic effects. Such combinations may be used in future to improve plant growth in reclamation of CTS and tailings mix. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Microbial contamination level of air in animal waste utilization plants.

PubMed

Chmielowiec-Korzeniowska, Anna; Tymczyna, Leszek; Drabik, Agata; Krzosek, Łukasz

2016-01-01

The aim of this research was evaluation of microbial contamination of air within and in the vicinity of animal waste disposal plants. Air samples were analyzed to determine total bacterial and fungal counts as well as microbial species composition. Measurements of climate conditions (temperature, humidity, air motion) and total dust concentration were also performed. Total numbers of bacteria and fungi surpassed the threshold limit values for production halls. The most abundant bacteria detected were those consisting of physiological microflora of animal dermis and mucosa. Fungal species composition proved to be most differentiated in the air beyond the plant area. Aspergillus versicolor, a pathogenic and allergenic filamentous fungus, was isolated only inside the rendering plant processing hall. The measurement results showed a low sanitary-hygienic state of air in the plant processing halls and substantial air pollution in its immediate vicinity.

Evaluating plant-soil feedback together with competition in a serpentine grassland.

PubMed

Casper, Brenda B; Castelli, Jeffrey P

2007-05-01

Plants can alter biotic and abiotic soil characteristics in ways that feedback to change the performance of that same plant species relative to co-occurring plants. Most evidence for this plant-soil feedback comes from greenhouse studies of potted plants, and consequently, little is known about the importance of feedback in relation to other biological processes known to structure plant communities, such as plant-plant competition. In a field experiment with three C4 grasses, negative feedback was expressed through reduced survival and shoot biomass when seedlings were planted within existing clumps of conspecifics compared with clumps of heterospecifics. However, the combined effects of feedback and competition were species-specific. Only Andropogon gerardii exhibited feedback when competition with the clumps was allowed. For Sorghastrum nutans, strong interspecific competition eliminated the feedback expressed in the absence of competition, and Schizachyrium scoparium showed no feedback at all. That arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi may play a role in the feedback was indicated by higher AM root colonization with conspecific plant neighbours. We suggest that feedback and competition should not be viewed as entirely separate processes and that their importance in structuring plant communities cannot be judged in isolation from each other.

Development of an agricultural biotechnology crop product: testing from discovery to commercialization.

PubMed

Privalle, Laura S; Chen, Jingwen; Clapper, Gina; Hunst, Penny; Spiegelhalter, Frank; Zhong, Cathy X

2012-10-17

"Genetically modified" (GM) or "biotech" crops have been the most rapidly adopted agricultural technology in recent years. The development of a GM crop encompasses trait identification, gene isolation, plant cell transformation, plant regeneration, efficacy evaluation, commercial event identification, safety evaluation, and finally commercial authorization. This is a lengthy, complex, and resource-intensive process. Crops produced through biotechnology are the most highly studied food or food component consumed. Before commercialization, these products are shown to be as safe as conventional crops with respect to feed, food, and the environment. This paper describes this global process and the various analytical tests that must accompany the product during the course of development, throughout its market life, and beyond.

Inductive Double-Contingency Analysis of UO2 Powder Bulk Blending Operations at a Commercial Fuel Plant (U)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Skiles, S. K.

1994-12-22

An inductive double-contingency analysis (DCA) method developed by the criticality safety function at the Savannah River Site, was applied in Criticality Safety Evaluations (CSEs) of five major plant process systems at the Westinghouse Electric Corporation`s Commercial Nuclear Fuel Manufacturing Plant in Columbia, South Carolina (WEC-Cola.). The method emphasizes a thorough evaluation of the controls intended to provide barriers against criticality for postulated initiating events, and has been demonstrated effective at identifying common mode failure potential and interdependence among multiple controls. A description of the method and an example of its application is provided.

RPP-PRT-58489, Revision 1, One Systems Consistent Safety Analysis Methodologies Report. 24590-WTP-RPT-MGT-15-014

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gupta, Mukesh; Niemi, Belinda; Paik, Ingle

2015-09-02

In 2012, One System Nuclear Safety performed a comparison of the safety bases for the Tank Farms Operations Contractor (TOC) and Hanford Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP) (RPP-RPT-53222 / 24590-WTP-RPT-MGT-12-018, “One System Report of Comparative Evaluation of Safety Bases for Hanford Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant Project and Tank Operations Contract”), and identified 25 recommendations that required further evaluation for consensus disposition. This report documents ten NSSC approved consistent methodologies and guides and the results of the additional evaluation process using a new set of evaluation criteria developed for the evaluation of the new methodologies.

IMPROVING TACONITE PROCESSING PLANT EFFICIENCY BY COMPUTER SIMULATION, Final Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

William M. Bond; Salih Ersayin

2007-03-30

This project involved industrial scale testing of a mineral processing simulator to improve the efficiency of a taconite processing plant, namely the Minorca mine. The Concentrator Modeling Center at the Coleraine Minerals Research Laboratory, University of Minnesota Duluth, enhanced the capabilities of available software, Usim Pac, by developing mathematical models needed for accurate simulation of taconite plants. This project provided funding for this technology to prove itself in the industrial environment. As the first step, data representing existing plant conditions were collected by sampling and sample analysis. Data were then balanced and provided a basis for assessing the efficiency ofmore » individual devices and the plant, and also for performing simulations aimed at improving plant efficiency. Performance evaluation served as a guide in developing alternative process strategies for more efficient production. A large number of computer simulations were then performed to quantify the benefits and effects of implementing these alternative schemes. Modification of makeup ball size was selected as the most feasible option for the target performance improvement. This was combined with replacement of existing hydrocyclones with more efficient ones. After plant implementation of these modifications, plant sampling surveys were carried out to validate findings of the simulation-based study. Plant data showed very good agreement with the simulated data, confirming results of simulation. After the implementation of modifications in the plant, several upstream bottlenecks became visible. Despite these bottlenecks limiting full capacity, concentrator energy improvement of 7% was obtained. Further improvements in energy efficiency are expected in the near future. The success of this project demonstrated the feasibility of a simulation-based approach. Currently, the Center provides simulation-based service to all the iron ore mining companies operating in northern Minnesota, and future proposals are pending with non-taconite mineral processing applications.« less

Quality evaluation of poultry carcasses

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The USDA Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) has been mandated to organoleptically inspect poultry carcasses online at processing plants. For poultry quality and safety evaluation, the development of accurate and reliable instruments for online detection of unwholesomeness such as septicemia, cada...

Nitrogen removal by recycle water nitritation as an attractive alternative for retrofit technologies in municipal wastewater treatment plants.

PubMed

Gil, K I; Choi, E

2004-01-01

The recycle water from sludge processing in municipal wastewater treatment plants causes many serious problems in the efficiency and stability of the mainstream process. Thus, the design approach for recycle water is an important part of any biological nutrient removal system design when a retrofit technology is required for upgrading an existing plant. Moreover, the application of nitrogen removal from recycle water using the nitritation process has recently increased due to economic reasons associated with an effective carbon allocation as well as the minimization of aeration costs. However, for the actual application of recycle water nitritation, it has not been fully examined whether or not additional volume would be required in an existing plant. In this paper, the addition of recycle water nitritation to an existing plant was evaluated based on a volume analysis and estimation of final effluent quality. It was expected that using the reserve volume of the aeration tank in existing plants, recycle water nitritation could be applied to a plant without any enlargement. With the addition of recycle water nitritation, it was estimated that the final effluent quality would be improved and stabilized, especially in the winter season.

Physical analyses of compost from composting plants in Brazil.

PubMed

Barreira, L P; Philippi Junior, A; Rodrigues, M S; Tenório, J A S

2008-01-01

Nowadays the composting process has shown itself to be an alternative in the treatment of municipal solid wastes by composting plants. However, although more than 50% of the waste generated by the Brazilian population is composed of matter susceptible to organic composting, this process is, still today, insufficiently developed in Brazil, due to low compost quality and lack of investments in the sector. The objective of this work was to use physical analyses to evaluate the quality of the compost produced at 14 operative composting plants in the Sao Paulo State in Brazil. For this purpose, size distribution and total inert content tests were done. The results were analyzed by grouping the plants according to their productive processes: plants with a rotating drum, plants with shredders or mills, and plants without treatment after the sorting conveyor belt. Compost quality was analyzed considering the limits imposed by the Brazilian Legislation and the European standards for inert contents. The size distribution tests showed the influence of the machinery after the sorting conveyer on the granule sizes as well as the inert content, which contributes to the presence of materials that reduce the quality of the final product.

Integrated Response Time Evaluation Methodology for the Nuclear Safety Instrumentation System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Chang Jae; Yun, Jae Hee

2017-06-01

Safety analysis for a nuclear power plant establishes not only an analytical limit (AL) in terms of a measured or calculated variable but also an analytical response time (ART) required to complete protective action after the AL is reached. If the two constraints are met, the safety limit selected to maintain the integrity of physical barriers used for preventing uncontrolled radioactivity release will not be exceeded during anticipated operational occurrences and postulated accidents. Setpoint determination methodologies have actively been developed to ensure that the protective action is initiated before the process conditions reach the AL. However, regarding the ART for a nuclear safety instrumentation system, an integrated evaluation methodology considering the whole design process has not been systematically studied. In order to assure the safety of nuclear power plants, this paper proposes a systematic and integrated response time evaluation methodology that covers safety analyses, system designs, response time analyses, and response time tests. This methodology is applied to safety instrumentation systems for the advanced power reactor 1400 and the optimized power reactor 1000 nuclear power plants in South Korea. The quantitative evaluation results are provided herein. The evaluation results using the proposed methodology demonstrate that the nuclear safety instrumentation systems fully satisfy corresponding requirements of the ART.

Machine vision extracted plant movement for early detection of plant water stress.

PubMed

Kacira, M; Ling, P P; Short, T H

2002-01-01

A methodology was established for early, non-contact, and quantitative detection of plant water stress with machine vision extracted plant features. Top-projected canopy area (TPCA) of the plants was extracted from plant images using image-processing techniques. Water stress induced plant movement was decoupled from plant diurnal movement and plant growth using coefficient of relative variation of TPCA (CRV[TPCA)] and was found to be an effective marker for water stress detection. Threshold value of CRV(TPCA) as an indicator of water stress was determined by a parametric approach. The effectiveness of the sensing technique was evaluated against the timing of stress detection by an operator. Results of this study suggested that plant water stress detection using projected canopy area based features of the plants was feasible.

A framework for evaluating proposals for scientific activities in wilderness

Treesearch

Peter Landres

2000-01-01

This paper presents a structured framework for evaluating proposals for scientific activities in wilderness. Wilderness managers receive proposals for scientific activities ranging from unobtrusive inventorying of plants and animals to the use of chainsaws and helicopters for collecting information. Currently, there is no consistent process for evaluating proposals,...

Optimizing the Logistics of Anaerobic Digestion of Manure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghafoori, Emad; Flynn, Peter C.

Electrical power production from the combustion of biogas from anaerobic digestion (AD) of manure is a means of recovering energy from animal waste. We evaluate the lowest cost method of moving material to and from centralized AD plants serving multiple confined feeding operations. Two areas are modeled, Lethbridge County, Alberta, Canada, an area of concentrated beef cattle feedlots, and Red Deer County, Alberta, a mixed-farming area with hog, dairy, chicken and beef cattle farms, and feedlots. We evaluate two types of AD plant: ones that return digestate to the source confined feeding operation for land spreading (current technology), and ones that process digestate to produce solid fertilizer and a dischargeable water stream (technology under development). We evaluate manure and digestate trucking, trucking of manure with return of digestate by pipelines, and pipelining of manure plus digestate. We compare the overall cost of power from these scenarios to farm or feedlot-based AD units. For a centralized AD plant with digestate return for land spreading the most economical transport option for manure plus digestate is by truck for the mixed-farming area and by pipelines for the concentrated feedlot area. For a centralized AD plant with digestate processing, the most economical transport option is trucking of manure for both cases.

An automated, high-throughput plant phenotyping system using machine learning-based plant segmentation and image analysis.

PubMed

Lee, Unseok; Chang, Sungyul; Putra, Gian Anantrio; Kim, Hyoungseok; Kim, Dong Hwan

2018-01-01

A high-throughput plant phenotyping system automatically observes and grows many plant samples. Many plant sample images are acquired by the system to determine the characteristics of the plants (populations). Stable image acquisition and processing is very important to accurately determine the characteristics. However, hardware for acquiring plant images rapidly and stably, while minimizing plant stress, is lacking. Moreover, most software cannot adequately handle large-scale plant imaging. To address these problems, we developed a new, automated, high-throughput plant phenotyping system using simple and robust hardware, and an automated plant-imaging-analysis pipeline consisting of machine-learning-based plant segmentation. Our hardware acquires images reliably and quickly and minimizes plant stress. Furthermore, the images are processed automatically. In particular, large-scale plant-image datasets can be segmented precisely using a classifier developed using a superpixel-based machine-learning algorithm (Random Forest), and variations in plant parameters (such as area) over time can be assessed using the segmented images. We performed comparative evaluations to identify an appropriate learning algorithm for our proposed system, and tested three robust learning algorithms. We developed not only an automatic analysis pipeline but also a convenient means of plant-growth analysis that provides a learning data interface and visualization of plant growth trends. Thus, our system allows end-users such as plant biologists to analyze plant growth via large-scale plant image data easily.

Workplace Literacy Programs: Variations of Approach and Limits of Impact.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mikulecky, Larry

Six workplace literacy programs were evaluated for impact upon learners, learners' families, and learners' productivity. Site 1 was an automotive plant where learners were involved in technical preparation, the General Educational Development program, and English as a Second Language (ESL). Site 2 was a wood-processing plant with a communication…

Evaluation of constitutive iron reductase (AtFRO2) expression on mineral accumulation and distribution in soybean (Glycine max L.)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Iron is an important micronutrient in human and plant nutrition. Adequate iron nutrition during crop production is central for assuring appropriate iron concentrations in the harvestable organs, for human food or animal feed. The whole-plant movement of iron involves several processes, including the...

Dynamics of buckbrush populations under simulated forest restoration alternatives

Treesearch

David W. Huffman; Margaret M. Moore

2008-01-01

Plant population models are valuable tools for assessing ecological tradeoffs between forest management approaches. In addition, these models can provide insight on plant life history patterns and processes important for persistence and recovery of populations in changing environments. In this study, we evaluated a set of ecological restoration alternatives for their...

Dynamics of buckbrush populations under simulated forest restoration alternatives (P-53)

Treesearch

David W. Huffman; Margaret M. Moore

2008-01-01

Plant population models are valuable tools for assessing ecological tradeoffs between forest management approaches. In addition, these models can provide insight on plant life history patterns and processes important for persistence and recovery of populations in changing environments. In this study, we evaluated a set of ecological restoration alternatives for their...

USE OF PLANT AND EARTHWORM BIOASSYS TO EVALUATE REMEDIATION OF SOIL FROM A SITE CONTAMINATED WITH POLYCHLORINATED BIPHENYLS

EPA Science Inventory

Soil from a site heavily contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) was treated with a pilot-scale, solvent extraction tehnology. Bioassays in earthworms and plants were used to examine the efficacy of the remediation process for reducing the toxicity of the soil. The ear...

USE OF PLANT AND EARTHWORM BIOASSAYS TO EVALUATE REMEDIATION OF SOIL FROM A SITE CONTAMINATED WITH POLYCHLORINATED BIPHENYLS

EPA Science Inventory

Soil from a site heavily contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) was treated with a pilot-scale, solvent extraction technology. Bioassays in earthworms and plants were used to examine the efficacy of the remediation process for reducing the toxicity of the soil. The ...

Design and Assessment of an Associate Degree-Level Plant Operations Technical Education Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Selwitz, Jason Lawrence

2017-01-01

Research was undertaken to develop and evaluate an associate degree-level technical education program in Plant Operations oriented towards training students in applied science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) skills and knowledge relevant to a spectrum of processing industries. This work focuses on four aspects of the curriculum…

Hydrocarbon- and rubber-producing crops: evaluation of 100 US plant species

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Buchanan, R.T.; Cull, I.M., Otey, F.H.; Russell, C.R.

1978-01-01

Agricultural production of rubber and other hydrocarbons in the United States may be compatible with increased food and fiber production if entire plants are harvested and processed for fiber, protein, and carbohydrate as well. Procedures and criteria have been established for the preliminary evaluation of plant species as potential multi-use hydrocarbon-producing crops. Previously, 106 species representing 44 families and 81 genera were evaluated. Now an additional 100 species respresenting 13 additional families and 60 additional genera have been evaluated, and some of these species also offer promise as future crops. Several Labiatae are high in natural rubber (NR) content: Pycnanthemummore » incanum (Mountain Mint) and Teucrium canadense (American Germander) were evaluated as promising species. Three Compositae, Cacalia atriplicifolia (Pale Indian-Plant), Solidago graminifolia (Grass-leafed Golden-rod, and Solidago rigida (Stiff Golden-rod) were also evaluated as promising species for NR. Campanuala americana (Tall Bellflower, Campanulaceae) has potential as a source of both oil and NR. Euphorbia dentata (Euphorbiaceae) does not produce NR but is very high in protein and oil contents. Sassafras albudim (Sassafras, Lauraceae) is of interest for its rapid growth rate in combination with a high oil content. A few other species offer some promise.« less

Determining the potential productivity of food crops in controlled environments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bugbee, Bruce

1992-01-01

The quest to determine the maximum potential productivity of food crops is greatly benefitted by crop growth models. Many models have been developed to analyze and predict crop growth in the field, but it is difficult to predict biological responses to stress conditions. Crop growth models for the optimal environments of a Controlled Environment Life Support System (CELSS) can be highly predictive. This paper discusses the application of a crop growth model to CELSS; the model is used to evaluate factors limiting growth. The model separately evaluates the following four physiological processes: absorption of PPF by photosynthetic tissue, carbon fixation (photosynthesis), carbon use (respiration), and carbon partitioning (harvest index). These constituent processes determine potentially achievable productivity. An analysis of each process suggests that low harvest index is the factor most limiting to yield. PPF absorption by plant canopies and respiration efficiency are also of major importance. Research concerning productivity in a CELSS should emphasize: (1) the development of gas exchange techniques to continuously monitor plant growth rates and (2) environmental techniques to reduce plant height in communities.

Plant Nutrition 2: Macronutrients (N, P, K, S, Mg, and Ca)

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Summary In the second of three lessons spanning the topic of Plant Nutrition, we examine how macronutrients affect plant growth. Specifically, we look at (1) the availability of nutrients in the soil along with the effects of soil microbes and physical properties on their availability; (2) nutrient uptake from the external environment, across plasma membranes and into plant cells; (3) in some cases, the assimilation of the nutrient into organic molecules; (4) the distribution and redistribution of nutrients throughout the plant; and (5) regulation of these processes. In parallel, we examine the genetic basis of a plant's nutrient use efficiency (NUE) and evaluate strategies by which to replenish nutrients that growing plants extract from soil.

DYNSYL: a general-purpose dynamic simulator for chemical processes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Patterson, G.K.; Rozsa, R.B.

1978-09-05

Lawrence Livermore Laboratory is conducting a safeguards program for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The goal of the Material Control Project of this program is to evaluate material control and accounting (MCA) methods in plants that handle special nuclear material (SNM). To this end we designed and implemented the dynamic chemical plant simulation program DYNSYL. This program can be used to generate process data or to provide estimates of process performance; it simulates both steady-state and dynamic behavior. The MCA methods that may have to be evaluated range from sophisticated on-line material trackers such as Kalman filter estimators, to relatively simplemore » material balance procedures. This report describes the overall structure of DYNSYL and includes some example problems. The code is still in the experimental stage and revision is continuing.« less

Evaluating the Impact of Training: A Collection of Federal Agency Evaluation Practices. Volume 2.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Salinger, Ruth; Roberts, Cynthia

The purpose of this publication on agency training evaluation practices is to share approaches used by federal agencies to assess needs and measure training effectiveness. Emphasis is placed on the process of evaluation. Names of the agencies and highlights of the examples used by each follow: (1) Plant Protection and Quarantine (Department of…

A Modeling Approach for Evaluating the Coupled Riparian Vegetation-Geomorphic Response to Altered Flow Regimes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manners, R.; Wilcox, A. C.; Merritt, D. M.

2016-12-01

The ecogeomorphic response of riparian ecosystems to a change in hydrologic properties is difficult to predict because of the interactions and feedbacks among plants, water, and sediment. Most riparian models of community dynamics assume a static channel, yet geomorphic processes strongly control the establishment and survival of riparian vegetation. Using a combination of approaches that includes empirical relationships and hydrodynamic models, we model the coupled vegetation-topographic response of three cross-sections on the Yampa and Green Rivers in Dinosaur National Monument, to a shift in the flow regime. The locations represent the variable geomorphology and vegetation composition of these canyon-bound rivers. We account for the inundation and hydraulic properties of vegetation plots surveyed over three years within International River Interface Cooperative (iRIC) Fastmech, equipped with a vegetation module that accounts for flexible stems and plant reconfiguration. The presence of functional groupings of plants, or those plants that respond similarly to environmental factors such as water availability and disturbance are determined from flow response curves developed for the Yampa River. Using field measurements of vegetation morphology, distance from the channel centerline, and dominant particle size and modeled inundation properties we develop an empirical relationship between these variables and topographic change. We evaluate vegetation and channel form changes over decadal timescales, allowing for the integration of processes over time. From our analyses, we identify thresholds in the flow regime that alter the distribution of plants and reduce geomorphic complexity, predominately through side-channel and backwater infilling. Simplification of some processes (e.g., empirically-derived sedimentation) and detailed treatment of others (e.g., plant-flow interactions) allows us to model the coupled dynamics of riparian ecosystems and evaluate the impact of small to large shifts in the flow regime. This approach will be useful to river managers and scientists, as they try to understand the potential changes to riparian ecosystems with uncertain changes to hydrologic regimes as a result of a changing climate and human demands.

Suggested improvements for the allergenicity assessment of genetically modified plants used in foods.

PubMed

Goodman, Richard E; Tetteh, Afua O

2011-08-01

Genetically modified (GM) plants are increasingly used for food production and industrial applications. As the global population has surpassed 7 billion and per capita consumption rises, food production is challenged by loss of arable land, changing weather patterns, and evolving plant pests and disease. Previous gains in quantity and quality relied on natural or artificial breeding, random mutagenesis, increased pesticide and fertilizer use, and improved farming techniques, all without a formal safety evaluation. However, the direct introduction of novel genes raised questions regarding safety that are being addressed by an evaluation process that considers potential increases in the allergenicity, toxicity, and nutrient availability of foods derived from the GM plants. Opinions vary regarding the adequacy of the assessment, but there is no documented proof of an adverse effect resulting from foods produced from GM plants. This review and opinion discusses current practices and new regulatory demands related to food safety.

Anaerobic digestion of stillage fractions - estimation of the potential for energy recovery in bioethanol plants.

PubMed

Drosg, B; Fuchs, W; Meixner, K; Waltenberger, R; Kirchmayr, R; Braun, R; Bochmann, G

2013-01-01

Stillage processing can require more than one third of the thermal energy demand of a dry-grind bioethanol production plant. Therefore, for every stillage fraction occurring in stillage processing the potential of energy recovery by anaerobic digestion (AD) was estimated. In the case of whole stillage up to 128% of the thermal energy demand in the process can be provided, so even an energetically self-sufficient bioethanol production process is possible. For wet cake the recovery potential of thermal energy is 57%, for thin stillage 41%, for syrup 40% and for the evaporation condensate 2.5%. Specific issues for establishing AD of stillage fractions are evaluated in detail; these are high nitrogen concentrations, digestate treatment and trace element supply. If animal feed is co-produced at the bioethanol plant and digestate fractions are to be reused as process water, a sufficient quality is necessary. Most interesting stillage fractions as substrates for AD are whole stillage, thin stillage and the evaporation condensate. For these fractions process details are presented.

The comparison of greenhouse gas emissions in sewage treatment plants with different treatment processes.

PubMed

Masuda, Shuhei; Sano, Itsumi; Hojo, Toshimasa; Li, Yu-You; Nishimura, Osamu

2018-02-01

Greenhouse gas emissions from different sewage treatment plants: oxidation ditch process, double-circulated anoxic-oxic process and anoxic-oxic process were evaluated based on the survey. The methane and nitrous oxide characteristics were discussed based on the gaseous and dissolved gas profiles. As a result, it was found that methane was produced in the sewer pipes and the primary sedimentation tank. Additionally, a ventilation system would promote the gasification of dissolved methane in the first treatment units. Nitrous oxide was produced and emitted in oxic tanks with nitrite accumulation inside the sewage treatment plant. A certain amount of nitrous oxide was also discharged as dissolved gas through the effluent water. If the amount of dissolved nitrous oxide discharge is not included, 7-14% of total nitrous oxide emission would be overlooked. Based on the greenhouse gas calculation, electrical consumption and the N 2 O emission from incineration process were major sources in all the plants. For greenhouse gas reduction, oxidation ditch process has an advantage over the other advanced systems due to lower energy consumption, sludge production, and nitrogen removal without gas stripping. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Botanochemicals and chemurgy in the petroleum drought ahead

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bagby, M.O.; Buchanan, R.A.; Duke, J.A.

1979-01-01

Green plants, collectively, are still a major under-exploited resource. However, new crops and agricultural systems are being developed for the production of fuels and materials in addition to foods and fibers. Whole-plant oils and botanochemicals are being evaluated as annually renewable replacements for petroleum crude and petrochemicals, respectively. Plant derived fuel alcohols are becoming a viable supplement to gasoline and fuel oils. Polyisoprenes, terpenes, oils, waxes, alcohols, phenols, furfural, methane, and producer gas from plant sources can potentially displace petroleum derived feedstocks for the synthetic chemical industry. Moreover, new botanochemical processing methods offer prospects for reducing US dependence on importsmore » for many specialty plant-products traditionally produced by labor-intensive methods. Extraction of essential oils, pharmaceutical intermediates, tannins, and vegetable dyes may be integrated with botanochemical processing to allow exploitation of the varied US climate for domestic production of nearly every botanical now imported.« less

An engineering and economic evaluation of quick germ-quick fiber process for dry-grind ethanol facilities: analysis.

PubMed

Rodríguez, Luis F; Li, Changying; Khanna, Madhu; Spaulding, Aslihan D; Lin, Tao; Eckhoff, Steven R

2010-07-01

An engineering economic model, which is mass balanced and compositionally driven, was developed to compare the conventional corn dry-grind process and the pre-fractionation process called quick germ-quick fiber (QQ). In this model, documented in a companion article, the distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) price was linked with its protein and fiber content as well as with the long-term average relationship with the corn price. The detailed economic analysis showed that the QQ plant retrofitted from conventional dry-grind ethanol plant reduces the manufacturing cost of ethanol by 13.5 cent/gallon and has net present value of nearly $4 million greater than the conventional dry-grind plant at an interest rate of 4% in 15years. Ethanol and feedstock price sensitivity analysis showed that the QQ plant gains more profits when ethanol price increases than conventional dry-grind ethanol plant. An optimistic analysis of the QQ process suggests that the greater value of the modified DDGS would provide greater resistance to fluctuations in corn price for QQ facilities. This model can be used to provide decision support for ethanol producers. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Integrating Waste Heat from CO 2 Removal and Coal-Fired Flue Gas to Increase Plant Efficiency

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Irvin, Nick; Kowalczyk, Joseph

In project DE-FE0007525, Southern Company Services demonstrated heat integration methods for the capture and sequestration of carbon dioxide produced from pulverized coal combustion. A waste heat recovery technology (termed High Efficiency System) from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries America was integrated into an existing 25-MW amine-based CO 2 capture process (Kansai Mitsubishi Carbon Dioxide Recovery Process®1) at Southern Company’s Plant Barry to evaluate improvements in the energy performance of the pulverized coal plant and CO 2 capture process. The heat integration system consists of two primary pieces of equipment: (1) the CO 2 Cooler which uses product CO 2 gas from themore » capture process to heat boiler condensate, and (2) the Flue Gas Cooler which uses air heater outlet flue gas to further heat boiler condensate. Both pieces of equipment were included in the pilot system. The pilot CO 2 Cooler used waste heat from the 25-MW CO 2 capture plant (but not always from product CO 2 gas, as intended). The pilot Flue Gas Cooler used heat from a slipstream of flue gas taken from downstream of Plant Barry’s air heater. The pilot also included a 0.25-MW electrostatic precipitator. The 25-MW High Efficiency System operated for approximately six weeks over a four month time period in conjunction with the 25-MW CO 2 capture facility at Plant Barry. Results from the program were used to evaluate the technical and economic feasibility of full-scale implementation of this technology. The test program quantified energy efficiency improvements to a host power plant that could be realized due to the High Efficiency System. Through the execution of this project, the team verified the integrated operation of the High Efficiency System and Kansai Mitsubishi Carbon Dioxide Recovery Process®. The ancillary benefits of the High Efficiency System were also quantified, including reduced water consumption, a decrease in toxic air emissions, and better overall air quality control systems performance.« less

Density and composition of microorganisms during long-term (418 day) growth of potato using biologically reclaimed nutrients from inedible plant biomass

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Garland, J. L.; Cook, K. L.; Johnson, M.; Sumner, R.; Fields, N.; Sager, J. C. (Principal Investigator)

1997-01-01

A study evaluating alternative methods for long term operation of biomass production systems was recently completed at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC). The 418-day study evaluated repeated batch versus mixed-aged production of potato grown on either standard 1/2-strength Hoagland's nutrient solution or solutions including nutrients recycled from inedible plant material. The long term effects of closure and recycling on microbial dynamics were evaluated by monitoring the microbial communities associated with various habitats within the plant growth system (i.e., plant roots, nutrient solution, biofilms within the hydroponic systems, atmosphere, and atmospheric condensate). Plate count methods were used to enumerate and characterize microorganisms. Microscopic staining methods were used to estunate total cell densities. The primary finding was that the density and composition of microbial communities associated with controlled environmental plant growth systems are stable during long term operation. Continuous production resulted in slightly greater stability. Nutrient recycling, despite the addition of soluble organic material from the waste processing system, did not significantly increase microbial density in any of the habitats.

Density and composition of microorganisms during long-term (418 day) growth of potato using biologically reclaimed nutrients from inedible plant biomass

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garland, J. L.; Cook, K. L.; Johnson, M.; Sumner, R.; Fields, N.

1997-01-01

A study evaluating alternative methods for long term operation of biomass production systems was recently completed at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC). The 418-day study evaluated repeated batch versus mixed-aged production of potato grown on either standard 1/2-strength Hoagland's nutrient solution or solutions including nutrients recycled from inedible plant material. The long term effects of closure and recycling on microbial dynamics were evaluated by monitoring the microbial communities associated with various habitats within the plant growth system (i.e., plant roots, nutrient solution, biofilms within the hydroponic systems, atmosphere, and atmospheric condensate). Plate count methods were used to enumerate and characterize microorganisms. Microscopic staining methods were used to estimate total cell densities. The primary finding was that the density and composition of microbial communities associated with controlled environmental plant growth systems are stable during long term operation. Continuous production resulted in slightly greater stability. Nutrient recycling, despite the addition of soluble organic material from the waste processing system, did not significantly increase microbial density in any of the habitats.

Density and composition of microorganisms during long-term (418 day) growth of potato using biologically reclaimed nutrients from inedible plant biomass

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1997-01-01

A study evaluating alternative methods for long term operation of biomass production systems was recently completed at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC). The 418-day study evaluated repeated batch versus mixed-aged production of potato grown on either standard 12-strength Hoagland's nutrient solution or solutions including nutrients recycled from inedible plant material. The long term effects of closure and recycling on microbial dynamics were evaluated by monitoring the microbial communities associated with various habitats within the plant growth system (i.e., plant roots, nutrient solution, biofilms within the hydroponic systems, atmosphere, and atmospheric condensate). Plate count methods were used to enumerate and characterize microorganisms. Microscopic staining methods were used to estimate total cell densities. The primary finding was that the density and composition of microbial communities associated with controlled environmental plant growth systems are stable during long term operation. Continuous production resulted in slightly greater stability. Nutrient recycling, despite the addition of soluble organic material from the waste processing system, did not significantly increase microbial density in any of the habitats.

Refining and end use study of coal liquids II - linear programming analysis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lowe, C.; Tam, S.

1995-12-31

A DOE-funded study is underway to determine the optimum refinery processing schemes for producing transportation fuels that will meet CAAA regulations from direct and indirect coal liquids. The study consists of three major parts: pilot plant testing of critical upgrading processes, linear programming analysis of different processing schemes, and engine emission testing of final products. Currently, fractions of a direct coal liquid produced form bituminous coal are being tested in sequence of pilot plant upgrading processes. This work is discussed in a separate paper. The linear programming model, which is the subject of this paper, has been completed for themore » petroleum refinery and is being modified to handle coal liquids based on the pilot plant test results. Preliminary coal liquid evaluation studies indicate that, if a refinery expansion scenario is adopted, then the marginal value of the coal liquid (over the base petroleum crude) is $3-4/bbl.« less

Viability analysis in biological evaluations: Concepts of population viability analysis, biological population, and ecological scale

Treesearch

Gregory D. Hayward; John R. Squires

1994-01-01

Environmental protection strategies often rely on environmental impact assessments. As part of the assessment process biologists are routinely asked to evaluate the effects of management actions on plants and animals. This evaluation often requires that biologists make judgments about the viability of affected populations. However, population viability...

Planting Healthy Roots: Using Documentary Film to Evaluate and Disseminate Community-Based Participatory Research

PubMed Central

Brandt, Heather M.; Freedman, Darcy A.; Friedman, Daniela B.; Choi, Seul Ki; Seel, Jessica S.; Guest, M. Aaron; Khang, Leepao

2016-01-01

The study purpose was twofold: (1) to evaluate a documentary film featuring the formation and implementation of a farmers’ market and (2) to assess whether the film affected awareness regarding food access issues in a food desert community with high rates of obesity. The coalition model of filmmaking, a model consistent with a community-based participatory research (CBPR) approach, and personal stories, community profiles, and expert interviews were used to develop a documentary film (Planting Healthy Roots). Evaluation demonstrated high levels of approval and satisfaction with the film and CBPR essence of the film. The documentary film aligned with a CBPR approach to document, evaluate, and disseminate research processes and outcomes. PMID:27536929

Screening and Scoring of Antimicrobial and Biological Activities of Italian Vulnerary Plants against Major Oral Pathogenic Bacteria

PubMed Central

Ferrazzano, Gianmaria F.; Roberto, Lia; Catania, Maria Rosaria; Chiaviello, Angela; De Natale, Antonino; Roscetto, Emanuela; Pinto, Gabriele; Pollio, Antonino; Ingenito, Aniello; Palumbo, Giuseppe

2013-01-01

This study aims to evaluate the activity of Italian vulnerary plants against the most important oral pathogenic bacteria. This estimate was accomplished through a fivefold process: (a) a review of ethnobotanical and microbiological data concerning the Italian vulnerary plants; (b) the development of a scoring system to rank the plants; (c) the comparative assessment of microbiological properties; (d) the assessment of potential cytotoxic effects on keratinocyte-like cells and gingival fibroblasts in culture by XTT cell viability assay; (e) clinical evaluation of the most suitable plant extract as antibacterial agent in a home-made mouthwash. The study assays hexane (H), ethanol (E), and water (W) extracts from 72 plants. The agar diffusion method was used to evaluate the activity against Streptococcus mutans, Streptococcus sobrinus, Lactobacillus casei, and Actinomyces viscosus. Twenty-two plants showed appreciable activity. The extracts showing the strongest antibacterial power were those from Cotinus coggygria Scop., Equisetum hyemale L., Helichrysum litoreum Guss, Juniperus communis L., and Phyllitis scolopendrium (L.) Newman subsp. scolopendrium. The potential cytotoxic effect of these extracts was assessed. On the basis of these observations, a mouth-rinse containing the ethanolic extract of H. litoreum has been tested in vivo, resulting in reduction of the salivary concentration of S. mutans. PMID:24302963

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Singh, S. P.N.; Peterson, G. R.

Coal beneficiation is a generic term used for processes that prepare run-of-mine coal for specific end uses. It is also referred to as coal preparation or coal cleaning and is a means of reducing the sulfur and the ash contents of coal. Information is presented regarding current and potential coal beneficiation processes. Several of the processes reviewed, though not yet commercial, are at various stages of experimental development. Process descriptions are provided for these processes commensurate with the extent of information and time available to perform the evaluation of these processes. Conceptual process designs, preliminary cost estimates, and economic evaluationsmore » are provided for the more advanced (from a process development hierarchy viewpoint) processes based on production levels of 1500 and 15,000 tons/day (maf) of cleaned product coal. Economic evaluations of the coal preparation plants are conducted for several project financing schemes and at 12 and 15% annual after-tax rates of return on equity capital. A 9% annual interest rate is used on the debt fraction of the plant capital. Cleaned product coal prices are determined using the discounted cash flow procedure. The study is intended to provide information on publicly known coal beneficiation processes and to indicate the relative costs of various coal beneficiation processes. Because of severe timeconstraints, several potential coal beneficiation processes are not evaluated in great detail. It is recommended that an additional study be conducted to complement this study and to more fully appreciate the potentially significant role of coal beneficiation in the clean burning of coal.« less

ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY VERIFICATION REPORT: UTC FUEL CELLS' PC25C POWER PLANT - GAS PROCESSING UNIT PERFORMANCE FOR ANAEROBIC DIGESTER GAS

EPA Science Inventory

Under EPA’s Environmental Technology Verification program, which provides objective and scientific third party analysis of new technology that can benefit the environment, a combined heat and power system based on the UTC Fuel Cell's PC25C Fuel Cell Power Plant was evaluated. The...

Area Community College and Area Vocational School Construction.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Iowa State Dept. of Public Instruction, Des Moines.

The purpose of this guideline is to assist in the planning process, to encourage good school plant design, and to serve as criteria in the evaluation of area community college and area vocational school plans. It is divided into the following five sections--(1) area plant planning, (2) area sites, (3) physical facilities, (4) service systems, and…

pH dependent salinity-boron interactions impact yield, biomass, evapotranspiration and boron uptake in broccoli (Brassica oleracea L.)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Soil pH is known to influence many important biochemical processes in plants and soils, however its role in salinity - boron interactions affecting plant growth and ion relations has not been examined. The purpose of this research was to evaluate the interactive effects of salinity, boron and soil ...

An eco-balance of a recycling plant for spent lead-acid batteries.

PubMed

Salomone, Roberta; Mondello, Fabio; Lanuzza, Francesco; Micali, Giuseppe

2005-02-01

This study applies Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology to present an eco-balance of a recycling plant that treats spent lead-acid batteries. The recycling plant uses pyrometallurgical treatment to obtain lead from spent batteries. The application of LCA methodology (ISO 14040 series) enabled us to assess the potential environmental impacts arising from the recycling plant's operations. Thus, net emissions of greenhouse gases as well as other major environmental consequences were examined and hot spots inside the recycling plant were identified. A sensitivity analysis was also performed on certain variables to evaluate their effect on the LCA study. The LCA of a recycling plant for spent lead-acid batteries presented shows that this methodology allows all of the major environmental consequences associated with lead recycling using the pyrometallurgical process to be examined. The study highlights areas in which environmental improvements are easily achievable by a business, providing a basis for suggestions to minimize the environmental impact of its production phases, improving process and company performance in environmental terms.

Different Ways to Apply a Measurement Instrument of E-Nose Type to Evaluate Ambient Air Quality with Respect to Odour Nuisance in a Vicinity of Municipal Processing Plants

PubMed Central

Szulczyński, Bartosz; Wasilewski, Tomasz; Wojnowski, Wojciech; Majchrzak, Tomasz; Dymerski, Tomasz; Namieśnik, Jacek; Gębicki, Jacek

2017-01-01

This review paper presents different ways to apply a measurement instrument of e-nose type to evaluate ambient air with respect to detection of the odorants characterized by unpleasant odour in a vicinity of municipal processing plants. An emphasis was put on the following applications of the electronic nose instruments: monitoring networks, remote controlled robots and drones as well as portable devices. Moreover, this paper presents commercially available sensors utilized in the electronic noses and characterized by the limit of quantification below 1 ppm v/v, which is close to the odour threshold of some odorants. Additionally, information about bioelectronic noses being a possible alternative to electronic noses and their principle of operation and application potential in the field of air evaluation with respect to detection of the odorants characterized by unpleasant odour was provided. PMID:29156597

Different Ways to Apply a Measurement Instrument of E-Nose Type to Evaluate Ambient Air Quality with Respect to Odour Nuisance in a Vicinity of Municipal Processing Plants.

PubMed

Szulczyński, Bartosz; Wasilewski, Tomasz; Wojnowski, Wojciech; Majchrzak, Tomasz; Dymerski, Tomasz; Namieśnik, Jacek; Gębicki, Jacek

2017-11-19

This review paper presents different ways to apply a measurement instrument of e-nose type to evaluate ambient air with respect to detection of the odorants characterized by unpleasant odour in a vicinity of municipal processing plants. An emphasis was put on the following applications of the electronic nose instruments: monitoring networks, remote controlled robots and drones as well as portable devices. Moreover, this paper presents commercially available sensors utilized in the electronic noses and characterized by the limit of quantification below 1 ppm v / v , which is close to the odour threshold of some odorants. Additionally, information about bioelectronic noses being a possible alternative to electronic noses and their principle of operation and application potential in the field of air evaluation with respect to detection of the odorants characterized by unpleasant odour was provided.

On-field study of anaerobic digestion full-scale plants (part I): an on-field methodology to determine mass, carbon and nutrients balance.

PubMed

Schievano, Andrea; D'Imporzano, Giuliana; Salati, Silvia; Adani, Fabrizio

2011-09-01

The mass balance (input/output mass flows) of full-scale anaerobic digestion (AD) processes should be known for a series of purposes, e.g. to understand carbon and nutrients balances, to evaluate the contribution of AD processes to elemental cycles, especially when digestates are applied to agricultural land and to measure the biodegradation yields and the process efficiency. In this paper, three alternative methods were studied, to determine the mass balance in full-scale processes, discussing their reliability and applicability. Through a 1-year survey on three full-scale AD plants and through 38 laboratory-scale batch digesters, the congruency of the considered methods was demonstrated and a linear equation was provided that allows calculating the wet weight losses (WL) from the methane produced (MP) by the plant (WL=41.949*MP+20.853, R(2)=0.950, p<0.01). Additionally, this new tool was used to calculate carbon, nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium balances of the three observed AD plants. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Integrated gasifier combined cycle polygeneration system to produce liquid hydrogen

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Burns, R. K.; Staiger, P. J.; Donovan, R. M.

1982-01-01

An integrated gasifier combined cycle (IGCC) system which simultaneously produces electricity, process steam, and liquid hydrogen was evaluated and compared to IGCC systems which cogenerate electricity and process steam. A number of IGCC plants, all employing a 15 MWe has turbine and producing from 0 to 20 tons per day of liquid hydrogen and from 0 to 20 MWt of process steam were considered. The annual revenue required to own and operate such plants was estimated to be significantly lower than the potential market value of the products. The results indicate a significant potential economic benefit to configuring IGCC systems to produce a clean fuel in addition to electricity and process steam in relatively small industrial applications.

Choosing and Using a Plant DNA Barcode

PubMed Central

Hollingsworth, Peter M.; Graham, Sean W.; Little, Damon P.

2011-01-01

The main aim of DNA barcoding is to establish a shared community resource of DNA sequences that can be used for organismal identification and taxonomic clarification. This approach was successfully pioneered in animals using a portion of the cytochrome oxidase 1 (CO1) mitochondrial gene. In plants, establishing a standardized DNA barcoding system has been more challenging. In this paper, we review the process of selecting and refining a plant barcode; evaluate the factors which influence the discriminatory power of the approach; describe some early applications of plant barcoding and summarise major emerging projects; and outline tool development that will be necessary for plant DNA barcoding to advance. PMID:21637336

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Logan, A.; Devenny, D.; Porcari, G.

The activities carried out and the results obtained from a 15 tons/hour oil sands extraction pilot plant operated in Fort McMurray in Northern Alberta are described. The process is the Rio Tinto TIL Holding S.A. (RTR)/Gulf Canada Lt. Oil Sands Extraction Process. It is a modified hot water extraction process. It is used to extract bitumen from Athabasca oil sands. The test ran from July to December 1981 through ambient conditions ranging from plus 38/sup 0/C to minus 30/sup 0/C (100/sup 0/F to -22/sup 0/F). The process, the on-site facilities, the test program, an analysis of plant performance, an appraisalmore » of the process economics, and an evaluation of its potential application are described.« less

Geologic analyses of LANDSAT-1 multispectral imagery of a possible power plant site employing digital and analog image processing. [in Pennsylvania

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lovegreen, J. R.; Prosser, W. J.; Millet, R. A.

1975-01-01

A site in the Great Valley subsection of the Valley and Ridge physiographic province in eastern Pennsylvania was studied to evaluate the use of digital and analog image processing for geologic investigations. Ground truth at the site was obtained by a field mapping program, a subsurface exploration investigation and a review of available published and unpublished literature. Remote sensing data were analyzed using standard manual techniques. LANDSAT-1 imagery was analyzed using digital image processing employing the multispectral Image 100 system and using analog color processing employing the VP-8 image analyzer. This study deals primarily with linears identified employing image processing and correlation of these linears with known structural features and with linears identified manual interpretation; and the identification of rock outcrops in areas of extensive vegetative cover employing image processing. The results of this study indicate that image processing can be a cost-effective tool for evaluating geologic and linear features for regional studies encompassing large areas such as for power plant siting. Digital image processing can be an effective tool for identifying rock outcrops in areas of heavy vegetative cover.

Micropropagation of Agave salmiana: Means to Production of Antioxidant and Bioactive Principles

PubMed Central

Puente-Garza, César A.; Gutiérrez-Mora, Antonia; García-Lara, Silverio

2015-01-01

Maguey, Agave salmiana, is an important plant for the “pulque” beverage and functional food industries; however, it has several constraints for elite and homogeneous plant production. In this study, a micropropagation process was established to generate in vitro plants. The effect of the method on metabolite content and antioxidant (AOX) activity in regenerated plants was evaluated. Young germinated plantlets were micropropagated from axillary shoots using Murashige and Skoog medium supplemented with L2 vitamins, 0.04 mg/L 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid and 10 mg/L 6-benzylaminopurine. Total soluble sugars from the aqueous fraction and total phenolic acids, total saponins, and AOX activity of the methanol fraction were determined in wild-type (WT) plants, in in vitro (IN) plants, and ex vitro acclimated plants (EN). The results showed that IN plants have a 50% lower soluble sugar content compared to WT, and EN. The total phenolic acids content was at least 30% higher in micropropagated (IN) and regenerated (EN) plants compared to WT. The total saponin content in IN, and EN plants was 36 and 25 times higher compared to WT. The AOX capacity of IN plants was on average three times higher compared to other treatments. However, no correlation was found between the AOX activity and total phenolic acids or total saponins. A negative and significant correlation (r = –0.927; p = 0.003) was found between the AOX activity and the total soluble sugars content. Micropropagated plants of A. salmiana have a different phytochemical content and bioactivity after the in vitro process compared to WT plants. The micropropagation process could be used as a platform for phytochemical enhancement of Agave plants. PMID:26635850

Micropropagation of Agave salmiana: Means to Production of Antioxidant and Bioactive Principles.

PubMed

Puente-Garza, César A; Gutiérrez-Mora, Antonia; García-Lara, Silverio

2015-01-01

Maguey, Agave salmiana, is an important plant for the "pulque" beverage and functional food industries; however, it has several constraints for elite and homogeneous plant production. In this study, a micropropagation process was established to generate in vitro plants. The effect of the method on metabolite content and antioxidant (AOX) activity in regenerated plants was evaluated. Young germinated plantlets were micropropagated from axillary shoots using Murashige and Skoog medium supplemented with L2 vitamins, 0.04 mg/L 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid and 10 mg/L 6-benzylaminopurine. Total soluble sugars from the aqueous fraction and total phenolic acids, total saponins, and AOX activity of the methanol fraction were determined in wild-type (WT) plants, in in vitro (IN) plants, and ex vitro acclimated plants (EN). The results showed that IN plants have a 50% lower soluble sugar content compared to WT, and EN. The total phenolic acids content was at least 30% higher in micropropagated (IN) and regenerated (EN) plants compared to WT. The total saponin content in IN, and EN plants was 36 and 25 times higher compared to WT. The AOX capacity of IN plants was on average three times higher compared to other treatments. However, no correlation was found between the AOX activity and total phenolic acids or total saponins. A negative and significant correlation (r = -0.927; p = 0.003) was found between the AOX activity and the total soluble sugars content. Micropropagated plants of A. salmiana have a different phytochemical content and bioactivity after the in vitro process compared to WT plants. The micropropagation process could be used as a platform for phytochemical enhancement of Agave plants.

It's About Time: A Critique of Macroecological Inferences Concerning Plant Competition.

PubMed

Damgaard, Christian; Weiner, Jacob

2017-02-01

Several macroecological studies have used static spatial data to evaluate plant competition in natural ecosystems and to investigate its role in plant community dynamics and species assembly. The assumptions on which the inferences are based have not been consistent with ecological knowledge. Inferences about processes, such as competition, from static data are weak. Macroecology will benefit more from dynamic data, even if limited, than from increasingly sophisticated analyses of static spatial patterns. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cogeneration technology alternatives study. Volume 6: Computer data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1980-01-01

The potential technical capabilities of energy conversion systems in the 1985 - 2000 time period were defined with emphasis on systems using coal, coal-derived fuels or alternate fuels. Industrial process data developed for the large energy consuming industries serve as a framework for the cogeneration applications. Ground rules for the study were established and other necessary equipment (balance-of-plant) was defined. This combination of technical information, energy conversion system data ground rules, industrial process information and balance-of-plant characteristics was analyzed to evaluate energy consumption, capital and operating costs and emissions. Data in the form of computer printouts developed for 3000 energy conversion system-industrial process combinations are presented.

Changing contributions of stochastic and deterministic processes in community assembly over a successional gradient.

PubMed

Måren, Inger Elisabeth; Kapfer, Jutta; Aarrestad, Per Arild; Grytnes, John-Arvid; Vandvik, Vigdis

2018-01-01

Successional dynamics in plant community assembly may result from both deterministic and stochastic ecological processes. The relative importance of different ecological processes is expected to vary over the successional sequence, between different plant functional groups, and with the disturbance levels and land-use management regimes of the successional systems. We evaluate the relative importance of stochastic and deterministic processes in bryophyte and vascular plant community assembly after fire in grazed and ungrazed anthropogenic coastal heathlands in Northern Europe. A replicated series of post-fire successions (n = 12) were initiated under grazed and ungrazed conditions, and vegetation data were recorded in permanent plots over 13 years. We used redundancy analysis (RDA) to test for deterministic successional patterns in species composition repeated across the replicate successional series and analyses of co-occurrence to evaluate to what extent species respond synchronously along the successional gradient. Change in species co-occurrences over succession indicates stochastic successional dynamics at the species level (i.e., species equivalence), whereas constancy in co-occurrence indicates deterministic dynamics (successional niche differentiation). The RDA shows high and deterministic vascular plant community compositional change, especially early in succession. Co-occurrence analyses indicate stochastic species-level dynamics the first two years, which then give way to more deterministic replacements. Grazed and ungrazed successions are similar, but the early stage stochasticity is higher in ungrazed areas. Bryophyte communities in ungrazed successions resemble vascular plant communities. In contrast, bryophytes in grazed successions showed consistently high stochasticity and low determinism in both community composition and species co-occurrence. In conclusion, stochastic and individualistic species responses early in succession give way to more niche-driven dynamics in later successional stages. Grazing reduces predictability in both successional trends and species-level dynamics, especially in plant functional groups that are not well adapted to disturbance. © 2017 The Authors. Ecology, published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc., on behalf of the Ecological Society of America.

Moon Munchies: Human Exploration Project Engineering Design Challenge--A Standards-Based Elementary School Model Unit Guide--Design, Build, and Evaluate (Lessons 1-6). Engineering By Design: Advancing Technological Literacy--A Standards-Based Program Series. EP-2007-08-92-MSFC

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weaver, Kim M.

2005-01-01

In this unit, elementary students design and build a lunar plant growth chamber using the Engineering Design Process. The purpose of the unit is to help students understand and apply the design process as it relates to plant growth on the moon. This guide includes six lessons, which meet a number of national standards and benchmarks in…

[Evaluation of prerequisites programs for a HACCP plan for frozen sardine plant].

PubMed

Rosas, Patricia; Reyes, Genara

2008-06-01

Good manufacturing practices (GMP) and sanitation standard operating procedures (SSOP) are prerequisites programs for the application of the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) system as a food safety approach during processing. The aim of this study was to evaluate GMP/SSOP prerequisites in processing line of frozen whole sardine (Sardinella aurita). The GMP compliance was verified according to a standard procedure of the Ministry for the Health of Venezuela, and the SSOP were assessed according to a checklist proposed by the FDA. GMP and SSOP were evaluated following a demerit-based approach. A percentage value was calculated and referred to as sanitary effectiveness. Results indicated that the plant had a good level of compliance with GMP from assessment of buildings and facilities, equipment and tools, hygienic requisites of the production, assurance of the hygiene quality, storage and transportation, and the percentage of sanitary effectiveness was 84%. The level of compliance for SSOP was 53,12% with demerits found in all assessed aspects consisting of inexistent guidelines, lack of control in the sanitary plan and lack of leadership in applying corrective actions. Thus, an improvement in the plant sanitation program was designed targeting SSOP.

Reduction in energy usage during dry grind ethanol production by enhanced enzymatic dewatering of whole stillage: plant trial, process model and economic analysis

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A plant trial was conducted at a 54 MGPY dry grind fuel ethanol facility to evaluate the use of enhanced water removal from whole stillage by enzyme addition during fermentation. Laboratory data had previously shown significant improvements in water removal that could potentially result in significa...

Plant experiments with light-emitting diode module in Svet space greenhouse

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ilieva, Iliana; Ivanova, Tania; Naydenov, Yordan; Dandolov, Ivan; Stefanov, Detelin

2010-10-01

Light is necessary for photosynthesis and shoot orientation in the space plant growth facilities. Light modules (LM) must provide sufficient photosynthetic photon flux for optimal efficiency of photosynthetic processes and also meet the constraints for power, volume and mass. A new LM for Svet space greenhouse using Cree® XLamp® 7090 XR light-emitting diodes (LEDs) was developed. Monochromic LEDs emitting in the red, green, and blue regions of the spectrum were used. The LED-LM contains 36 LED spots - 30 LED spots with one red, green and blue LED and 6 LED spots with three red LEDs. Digital Multiplex Control Unit controls the LED spots and can set 231 levels of light intensity thus achieving Photosynthetic Photon Flux Density (PPFD) in the range 0-400 μmol m -2 s -1 and different percentages of the red, green and blue light, depending on the experimental objectives. Two one-month experiments with plants - lettuce and radicchio were carried out at 400 μmol m -2 s -1 PPFD (high light - HL) and 220 μmol m -2 s -1 PPFD (low light - LL) and 70% red, 20% green and 10% blue light composition. To evaluate the efficiency of photosynthesis, in vivo modulated chlorophyll fluorescence was measured by Pulse Amplitude Modulation (PAM) fluorometer on leaf discs and the following parameters: effective quantum yield of Photosystem II ( ΦPSII) and non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) were calculated. Both lettuce and radicchio plants grown at LL express higher photochemical activity of Photosystem II (PSII) than HL grown plants, evaluated by ΦPSII. Accelerated rise in NPQ in both LL grown plants was observed, while steady state NPQ values were higher in LL grown lettuce plants and did not differ in LL and HL grown radicchio plants. The extent of photoinhibition process in both plants was evaluated by changes in malonedialdehyde (MDA) concentration, peroxidase (POX) activity and hydrogen peroxide (H 2O 2) content. Accumulation of high levels of MDA and increased POX activity correlating with decreased H 2O 2 content were observed in both HL grown plants. These biochemical indicators revealed higher sensitivity to photodamage in HL grown lettuce and radicchio plants. LL conditions resulted in more effective functioning of PSII than HL when lettuce and radicchio plants were grown at 70% red, 20% green and 10% blue light composition.

Co-regulation of photosynthetic processes under potassium deficiency across CO2 levels in soybean: mechanisms of limitations and adaptations

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Plants photosynthesis-related traits are often co-regulated to capture light and CO2 to optimize the rate of CO2 fixation (A) via photo-biochemical processes. However, potassium (K) limitations and adaptations strategies of photosynthetic processes across CO2 levels are not well understood. To evalu...

Large Scale Proteomic Data and Network-Based Systems Biology Approaches to Explore the Plant World.

PubMed

Di Silvestre, Dario; Bergamaschi, Andrea; Bellini, Edoardo; Mauri, PierLuigi

2018-06-03

The investigation of plant organisms by means of data-derived systems biology approaches based on network modeling is mainly characterized by genomic data, while the potential of proteomics is largely unexplored. This delay is mainly caused by the paucity of plant genomic/proteomic sequences and annotations which are fundamental to perform mass-spectrometry (MS) data interpretation. However, Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) techniques are contributing to filling this gap and an increasing number of studies are focusing on plant proteome profiling and protein-protein interactions (PPIs) identification. Interesting results were obtained by evaluating the topology of PPI networks in the context of organ-associated biological processes as well as plant-pathogen relationships. These examples foreshadow well the benefits that these approaches may provide to plant research. Thus, in addition to providing an overview of the main-omic technologies recently used on plant organisms, we will focus on studies that rely on concepts of module, hub and shortest path, and how they can contribute to the plant discovery processes. In this scenario, we will also consider gene co-expression networks, and some examples of integration with metabolomic data and genome-wide association studies (GWAS) to select candidate genes will be mentioned.

Photocatalytic treatment of an industrial effluent using artificial and solar UV radiation: an operational cost study on a pilot plant scale.

PubMed

Durán, A; Monteagudo, J M; San Martín, I

2012-05-15

The aim of this work was to study the operation costs of treating a real effluent from an integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) power station located in Spain. The study compares different homogeneous photocatalytic processes on a pilot plant scale using different types of radiation (artificial UV or solar UV with a compound parabolic collector). The efficiency of the processes was evaluated by an analysis of the total organic carbon (TOC) removed. The following processes were considered in the study: (i) a photo-Fenton process at an artificial UV pilot plant (with the initial addition of H(2)O(2)), (ii) a modified photo-Fenton process with continuous addition of H(2)O(2) and O(2) to the system and (iii) a ferrioxalate-assisted solar photo-Fenton process at a compound parabolic collector (CPC) pilot plant. The efficiency of these processes in degrading pollutants has been studied previously, and the results obtained in each of those studies have been published elsewhere. The operational costs due to the consumption of electrical energy, reagents and catalysts were calculated from the optimal conditions of each process. The results showed that the solar photo-Fenton system was economically feasible, being able to achieve up to 75% mineralization with a total cost of 6 €/m(3), which can be reduced to 3.6 €/m(3) by subtracting the electrical costs because the IGCC plant is self-sufficient in terms of energy. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Studies and research concerning BNFP: computerized nuclear materials control and accounting system development evaluation report, FY 1978

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Crawford, J M; Ehinger, M H; Joseph, C

1978-10-01

Development work on a computerized system for nuclear materials control and accounting in a nuclear fuel reprocessing plant is described and evaluated. Hardware and software were installed and tested to demonstrate key measurement, measurement control, and accounting requirements at accountability input/output points using natural uranium. The demonstration included a remote data acquisition system which interfaces process and special instrumentation to a cenral processing unit.

A plant’s perspective of extremes: Terrestrial plant responses to changing climatic variability

PubMed Central

Reyer, C.; Leuzinger, S.; Rammig, A.; Wolf, A.; Bartholomeus, R. P.; Bonfante, A.; de Lorenzi, F.; Dury, M.; Gloning, P.; Abou Jaoudé, R.; Klein, T.; Kuster, T. M.; Martins, M.; Niedrist, G.; Riccardi, M.; Wohlfahrt, G.; de Angelis, P.; de Dato, G.; François, L.; Menzel, A.; Pereira, M.

2013-01-01

We review observational, experimental and model results on how plants respond to extreme climatic conditions induced by changing climatic variability. Distinguishing between impacts of changing mean climatic conditions and changing climatic variability on terrestrial ecosystems is generally underrated in current studies. The goals of our review are thus (1) to identify plant processes that are vulnerable to changes in the variability of climatic variables rather than to changes in their mean, and (2) to depict/evaluate available study designs to quantify responses of plants to changing climatic variability. We find that phenology is largely affected by changing mean climate but also that impacts of climatic variability are much less studied but potentially damaging. We note that plant water relations seem to be very vulnerable to extremes driven by changes in temperature and precipitation and that heatwaves and flooding have stronger impacts on physiological processes than changing mean climate. Moreover, interacting phenological and physiological processes are likely to further complicate plant responses to changing climatic variability. Phenological and physiological processes and their interactions culminate in even more sophisticated responses to changing mean climate and climatic variability at the species and community level. Generally, observational studies are well suited to study plant responses to changing mean climate, but less suitable to gain a mechanistic understanding of plant responses to climatic variability. Experiments seem best suited to simulate extreme events. In models, temporal resolution and model structure are crucial to capture plant responses to changing climatic variability. We highlight that a combination of experimental, observational and /or modeling studies have the potential to overcome important caveats of the respective individual approaches. PMID:23504722

When a plant shuts down: The psychology of decommissioning

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Schulz, J.; Crawford, A.C.

Within the next decade, 10 to 25 nuclear plants in the United States may be taken off line. Many will have reached the end of their 40-year life cycles, but others will be retired because the cost of operating them has begun to outweigh their economic benefit. Such was the case at Fort St. Vrain, the first decommissioning of a US commercial plant under new Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) regulations. Two major problems associated with decommissioning plants have been obvious: (1) the technical challenges and costs of decommissioning, and (2) the cost of maintaining and finally decommissioning a plant aftermore » a safe storage (SAFSTOR) period of approximately 60 years. What has received little attention is the challenge that affects not only the people who make a plant work, but the quality of the solutions to these problems: how to maintain effective organizational performance during the process of downsizing and decommissioning and/or SAFSTOR. The quality of technical solutions for closing a plant, as well as how successfully the decommissioning process is held within or below budget, will depend largely on how effectively the nuclear organization functions as a social unit. Technical and people issues are bound together. The difficulty is how to operate a plant effectively when plant personnel have no sense of long-term security. As the nuclear power industry matures and the pace for closing operating plants accelerates, the time has come to prepare for the widespread decommissioning of plants. The industry would be well served by conducting a selective, industry-wide evaluation of plants to assess its overall readiness for the decommissioning process. A decommissioning is not likely to be trouble free, but with a healthy appreciation for the human side of the process, it will undoubtedly go more smoothly than if approached as a matter of dismantling a machine.« less

How does pedogenesis drive plant diversity?

USGS Publications Warehouse

Laliberté, Etienne; Grace, James B.; Huston, Michael A.; Lambers, Hans; Teste, François P.; Turner, Benjamin L.; Wardle, David A.

2013-01-01

Some of the most species-rich plant communities occur on ancient, strongly weathered soils, whereas those on recently developed soils tend to be less diverse. Mechanisms underlying this well-known pattern, however, remain unresolved. Here, we present a conceptual model describing alternative mechanisms by which pedogenesis (the process of soil formation) might drive plant diversity. We suggest that long-term soil chronosequences offer great, yet largely untapped, potential as 'natural experiments' to determine edaphic controls over plant diversity. Finally, we discuss how our conceptual model can be evaluated quantitatively using structural equation modeling to advance multivariate theories about the determinants of local plant diversity. This should help us to understand broader-scale diversity patterns, such as the latitudinal gradient of plant diversity.

CONTROL OF SULFUR EMISSIONS FROM OIL SHALE RETORTING USING SPEND SHALE ABSORPTION

EPA Science Inventory

The paper gives results of a detailed engineering evaluation of the potential for using an absorption on spent shale process (ASSP) for controlling sulfur emissions from oil shale plants. The evaluation analyzes the potential effectiveness and cost of absorbing SO2 on combusted s...

Study to establish cost predictions for the production of Redox chemicals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ammann, P. R.; Loreth, M.; Harvey, W. W.

1982-01-01

The chromium and iron chloride chemicals are significant first costs for NASA Redox energy storage systems. This study was performed to determine the lowest cost at which chromium and iron chlorides could be obtained for a complex of redox energy storage systems. In addition, since the solutions gradually become intermixed during the course of operation of Redox units, it was an objective to evaluate schemes for regeneration of the operating solutions. Three processes were evaluated for the production of chromium and iron chlorides. As a basis for the preliminary plant design and economic evaluation, it was assumed that the plant would produce about 25,000 tons of contained chromium as CrCl3 and an equivalent molar quantity of FeCl2. Preliminary plant designs, including materials and energy balances and sizing of major equipment, were prepared, and capital and operating costs were estimated.

Global scale analysis and evaluation of an improved mechanistic representation of plant nitrogen and carbon dynamics in the Community Land Model (CLM)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghimire, B.; Riley, W. J.; Koven, C. D.; Randerson, J. T.; Mu, M.; Kattge, J.; Rogers, A.; Reich, P. B.

2014-12-01

In many ecosystems, nitrogen is the most limiting nutrient for plant growth and productivity. However mechanistic representation of nitrogen uptake linked to root traits, and functional nitrogen allocation among different leaf enzymes involved in respiration and photosynthesis is currently lacking in Earth System models. The linkage between nitrogen availability and plant productivity is simplistically represented by potential photosynthesis rates, and is subsequently downregulated depending on nitrogen supply and other nitrogen consumers in the model (e.g., nitrification). This type of potential photosynthesis rate calculation is problematic for several reasons. Firstly, plants do not photosynthesize at potential rates and then downregulate. Secondly, there is considerable subjectivity on the meaning of potential photosynthesis rates. Thirdly, there exists lack of understanding on modeling these potential photosynthesis rates in a changing climate. In addition to model structural issues in representing photosynthesis rates, the role of plant roots in nutrient acquisition have been largely ignored in Earth System models. For example, in CLM4.5, nitrogen uptake is linked to leaf level processes (e.g., primarily productivity) rather than root scale process involved in nitrogen uptake. We present a new plant model for CLM with an improved mechanistic presentation of plant nitrogen uptake based on root scale Michaelis Menten kinetics, and stronger linkages between leaf nitrogen and plant productivity by inferring relationships observed in global databases of plant traits (including the TRY database and several individual studies). We also incorporate improved representation of plant nitrogen leaf allocation, especially in tropical regions where significant over-prediction of plant growth and productivity in CLM4.5 simulations exist. We evaluate our improved global model simulations using the International Land Model Benchmarking (ILAMB) framework. We conclude that mechanistic representation of leaf-level nitrogen allocation and a theoretically consistent treatment of competition with belowground consumers leads to overall improvements in CLM4.5's global carbon cycling predictions.

Monitoring and troubleshooting of non-filamentous settling and dewatering problems in an industrial activated sludge treatment plant.

PubMed

Kjellerup, B V; Keiding, K; Nielsen, P H

2001-01-01

A large industrial activated sludge wastewater treatment plant had temporary problems with settling and dewatering of the sludge. Microscopical investigations revealed that the poor settling properties were not due to presence of filamentous bacteria, but poor floc properties. In order to characterise the changes in floc properties that led to settling and dewatering problems and to find reasons for this taking place, a comprehensive monitoring program was conducted during more than one year. The monitoring program included various measurements of floc settleability, floc strength and sludge dewaterability. The monitoring program revealed that a deterioration of the floc strength and the settling properties in the process tanks was closely connected to downstream dewatering problems and poor effluent quality. Particularly severe problems were observed a few weeks after the production at the factory had started after summer closedown. Possible reasons for the changes in floc properties in the process tanks were found by a) analysing change in wastewater composition by evaluating the different production lines in the industrial plant, b) evaluating the operation of the plant, and c) performing short-term laboratory experiments testing factors that could potentially affect floc properties (absence of oxygen, presence of sulphide, detergents, etc). Among several measured parameters, the use of floc strength measurements in particular proved useful to monitor the activated sludge floc properties at this industrial plant. The described strategy can be useful in general to find and solve many solid/liquid separation problems in activated sludge wastewater treatment plants.

Cocurrent scrubber evaluation TVA's Colbert Lime--Limestone Wet-Scrubbing Pilot Plant. Final report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Robards, R.F.; Moore, N.D.; Kelso, T.M.

1979-01-01

The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) is actively engaged in a pilot plant program to develop and/or evaluate wet-scrubbing processes for removing sulfur dioxide (SO/sub 2/) from boiler flue gas. The physical size and general arrangement of flue gas scrubbing systems have a major impact on capital investment and operating cost, as do potential operating and maintenance advantages inherent to some systems. The equipment configuration for a cocurrent scrubber reflects some of these advantages. EPRI funded TVA to perform preliminary screening tests of TVA's 1 MW pilot plant (Colbert Steam Plant) to develop operating data on the cocurrent design for usemore » in designing and operating a 10 MW prototype cocurrent scrubber at TVA's Shawnee Scrubber Test Facility. Results of the Colbert tests showed excellent sulfur dioxide removal efficiencies, generally greater than 85%, low pressure drop, and high particulate removal efficiencies. This report covers these screening tests.« less

Solar energy for process heat: Design/cost studies of four industrial retrofit applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

French, R. L.; Bartera, R. E.

1978-01-01

Five specific California plants with potentially attractive solar applications were identified in a process heat survey. These five plants were visited, process requirements evaluated, and conceptual solar system designs were generated. Four DOE (ERDA) sponsored solar energy system demonstration projects were also reviewed and compared to the design/cost cases included in this report. In four of the five cases investigated, retrofit installations providing significant amounts of thermal energy were found to be feasible. The fifth was rejected because of the condition of the building involved, but the process (soap making) appears to be an attractive potential solar application. Costs, however, tend to be high. Several potential areas for cost reduction were identified including larger collector modules and higher duty cycles.

Numerical model for the uptake of groundwater contaminants by phreatophytes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Widdowson, M.A.; El-Sayed, A.; Landmeyer, J.E.

2008-01-01

Conventional solute transport models do not adequately account for the effects of phreatophytic plant systems on contaminant concentrations in shallow groundwater systems. A numerical model was developed and tested to simulate threedimensional reactive solute transport in a heterogeneous porous medium. Advective-dispersive transport is coupled to biodegradation, sorption, and plantbased attenuation processes including plant uptake and sorption by plant roots. The latter effects are a function of the physical-chemical properties of the individual solutes and plant species. Models for plant uptake were tested and evaluated using the experimental data collected at a field site comprised of hybrid poplar trees. A non-linear equilibrium isotherm model best represented site conditions.

Joint Multi-Leaf Segmentation, Alignment, and Tracking for Fluorescence Plant Videos.

PubMed

Yin, Xi; Liu, Xiaoming; Chen, Jin; Kramer, David M

2018-06-01

This paper proposes a novel framework for fluorescence plant video processing. The plant research community is interested in the leaf-level photosynthetic analysis within a plant. A prerequisite for such analysis is to segment all leaves, estimate their structures, and track them over time. We identify this as a joint multi-leaf segmentation, alignment, and tracking problem. First, leaf segmentation and alignment are applied on the last frame of a plant video to find a number of well-aligned leaf candidates. Second, leaf tracking is applied on the remaining frames with leaf candidate transformation from the previous frame. We form two optimization problems with shared terms in their objective functions for leaf alignment and tracking respectively. A quantitative evaluation framework is formulated to evaluate the performance of our algorithm with four metrics. Two models are learned to predict the alignment accuracy and detect tracking failure respectively in order to provide guidance for subsequent plant biology analysis. The limitation of our algorithm is also studied. Experimental results show the effectiveness, efficiency, and robustness of the proposed method.

Assessing emergency planning zone for new nuclear power plant considering risk of extreme external events

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alzbutas, Robertas

2015-04-01

In general, the Emergency Planning Zones (EPZ) are defined as well as plant site and arrangement structures are designed to minimize the potential for natural and manmade hazards external to the plant from affecting the plant safety related functions, which can affect nearby population and environment. This may include consideration of extreme winds, fires, flooding, aircraft crash, seismic activity, etc. Thus the design basis for plant and site is deeply related to the effects of any postulated external events and the limitation of the plant capability to cope with accidents i.e. perform safety functions. It has been observed that the Probabilistic Safety Assessment (PSA) methodologies to deal with EPZ and extreme external events have not reached the same level of maturity as for severe internal events. The design basis for any plant and site is deeply related to the effects of any postulated external events and the limitation of the plant capability to cope with accidents i.e. perform safety functions. As a prime example of an advanced reactor and new Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) with enhanced safety, the International Reactor Innovative and Secure (IRIS) and Site selection for New NPP in Lithuania had been considered in this work. In the used Safety-by-Design™ approach, the PSA played obviously a key role; therefore a Preliminary IRIS PSA had been developed along with the design. For the design and pre-licensing process of IRIS the external events analysis included both qualitative evaluation and quantitative assessment. As a result of preliminary qualitative analyses, the external events that were chosen for more detailed quantitative scoping evaluation were high winds and tornadoes, aircraft crash, and seismic events. For the site selection in Lithuania a detail site evaluation process was performed and related to the EPZ and risk zoning considerations. In general, applying the quantitative assessment, bounding site characteristics could be used in order to optimize potential redefinition or future restrictions on plant siting and risk zoning. It must be noticed that the use of existing regulations and installations as the basis for this redefinition will not in any way impact the high degree of conservatism inherent in current regulations. Moreover, the remapping process makes this methodology partially independent from the uncertainties still affecting probabilistic techniques. Notwithstanding these considerations, it is still expected that applying this methodology to advanced plant designs with improved safety features will allow significant changes in the emergency planning requirements, and specifically the size of the EPZ. In particular, in the case of IRIS it is expected that taking full credit of the Safety-by-Design™ approach of the IRIS reactor will allow a dramatic changes in the EPZ, while still maintaining a level of protection to the public fully consistent with existing regulations.

Removal of antibiotics from surface and distilled water in conventional water treatment processes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Adams, C.; Wang, Y.; Loftin, K.; Meyer, M.

2002-01-01

Conventional drinking water treatment processes were evaluated under typical water treatment plant conditions to determine their effectiveness in the removal of seven common antibiotics: carbadox, sulfachlorpyridazine, sulfadimethoxine, sulfamerazine, sulfamethazine, sulfathiazole, and trimethoprim. Experiments were conducted using synthetic solutions prepared by spiking both distilled/ deionized water and Missouri River water with the studied compounds. Sorption on Calgon WPH powdered activated carbon, reverse osmosis, and oxidation with chlorine and ozone under typical plant conditions were all shown to be effective in removing the studied antibiotics. Conversely, coagulation/flocculation/sedimentation with alum and iron salts, excess lime/soda ash softening, ultraviolet irradiation at disinfection dosages, and ion exchange were all relatively ineffective methods of antibiotic removal. This study shows that the studied antibiotics could be effectively removed using processes already in use many water treatment plants. Additional work is needed on by-product formation and the removal of other classes of antibiotics.

Cycle water chemistry based on film forming amines at power plants: evaluation of technical guidance documents

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dyachenko, F. V.; Petrova, T. I.

2017-11-01

Efficiency and reliability of the equipment in fossil power plants as well as in combined cycle power plants depend on the corrosion processes and deposit formation in steam/water circuit. In order to decrease these processes different water chemistries are used. Today the great attention is being attracted to the application of film forming amines and film forming amine products. The International Association for the Properties of Water and Steam (IAPWS) consolidated the information from all over the World, and based on the research studies and operating experience of researchers and engineers from 21 countries, developed and authorized the Technical Guidance Document: “Application of Film Forming Amines in Fossil, Combined Cycle, and Biomass Power Plants” in 2016. This article describe Russian and International technical guidance documents for the cycle water chemistries based on film forming amines at fossil and combined cycle power plants.

Proates a computer modelling system for power plant: Its description and application to heatrate improvement within PowerGen

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Green, C.H.; Ready, A.B.; Rea, J.

1995-06-01

Versions of the computer program PROATES (PROcess Analysis for Thermal Energy Systems) have been used since 1979 to analyse plant performance improvement proposals relating to existing plant and also to evaluate new plant designs. Several plant modifications have been made to improve performance based on the model predictions and the predicted performance has been realised in practice. The program was born out of a need to model the overall steady state performance of complex plant to enable proposals to change plant component items or operating strategy to be evaluated. To do this with confidence it is necessary to model themore » multiple thermodynamic interactions between the plant components. The modelling system is modular in concept allowing the configuration of individual plant components to represent any particular power plant design. A library exists of physics based modules which have been extensively validated and which provide representations of a wide range of boiler, turbine and CW system components. Changes to model data and construction is achieved via a user friendly graphical model editing/analysis front-end with results being presented via the computer screen or hard copy. The paper describes briefly the modelling system but concentrates mainly on the application of the modelling system to assess design re-optimisation, firing with different fuels and the re-powering of an existing plant.« less

Process engineering economics of bioethanol production.

PubMed

Galbe, Mats; Sassner, Per; Wingren, Anders; Zacchi, Guido

2007-01-01

This work presents a review of studies on the process economics of ethanol production from lignocellulosic materials published since 1996. Our objective was to identify the most costly process steps and the impact of various parameters on the final production cost, e.g. plant capacity, raw material cost, and overall product yield, as well as process configuration. The variation in estimated ethanol production cost is considerable, ranging from about 0.13 to 0.81 US$ per liter ethanol. This can be explained to a large extent by actual process differences and variations in the assumptions underlying the techno-economic evaluations. The most important parameters for the economic outcome are the feedstock cost, which varied between 30 and 90 US$ per metric ton in the papers studied, and the plant capacity, which influences the capital cost. To reduce the ethanol production cost it is necessary to reach high ethanol yields, as well as a high ethanol concentration during fermentation, to be able to decrease the energy required for distillation and other downstream process steps. Improved pretreatment methods, enhanced enzymatic hydrolysis with cheaper and more effective enzymes, as well as improved fermentation systems present major research challenges if we are to make lignocellulose-based ethanol production competitive with sugar- and starch-based ethanol. Process integration, either internally or externally with other types of plants, e.g. heat and power plants, also offers a way of reducing the final ethanol production cost.

Estimating drought induced tree mortality in the Amazon rainforest: A simulation study with a focus on plant hydraulic processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Papastefanou, P.; Fleischer, K.; Hickler, T.; Grams, T.; Lapola, D.; Quesada, C. A.; Zang, C.; Rammig, A.

2017-12-01

The Amazon basin was recently hit by severe drought events that were unprecedented in their severity and spatial extent, e.g. during 2005, 2010 and 2015/2016. Significant amounts of biomass were lost, turning large parts of the rainforest from a carbon sink into a carbon source. It is assumed that drought-induced tree mortality from hydraulic failure played an important role during these events and may become more frequent in the Amazon region in the future. Many state-of-the-art dynamic vegetation models do not include plant hydraulic processes and fail to reproduce observed rainforest responses to drought events, such as e.g. increased tree mortality. We address this research gap by developing a simple plant-hydraulic module for the dynamic vegetation model LPJ-GUESS. This plant-hydraulic module uses leaf water potential and cavitation as baseline processes to simulate tree mortality under drought stress. Furthermore, we introduce different plant strategies in the model, which describe e.g. differences in the stomatal regulation under drought stress. To parameterize and evaluate our hydraulic module, we use a set of available observational data from the Amazon region. We apply our model to the Amazon Basin and highlight similarities and differences across other measured and predicted drought responses, e.g. extrapolated observations and data derived from satellite measurements. Our results highlight the importance of including plant hydraulic processes in dynamic vegetation models to correctly predict vegetation dynamics under drought stress and show major differences on the vegetation dynamics depending on the selected plant strategies. We also identify gaps in process understanding of the triggering factors, the extent and the consequences of drought responses that hampers our ability to predict potential impact of future drought events on the Amazon rainforest.

Assessing the Impact of Model Parameter Uncertainty in Simulating Grass Biomass Using a Hybrid Carbon Allocation Strategy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reyes, J. J.; Adam, J. C.; Tague, C.

2016-12-01

Grasslands play an important role in agricultural production as forage for livestock; they also provide a diverse set of ecosystem services including soil carbon (C) storage. The partitioning of C between above and belowground plant compartments (i.e. allocation) is influenced by both plant characteristics and environmental conditions. The objectives of this study are to 1) develop and evaluate a hybrid C allocation strategy suitable for grasslands, and 2) apply this strategy to examine the importance of various parameters related to biogeochemical cycling, photosynthesis, allocation, and soil water drainage on above and belowground biomass. We include allocation as an important process in quantifying the model parameter uncertainty, which identifies the most influential parameters and what processes may require further refinement. For this, we use the Regional Hydro-ecologic Simulation System, a mechanistic model that simulates coupled water and biogeochemical processes. A Latin hypercube sampling scheme was used to develop parameter sets for calibration and evaluation of allocation strategies, as well as parameter uncertainty analysis. We developed the hybrid allocation strategy to integrate both growth-based and resource-limited allocation mechanisms. When evaluating the new strategy simultaneously for above and belowground biomass, it produced a larger number of less biased parameter sets: 16% more compared to resource-limited and 9% more compared to growth-based. This also demonstrates its flexible application across diverse plant types and environmental conditions. We found that higher parameter importance corresponded to sub- or supra-optimal resource availability (i.e. water, nutrients) and temperature ranges (i.e. too hot or cold). For example, photosynthesis-related parameters were more important at sites warmer than the theoretical optimal growth temperature. Therefore, larger values of parameter importance indicate greater relative sensitivity in adequately representing the relevant process to capture limiting resources or manage atypical environmental conditions. These results may inform future experimental work by focusing efforts on quantifying specific parameters under various environmental conditions or across diverse plant functional types.

Role of Silicon on Plant–Pathogen Interactions

PubMed Central

Wang, Min; Gao, Limin; Dong, Suyue; Sun, Yuming; Shen, Qirong; Guo, Shiwei

2017-01-01

Although silicon (Si) is not recognized as an essential element for general higher plants, it has beneficial effects on the growth and production of a wide range of plant species. Si is known to effectively mitigate various environmental stresses and enhance plant resistance against both fungal and bacterial pathogens. In this review, the effects of Si on plant–pathogen interactions are analyzed, mainly on physical, biochemical, and molecular aspects. In most cases, the Si-induced biochemical/molecular resistance during plant–pathogen interactions were dominated as joint resistance, involving activating defense-related enzymes activates, stimulating antimicrobial compound production, regulating the complex network of signal pathways, and activating of the expression of defense-related genes. The most previous studies described an independent process, however, the whole plant resistances were rarely considered, especially the interaction of different process in higher plants. Si can act as a modulator influencing plant defense responses and interacting with key components of plant stress signaling systems leading to induced resistance. Priming of plant defense responses, alterations in phytohormone homeostasis, and networking by defense signaling components are all potential mechanisms involved in Si-triggered resistance responses. This review summarizes the roles of Si in plant–microbe interactions, evaluates the potential for improving plant resistance by modifying Si fertilizer inputs, and highlights future research concerning the role of Si in agriculture. PMID:28529517

Design and Assessment of an Associate Degree-Level Plant Operations Technical Education Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Selwitz, Jason Lawrence

Research was undertaken to develop and evaluate an associate degree-level technical education program in Plant Operations oriented towards training students in applied science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) skills and knowledge relevant to a spectrum of processing industries. This work focuses on four aspects of the curriculum and course development and evaluation research. First, the context of, and impetus for, what was formerly called vocational education, now referred to as technical or workforce education, is provided. Second, the research that was undertaken to design and evaluate an associate degree-level STEM workforce education program is described. Third, the adaptation of a student self-assessment of learning gains instrument is reviewed, and an analysis of the resulting data using an adapted logic model is provided, to evaluate the extent to which instructional approaches, in two process control/improvement-focused courses, were effective in meeting course-level intended learning outcomes. Finally, eight integrative multiscale exercises were designed from two example process systems, wastewater treatment and fast pyrolysis. The integrative exercises are intended for use as tools to accelerate the formation of an operator-technician's multiscale vision of systems, unit operations, underlying processes, and fundamental reactions relevant to multiple industries. Community and technical colleges serve a vital function in STEM education by training workers for medium- and high-skilled technical careers and providing employers the labor necessary to operate and maintain thriving business ventures. Through development of the curricular, course, and assessment-related instruments and tools, this research helps ensure associate degree-level technical education programs can engage in a continual process of program evaluation and improvement.

Advanced in-duct sorbent injection for SO{sub 2} control. Final technical report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Stouffer, M.R.; Withium, J.A.; Rosenhoover, W.A.

1994-12-01

The objective of this research project was to develop a second generation duct sorbent injection technology as a cost-effective compliance option for the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments. Research and development work was focused on the Advanced Coolside process, which showed the potential for exceeding the original performance targets of 90% SO{sub 2} removal and 60% sorbent utilization. Process development was conducted in a 1000 acfm pilot plant. The pilot plant testing showed that the Advanced Coolside process can achieve 90% SO{sub 2} removal at sorbent utilizations up to 75%. The testing also showed that the process has the potentialmore » to achieve very high removal efficiency (90 to >99%). By conducting conceptual process design and economic evaluations periodically during the project, development work was focused on process design improvements which substantially lowered process capital and operating costs, A final process economic study projects capital costs less than one half of those for limestone forced oxidation wet FGD. Projected total SO{sub 2} control cost is about 25% lower than wet FGD for a 260 MWe plant burning a 2.5% sulfur coal. A waste management study showed the acceptability of landfill disposal; it also identified a potential avenue for by-product utilization which should be further investigated. Based on the pilot plant performance and on the above economic projections, future work to scale up the Advanced Coolside process is recommended.« less

Innovative test method for the estimation of the foaming tendency of substrates for biogas plants

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Moeller, Lucie, E-mail: lucie.moeller@ufz.de; Eismann, Frank, E-mail: info@antoc.de; Wißmann, Daniel, E-mail: d.s.wissmann@gmx.de

2015-07-15

Graphical abstract: Display Omitted - Highlights: • Foaming in biogas plants depends on the interactions between substrate and digestate. • Foaming tests enable the evaluation of substrate foaming tendency in biogas plants. • Leipzig foam tester enables foaming tests of substrates prior to use. - Abstract: Excessive foaming in anaerobic digestion occurs at many biogas plants and can cause problems including plugged gas pipes. Unfortunately, the majority of biogas plant operators are unable to identify the causes of foaming in their biogas reactor. The occurrence of foaming is often related to the chemical composition of substrates fed to the reactor.more » The consistency of the digestate itself is also a crucial part of the foam formation process. Thus, no specific recommendations concerning substrates can be given in order to prevent foam formation in biogas plants. The safest way to avoid foaming is to test the foaming tendency of substrates on-site. A possible solution is offered by an innovative foaming test. With the help of this tool, biogas plant operators can evaluate the foaming disposition of new substrates prior to use in order to adjust the composition of substrate mixes.« less

A Standardized Procedure for a Pre-evaluation of the IED Instance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Panepinto, Deborah; Ruffino, Barbara; Zanetti, Mariachiara; Genon, Giuseppe

2016-04-01

This study presents a procedure, called EICS (Enterprise IPPC Compatibility Study) aimed at evaluating, by means of the calculation of three indexes, the compliance of the processes performed in an industrial plant with the guidelines provided by BREFs (BAT References) Documents. In fact, according to European Directive 2010/75/EU (concerning the Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control and repealing European Directive 2008/01/EC), industrial plants must require authorizations to the competent authority stating the conformity of their activity, in order to obtain this conformity they are advised to Best Available Technologies (BAT). The aim of the BATs is to avoid or minimize the impact of an industrial activity on the environment through the prevention of the atmospheric emissions, wastewater discharge and energetic consumption, and the correct waste management thus improving the efficiency of the plant. The procedure shown in the present paper has been tested on several types of industrial plant (cement plants, secondary smelt foundries, paper-mill, and automotive industries as regards their paint lines). In this paper, the application of EICS method to a cement plant is presented: the obtained results highlight a good correlation between the index values and the real situation of the plant.

Technologies for Extracting Valuable Metals and Compounds from Geothermal Fluids

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Harrison, Stephen

2014-04-30

Executive Summary Simbol Materials studied various methods of extracting valuable minerals from geothermal brines in the Imperial Valley of California, focusing on the extraction of lithium, manganese, zinc and potassium. New methods were explored for managing the potential impact of silica fouling on mineral extraction equipment, and for converting silica management by-products into commercial products.` Studies at the laboratory and bench scale focused on manganese, zinc and potassium extraction and the conversion of silica management by-products into valuable commercial products. The processes for extracting lithium and producing lithium carbonate and lithium hydroxide products were developed at the laboratory scale andmore » scaled up to pilot-scale. Several sorbents designed to extract lithium as lithium chloride from geothermal brine were developed at the laboratory scale and subsequently scaled-up for testing in the lithium extraction pilot plant. Lithium The results of the lithium studies generated the confidence for Simbol to scale its process to commercial operation. The key steps of the process were demonstrated during its development at pilot scale: 1. Silica management. 2. Lithium extraction. 3. Purification. 4. Concentration. 5. Conversion into lithium hydroxide and lithium carbonate products. Results show that greater than 95% of the lithium can be extracted from geothermal brine as lithium chloride, and that the chemical yield in converting lithium chloride to lithium hydroxide and lithium carbonate products is greater than 90%. The product purity produced from the process is consistent with battery grade lithium carbonate and lithium hydroxide. Manganese and zinc Processes for the extraction of zinc and manganese from geothermal brine were developed. It was shown that they could be converted into zinc metal and electrolytic manganese dioxide after purification. These processes were evaluated for their economic potential, and at the present time Simbol Materials is evaluating other products with greater commercial value. Potassium Silicotitanates, zeolites and other sorbents were evaluated as potential reagents for the extraction of potassium from geothermal brines and production of potassium chloride (potash). It was found that zeolites were effective at removing potassium but the capacity of the zeolites and the form that the potassium is in does not have economic potential. Iron-silica by-product The conversion of iron-silica by-product produced during silica management operations into more valuable materials was studied at the laboratory scale. Results indicate that it is technically feasible to convert the iron-silica by-product into ferric chloride and ferric sulfate solutions which are precursors to a ferric phosphate product. However, additional work to purify the solutions is required to determine the commercial viability of this process. Conclusion Simbol Materials is in the process of designing its first commercial plant based on the technology developed to the pilot scale during this project. The investment in the commercial plant is hundreds of millions of dollars, and construction of the commercial plant will generate hundreds of jobs. Plant construction will be completed in 2016 and the first lithium products will be shipped in 2017. The plant will have a lithium carbonate equivalent production capacity of 15,000 tonnes per year. The gross revenues from the project are expected to be approximately $ 80 to 100 million annually. During this development program Simbol grew from a company of about 10 people to over 60 people today. Simbol is expected to employ more than 100 people once the plant is constructed. Simbol Materials’ business is scalable in the Imperial Valley region because there are eleven geothermal power plants already in operation, which allows Simbol to expand its business from one plant to multiple plants. Additionally, the scope of the resource is vast in terms of potential products such as lithium, manganese and zinc and potentially potassium.« less

A Fresnel collector process heat experiment at Capitol Concrete Products

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hauger, J. S.

1981-01-01

An experiment is planned, conducted and evaluated to determine the feasibility of using a Power Kinetics' Fresnel concentrator to provide process heat in an industrial environment. The plant provides process steam at 50 to 60 psig to two autoclaves for curing masonry blocks. When steam is not required, the plant preheats hot water for later use. A second system is installed at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory parabolic dish test site for hardware validation and experiment control. Experiment design allows for the extrapolation of results to varying demands for steam and hot water, and includes a consideration of some socio-technical factors such as the impact on production scheduling of diurnal variations in energy availability.

Toxics and combustibles: Designing gas-detection systems

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pham, L.P.; Pryor, D.A.

1998-07-01

When a plant decides to install a gas-detection system, several questions come to mind: How many detectors are needed and where should they go? Simple questions--but unfortunately ones without a simple answer. However, there are some general considerations that plant personnel can use to rough out a gas-monitoring installation. Any evaluation process should include the following five steps. Each is discussed: (1) Understand the application; (2) Identify potential danger points; (3) Establish design goals; (4) Determine gas characteristics; and (5) Profile the plant and potential release scenarios.

Planting Healthy Roots: Using Documentary Film to Evaluate and Disseminate Community-Based Participatory Research.

PubMed

Brandt, Heather M; Freedman, Darcy A; Friedman, Daniela B; Choi, Seul Ki; Seel, Jessica S; Guest, M Aaron; Khang, Leepao

2016-01-01

Documentary filmmaking approaches incorporating community engagement and awareness raising strategies may be a promising approach to evaluate community-based participatory research. The study purpose was 2-fold: (1) to evaluate a documentary film featuring the formation and implementation of a farmers' market and (2) to assess whether the film affected awareness regarding food access issues in a food-desert community with high rates of obesity. The coalition model of filmmaking, a model consistent with a community-based participatory research (CBPR) approach, and personal stories, community profiles, and expert interviews were used to develop a documentary film (Planting Healthy Roots). The evaluation demonstrated high levels of approval and satisfaction with the film and CBPR essence of the film. The documentary film aligned with a CBPR approach to document, evaluate, and disseminate research processes and outcomes.

Can nanotechnology deliver the promised benefits without negatively impacting soil microbial life?

PubMed

Dimkpa, Christian O

2014-09-01

Nanotechnology exploits the enhanced reactivity of materials at the atomic scale to improve various applications for humankind. In agriculture, potential nanotechnology applications include crop protection and fertilization. However, such benefits could come with risks for the environment: non-target plants, plant-beneficial soil microbes and other life forms could be impacted if nanoparticles (nanomaterials) contaminate the environment. This review evaluates the impact of the major metallic nanoparticles (Ag, ZnO, CuO, CeO2 , TiO2 , and FeO-based nanoparticles) on soil microbes involved in agricultural processes. The current literature indicate that in addition to population and organismal-scale effects on microbes, other subtle impacts of nanoparticles are seen in the nitrogen cycle, soil enzyme activities, and processes involved in iron metabolism, phytohormone, and antibiotic production. These effects are negative or positive, the outcome being dependent on specific nanoparticles. Collectively, published results suggest that nanotechnology portends considerable, many negative, implications for soil microbes and, thus, agricultural processes that are microbially driven. Nonetheless, the potential of plant and soil microbial processes to mitigate the bioreactivity of nanoparticles also are observed. Whereas the roots of most terrestrial plants are associated with microbes, studies of nanoparticle interactions with plants and microbes are generally conducted separately. The few studies in actual microbe-plant systems found effects of nanoparticles on the functioning of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, nitrogen fixation, as well as on the production of microbial siderophores in the plant rhizosphere. It is suggested that a better understanding of the agro-ecological ramifications of nanoparticles would require more in-depth interactive studies in combined plant-microbe-nanoparticle systems. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Balancing effluent quality, economic cost and greenhouse gas emissions during the evaluation of (plant-wide) control/operational strategies in WWTPs.

PubMed

Flores-Alsina, Xavier; Arnell, Magnus; Amerlinck, Youri; Corominas, Lluís; Gernaey, Krist V; Guo, Lisha; Lindblom, Erik; Nopens, Ingmar; Porro, Jose; Shaw, Andy; Snip, Laura; Vanrolleghem, Peter A; Jeppsson, Ulf

2014-01-01

The objective of this paper was to show the potential additional insight that result from adding greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to plant performance evaluation criteria, such as effluent quality (EQI) and operational cost (OCI) indices, when evaluating (plant-wide) control/operational strategies in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). The proposed GHG evaluation is based on a set of comprehensive dynamic models that estimate the most significant potential on-site and off-site sources of CO₂, CH₄ and N₂O. The study calculates and discusses the changes in EQI, OCI and the emission of GHGs as a consequence of varying the following four process variables: (i) the set point of aeration control in the activated sludge section; (ii) the removal efficiency of total suspended solids (TSS) in the primary clarifier; (iii) the temperature in the anaerobic digester; and (iv) the control of the flow of anaerobic digester supernatants coming from sludge treatment. Based upon the assumptions built into the model structures, simulation results highlight the potential undesirable effects of increased GHG production when carrying out local energy optimization of the aeration system in the activated sludge section and energy recovery from the AD. Although off-site CO₂ emissions may decrease, the effect is counterbalanced by increased N₂O emissions, especially since N₂O has a 300-fold stronger greenhouse effect than CO₂. The reported results emphasize the importance and usefulness of using multiple evaluation criteria to compare and evaluate (plant-wide) control strategies in a WWTP for more informed operational decision making. © 2013.

Testing and evaluation of light ablation decontamination

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Demmer, R.L.; Ferguson, R.L.

1994-10-01

This report details the testing and evaluation of light ablation decontamination. It details WINCO contracted research and application of light ablation efforts by Ames Laboratory. Tests were conducted with SIMCON (simulated contamination) coupons and REALCON (actual radioactive metal coupons) under controlled conditions to compare cleaning effectiveness, speed and application to plant process type equipment.

EVALUATION OF A PILOT-SCALE ULTRAVIOLET (UV) LIGHT AND OZONE TREATMENT SYSTEM FOR REMOVAL OF MTBE FROM DRINKING WATER SOURCES

EPA Science Inventory

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is currently evaluating package plant advanced oxidation process (AOP) systems to treat methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) in drinking water supplies (e.g., surface water, groundwater). MTBE has been identified as a potential carcin...

Evaluation of the Magnesium Hydroxide Treatment Process for Stabilizing PFP Plutonium/Nitric Acid Solutions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gerber, Mark A.; Schmidt, Andrew J.; Delegard, Calvin H.

2000-09-28

This document summarizes an evaluation of the magnesium hydroxide [Mg(OH)2] process to be used at the Hanford Plutonium Finishing Plant (PFP) for stabilizing plutonium/nitric acid solutions to meet the goal of stabilizing the plutonium in an oxide form suitable for storage under DOE-STD-3013-99. During the treatment process, nitric acid solutions bearing plutonium nitrate are neutralized with Mg(OH)2 in an air sparge reactor. The resulting slurry, containing plutonium hydroxide, is filtered and calcined. The process evaluation included a literature review and extensive laboratory- and bench-scale testing. The testing was conducted using cerium as a surrogate for plutonium to identify and quantifymore » the effects of key processing variables on processing time (primarily neutralization and filtration time) and calcined product properties.« less

Reactor safeguards system assessment and design. Volume I

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Varnado, G.B.; Ericson, D.M. Jr.; Daniel, S.L.

1978-06-01

This report describes the development and application of a methodology for evaluating the effectiveness of nuclear power reactor safeguards systems. Analytic techniques are used to identify the sabotage acts which could lead to release of radioactive material from a nuclear power plant, to determine the areas of a plant which must be protected to assure that significant release does not occur, to model the physical plant layout, and to evaluate the effectiveness of various safeguards systems. The methodology was used to identify those aspects of reactor safeguards systems which have the greatest effect on overall system performance and which, therefore,more » should be emphasized in the licensing process. With further refinements, the methodology can be used by the licensing reviewer to aid in assessing proposed or existing safeguards systems.« less

Preliminary assessment of the aquatic impacts of a proposed defense waste processing facility at the Savannah River Plant

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mackey, H.E. Jr.

1979-01-01

A review of the literature indicates that a significant body of descriptive information exists concerning the aquatic ecology of Upper Three Runs Creek and Four Mile Creek of the Savannah River Plant south of Aiken, South Carolina. This information is adequate for preparation of an environmental document evaluating these streams. These streams will be impacted by construction and operation of a proposed Defense Waste Processing Facility for solidification of high level defense waste. Potential impacts include (1) construction runoff, erosion, and siltation, (2) effluents from a chemical and industrial waste treatment facility, and (3) radionuclide releases. In order to bettermore » evaluate potential impacts, recommend mitigation methods, and comply with NEPA requirements, additional quantitative biological information should be obtained through implementation of an aquatic baseline program.« less

A judgment and decision-making model for plant behavior.

PubMed

Karban, Richard; Orrock, John L

2018-06-12

Recently plant biologists have documented that plants, like animals, engage in many activities that can be considered as behaviors, although plant biologists currently lack a conceptual framework to understand these processes. Borrowing the well-established framework developed by psychologists, we propose that plant behaviors can be constructively modeled by identifying four distinct components: 1) a cue or stimulus that provides information, 2) a judgment whereby the plant perceives and processes this informative cue, 3) a decision whereby the plant chooses among several options based on their relative costs and benefits, and 4) action. Judgment for plants can be determined empirically by monitoring signaling associated with electrical, calcium, or hormonal fluxes. Decision-making can be evaluated empirically by monitoring gene expression or differential allocation of resources. We provide examples of the utility of this judgment and decision-making framework by considering cases in which plants either successfully or unsuccessfully induced resistance against attacking herbivores. Separating judgment from decision-making suggests new analytical paradigms (i.e., Bayesian methods for judgment and economic utility models for decision-making). Following this framework, we propose an experimental approach to plant behavior that explicitly manipulates the stimuli provided to plants, uses plants that vary in sensory abilities, and examines how environmental context affects plant responses. The concepts and approaches that follow from the judgment and decision-making framework can shape how we study and understand plant-herbivore interactions, biological invasions, plant responses to climate change, and the susceptibility of plants to evolutionary traps. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

How does pedogenesis drive plant diversity?

PubMed

Laliberté, Etienne; Grace, James B; Huston, Michael A; Lambers, Hans; Teste, François P; Turner, Benjamin L; Wardle, David A

2013-06-01

Some of the most species-rich plant communities occur on ancient, strongly weathered soils, whereas those on recently developed soils tend to be less diverse. Mechanisms underlying this well-known pattern, however, remain unresolved. Here, we present a conceptual model describing alternative mechanisms by which pedogenesis (the process of soil formation) might drive plant diversity. We suggest that long-term soil chronosequences offer great, yet largely untapped, potential as 'natural experiments' to determine edaphic controls over plant diversity. Finally, we discuss how our conceptual model can be evaluated quantitatively using structural equation modeling to advance multivariate theories about the determinants of local plant diversity. This should help us to understand broader-scale diversity patterns, such as the latitudinal gradient of plant diversity. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of process parameters on greenhouse gas generation by wastewater treatment plants.

PubMed

Yerushalmi, L; Shahabadi, M Bani; Haghighat, F

2011-05-01

The effect of key process parameters on greenhouse gas (GHG) emission by wastewater treatment plants was evaluated, and the governing parameters that exhibited major effects on the overall on- and off-site GHG emissions were identified. This evaluation used aerobic, anaerobic, and hybrid anaerobic/aerobic treatment systems with food processing industry wastewater. The operating temperature of anaerobic sludge digester was identified to have the highest effect on GHG generation in the aerobic treatment system. The total GHG emissions of 2694 kg CO2e/d were increased by 72.5% with the increase of anaerobic sludge digester temperature from 20 to 40 degrees C. The operating temperature of the anaerobic reactor was the dominant controlling parameter in the anaerobic and hybrid treatment systems. Raising the anaerobic reactor's temperature from 25 to 40 degrees C increased the total GHG emissions from 5822 and 6617 kg CO2e/d by 105.6 and 96.5% in the anaerobic and hybrid treatment systems, respectively.

Efficacy of two wastewater treatment plants in removing genotoxins.

PubMed

Jolibois, B; Guerbet, M

2005-04-01

The genotoxic potential of influents and effluents of two different wastewater treatment plants (WTP-A and WTP-B) located in the Rouen, France, area was evaluated by the SOS chromotest without metabolic activation (on Escherichia coli PQ37) and the Ames fluctuation test (on Salmonella typhimurium strains TA 98, 100, TA 102) with and without metabolic activation. The wastewater samples were taken during two 1-week periods in January and April 2003. The simultaneous use of the SOS chromotest and Ames fluctuation test allowed us to evaluate the efficacy of the wastewater treatment plants at removing genotoxins. Genotoxins were detected with the Ames test but not with the SOS chromotest. Out of a total of 24 influents tested (14 for WTP-A and 10 for WTP-B), almost all were genotoxic in at least one Ames test strain (71% for WTP-A and 100% for WTP-B). In contrast, all of the tested effluents were nongenotoxic. This work showed that the treatment process used in the 2 wastewater treatment plants studied (activated sludge) was able to remove the genotoxins detected in their influents. Nevertheless, studies could be undertaken to determine which step of the treatment process removes genotoxins and whether WTP sludge use could be a source of genotoxic contamination for humans and the environment.

Maximizing NGL recovery by refrigeration optimization

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Baldonedo H., A.H.

1999-07-01

PDVSA--Petroleo y Gas, S.A. has within its facilities in Lake Maracaibo two plants that extract liquids from natural gas (NGL), They use a combined mechanic refrigeration absorption with natural gasoline. Each of these plants processes 420 MMsccfd with a pressure of 535 psig and 95 F that comes from the compression plants PCTJ-2 and PCTJ-3 respectively. About 40 MMscfd of additional rich gas comes from the high pressure system. Under the present conditions these plants produce in the order of 16,800 and 23,800 b/d of NGL respectively, with a propane recovery percentage of approximately 75%, limited by the capacity ofmore » the refrigeration system. To optimize the operation and the design of the refrigeration system and to maximize the NGL recovery, a conceptual study was developed in which the following aspects about the process were evaluated: capacity of the refrigeration system, refrigeration requirements, identification of limitations and evaluation of the system improvements. Based on the results obtained it was concluded that by relocating some condensers, refurbishing the main refrigeration system turbines and using HIGH FLUX piping in the auxiliary refrigeration system of the evaporators, there will be an increase of 85% on the propane recovery, with an additional production of 25,000 b/d of NGL and 15 MMscfd of ethane rich gas.« less

Succession on regraded placer mine spoil in Alaska, USA, in relation to initial site characteristics

USGS Publications Warehouse

Densmore, R.V.

1994-01-01

This study evaluated the rate and pattern of natural succession on regraded placer mine spoil in relation to initial substrate characteristics. The study site was the Glen Creek watershed of the Kantishna mining area of Denali National Park and Preserve, Alaska. After regrading, twelve 0.01-ha plots were established and substrate characteristics were measured. Natural plant succession was evaluated after five growing seasons. Three successional patterns were identified on the basis of plant community characteristics using cluster analysis, and were related to substrate characteristics. First, a riparian plant community with vigorous Salix alaxensis and Alnus crispa grew rapidly on topsoil that had been spread over the regraded spoil. Second, a similar plant community with less vigorous S. alaxensis developed more slowly on unprocessed spoil and spoil amended with a small amount of topsoil. Third, processed spoil remained almost bare of vegetation, although S. alaxensis was able to establish and persist in a stunted growth form. In contrast, Alnus crispa had difficulty establishing on processed spoil, but the few established seedlings grew well. Several substrate variables, including the proportion of silt and clay vs. sand, total nitrogen, and water retention capacity, were good predictors of the rate and pattern of succession. Total nitrogen was the best single predictor for the number of vigorous S. alaxensis.

Golden rice: scientific, regulatory and public information processes of a genetically modified organism.

PubMed

Moghissi, A Alan; Pei, Shiqian; Liu, Yinzuo

2016-01-01

Historically, agricultural development evolved in three phases. During the first phase the plants were selected on the basis of the availability of a plant with desirable properties at a specific location. The second phase provided the agricultural community with crossbreeding plants to achieve improvement in agricultural production. The evolution of biological knowledge has provided the ability to genetically engineer (GE) crops, one of the key processes within genetically modified organisms (GMO). This article uses golden rice, a species of transgenic Asian rice which contains a precursor of vitamin A in the edible part of the plant as an example of GE/GMO emphasizing Chinese experience in agricultural evolution. It includes a brief review of agricultural evolution to be followed by a description of golden rice development. Golden rice was created as a humanitarian project and has received positive comments by the scientific community and negative voices from certain environmental groups. In this article, we use the Best Available Science (BAS) Concept and Metrics for Evaluation of Scientific Claims (MESC) derived from it to evaluate claims and counter claims on scientific aspects of golden rice. This article concludes that opposition to golden rice is based on belief rather than any of its scientifically derived nutritional, safety or environmental properties.

Mediterranean dunes on the go: Evidence from a short term study on coastal herbaceous vegetation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prisco, Irene; Stanisci, Angela; Acosta, Alicia T. R.

2016-12-01

Detailed monitoring studies on permanent sites are a promising tool for an accurate evaluation of short, medium or long term vegetation dynamics. This work aims to evaluate short-term changes in coastal dune herbaceous plant species and EU Habitats through a multi-temporal analysis using permanent vegetation transects. In particular, (I) we analyze changes in species richness of coastal habitats; (II) we identify changes in plant cover of selected focal plants; and (III) we relate the changes to selected climatic variables and erosion/accretion processes. We selected one of the Italian's peninsula best preserved coastal dune areas (ca. 50 km along the Adriatic sea) with a relatively homogeneous coastal zonation and low anthropic pressure but with different erosion/accretion processes. We explored changes in richness over time using generalized linear models (GLMs). We identified different ecological guilds: focal, ruderal and alien plant species and investigated temporal trends in these guilds' species richness. We also applied GLMs to determine how plant cover of the most important focal species have changed over time. Overall, in this study we observed that the influence of climatic variables was relatively small. However, we found remarkable different trends in response to erosion/accretion processes both at community and at species level. Thus, our results highlight the importance of coastal dynamics in preserving not only coastal vegetation zonation, but also species richness and focal species cover. Moreover, we identified the dune grasslands as the most sensitive habitat for detecting the influence of climatic variables throughout a short term monitoring survey. Information from this study provides useful insights for detecting changes in vegetation, for establishing habitat protection priorities and for improving conservation efforts for these fragile ecosystems.

Test Report for Permanganate and Cold Strontium Strike for Tank 241-AN-102

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Duncan, James B.; Huber, Heinz J.; Smalley, Colleen S.

Tanks 241-AN-102 and 241-AN-107 supernatants contain soluble Sr-90 and transuranic elements that require removal prior to vitrification to comply with the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant immobilized low-activity waste specification (WTP Contract, DE-AC27-01RV 14136, Specification 2.2.2.8, "Radionuclide Concentration Limitations") and the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission provisional agreement on waste incidental to reprocessing (letter, Paperiello, C. J., "Classification of Hanford Low-Activity Tank Waste Fraction"). These two tanks have high concentrations of organics and organic complexants and are referred to as complexant concentrate tanks. A precipitation process using sodium permanganate (NaMnO{sub 4}) and strontium nitrate (Sr(NO{sub 3}){sub 2}) was developed and testedmore » with tank waste samples to precipitate Sr-90 and transuranic elements from the supernate (PNWD-3141, Optimization of Sr/TRU Removal Conditions with Samples of AN-102 Tank Waste). Testing documented in this report was conducted to further evaluate the use of the strontium nitrate/sodium permanganate process in tank farms with a retention time of up to 12 months. Previous testing was focused on developing a process for deployment in the ultrafiltration vessels in the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant. This environment is different from tank farms in two important ways: the waste is diluted in the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant to ~5.5 M sodium, whereas the supernate in the tank farms is ~9 M Na. Secondly, while the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant allows for a maximum treatment time of hours to days, the in-tank farms treatment of tanks 241-AN102 and 241-AN-107 will result in a retention time of months (perhaps up to12 months) before processing. A comparative compilation of separation processes for Sr/transuranics has been published as RPP-RPT-48340, Evaluation of Alternative Strontium and Transuranic Separation Processes. This report also listed the testing needs for the permanganate precipitation process to be field-deployable. A more comprehensive listing of future testing needs to allow the process to be field deployable are contained in RPP-PLAN-51288, Development Test Plan for Sr/TRU Precipitation Process.« less

Enzyme Activities at Different Stages of Plant Biomass Decomposition in Three Species of Fungus-Growing Termites

PubMed Central

Pedersen, Kristine S. K.; Aanen, Duur K.

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Fungus-growing termites rely on mutualistic fungi of the genus Termitomyces and gut microbes for plant biomass degradation. Due to a certain degree of symbiont complementarity, this tripartite symbiosis has evolved as a complex bioreactor, enabling decomposition of nearly any plant polymer, likely contributing to the success of the termites as one of the main plant decomposers in the Old World. In this study, we evaluated which plant polymers are decomposed and which enzymes are active during the decomposition process in two major genera of fungus-growing termites. We found a diversity of active enzymes at different stages of decomposition and a consistent decrease in plant components during the decomposition process. Furthermore, our findings are consistent with the hypothesis that termites transport enzymes from the older mature parts of the fungus comb through young worker guts to freshly inoculated plant substrate. However, preliminary fungal RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) analyses suggest that this likely transport is supplemented with enzymes produced in situ. Our findings support that the maintenance of an external fungus comb, inoculated with an optimal mixture of plant material, fungal spores, and enzymes, is likely the key to the extraordinarily efficient plant decomposition in fungus-growing termites. IMPORTANCE Fungus-growing termites have a substantial ecological footprint in the Old World (sub)tropics due to their ability to decompose dead plant material. Through the establishment of an elaborate plant biomass inoculation strategy and through fungal and bacterial enzyme contributions, this farming symbiosis has become an efficient and versatile aerobic bioreactor for plant substrate conversion. Since little is known about what enzymes are expressed and where they are active at different stages of the decomposition process, we used enzyme assays, transcriptomics, and plant content measurements to shed light on how this decomposition of plant substrate is so effectively accomplished. PMID:29269491

Enzyme Activities at Different Stages of Plant Biomass Decomposition in Three Species of Fungus-Growing Termites.

PubMed

da Costa, Rafael R; Hu, Haofu; Pilgaard, Bo; Vreeburg, Sabine M E; Schückel, Julia; Pedersen, Kristine S K; Kračun, Stjepan K; Busk, Peter K; Harholt, Jesper; Sapountzis, Panagiotis; Lange, Lene; Aanen, Duur K; Poulsen, Michael

2018-03-01

Fungus-growing termites rely on mutualistic fungi of the genus Termitomyces and gut microbes for plant biomass degradation. Due to a certain degree of symbiont complementarity, this tripartite symbiosis has evolved as a complex bioreactor, enabling decomposition of nearly any plant polymer, likely contributing to the success of the termites as one of the main plant decomposers in the Old World. In this study, we evaluated which plant polymers are decomposed and which enzymes are active during the decomposition process in two major genera of fungus-growing termites. We found a diversity of active enzymes at different stages of decomposition and a consistent decrease in plant components during the decomposition process. Furthermore, our findings are consistent with the hypothesis that termites transport enzymes from the older mature parts of the fungus comb through young worker guts to freshly inoculated plant substrate. However, preliminary fungal RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) analyses suggest that this likely transport is supplemented with enzymes produced in situ Our findings support that the maintenance of an external fungus comb, inoculated with an optimal mixture of plant material, fungal spores, and enzymes, is likely the key to the extraordinarily efficient plant decomposition in fungus-growing termites. IMPORTANCE Fungus-growing termites have a substantial ecological footprint in the Old World (sub)tropics due to their ability to decompose dead plant material. Through the establishment of an elaborate plant biomass inoculation strategy and through fungal and bacterial enzyme contributions, this farming symbiosis has become an efficient and versatile aerobic bioreactor for plant substrate conversion. Since little is known about what enzymes are expressed and where they are active at different stages of the decomposition process, we used enzyme assays, transcriptomics, and plant content measurements to shed light on how this decomposition of plant substrate is so effectively accomplished. Copyright © 2018 da Costa et al.

Feasibilities of a Coal-Biomass to Liquids Plant in Southern West Virginia

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bhattacharyya, Debangsu; DVallance, David; Henthorn, Greg

This project has generated comprehensive and realistic results of feasibilities for a coal-biomass to liquids (CBTL) plant in southern West Virginia; and evaluated the sensitivity of the analyses to various anticipated scenarios and parametric uncertainties. Specifically the project has addressed economic feasibility, technical feasibility, market feasibility, and financial feasibility. In the economic feasibility study, a multi-objective siting model was developed and was then used to identify and rank the suitable facility sites. Spatial models were also developed to assess the biomass and coal feedstock availabilities and economics. Environmental impact analysis was conducted mainly to assess life cycle analysis and greenhousemore » gas emission. Uncertainty and sensitivity analysis were also investigated in this study. Sensitivity analyses on required selling price (RSP) and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of CBTL fuels were conducted according to feedstock availability and price, biomass to coal mix ratio, conversion rate, internal rate of return (IRR), capital cost, operational and maintenance cost. The study of siting and capacity showed that feedstock mixed ratio limited the CBTL production. The price of coal had a more dominant effect on RSP than that of biomass. Different mix ratios in the feedstock and conversion rates led to RSP ranging from $104.3 - $157.9/bbl. LCA results indicated that GHG emissions ranged from 80.62 kg CO 2 eq to 101.46 kg CO2 eq/1,000 MJ of liquid fuel at various biomass to coal mix ratios and conversion rates if carbon capture and storage (CCS) was applied. Most of water and fossil energy were consumed in conversion process. Compared to petroleum-derived-liquid fuels, the reduction in GHG emissions could be between -2.7% and 16.2% with CBTL substitution. As for the technical study, three approaches of coal and biomass to liquids, direct, indirect and hybrid, were considered in the analysis. The process models including conceptual design, process modeling and process validation were developed and validated for different cases. Equipment design and capital costs were investigated on capital coast estimation and economical model validation. Material and energy balances and techno-economic analysis on base case were conducted for evaluation of projects. Also, sensitives studies of direct and indirect approaches were both used to evaluate the CBTL plant economic performance. In this study, techno-economic analysis were conducted in Aspen Process Economic Analyzer (APEA) environment for indirect, direct, and hybrid CBTL plants with CCS based on high fidelity process models developed in Aspen Plus and Excel. The process thermal efficiency ranges from 45% to 67%. The break-even oil price ranges from $86.1 to $100.6 per barrel for small scale (10000 bbl/day) CBTL plants and from $65.3 to $80.5 per barrel for large scale (50000 bbl/day) CBTL plants. Increasing biomass/coal ratio from 8/92 to 20/80 would increase the break-even oil price of indirect CBTL plant by $3/bbl and decrease the break-even oil price of direct CBTL plant by about $1/bbl. The order of carbon capture penalty is direct > indirect > hybrid. The order of capital investment is hybrid (with or without shale gas utilization) > direct (without shale gas utilization) > indirect > direct (with shale gas utilization). The order of thermal efficiency is direct > hybrid > indirect. The order of break-even oil price is hybrid (without shale gas utilization) > direct (without shale gas utilization) > hybrid (with shale gas utilization) > indirect > direct (with shale gas utilization).« less

Model parameters for representative wetland plant functional groups

USGS Publications Warehouse

Williams, Amber S.; Kiniry, James R.; Mushet, David M.; Smith, Loren M.; McMurry, Scott T.; Attebury, Kelly; Lang, Megan; McCarty, Gregory W.; Shaffer, Jill A.; Effland, William R.; Johnson, Mari-Vaughn V.

2017-01-01

Wetlands provide a wide variety of ecosystem services including water quality remediation, biodiversity refugia, groundwater recharge, and floodwater storage. Realistic estimation of ecosystem service benefits associated with wetlands requires reasonable simulation of the hydrology of each site and realistic simulation of the upland and wetland plant growth cycles. Objectives of this study were to quantify leaf area index (LAI), light extinction coefficient (k), and plant nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) concentrations in natural stands of representative plant species for some major plant functional groups in the United States. Functional groups in this study were based on these parameters and plant growth types to enable process-based modeling. We collected data at four locations representing some of the main wetland regions of the United States. At each site, we collected on-the-ground measurements of fraction of light intercepted, LAI, and dry matter within the 2013–2015 growing seasons. Maximum LAI and k variables showed noticeable variations among sites and years, while overall averages and functional group averages give useful estimates for multisite simulation modeling. Variation within each species gives an indication of what can be expected in such natural ecosystems. For P and K, the concentrations from highest to lowest were spikerush (Eleocharis macrostachya), reed canary grass (Phalaris arundinacea), smartweed (Polygonum spp.), cattail (Typha spp.), and hardstem bulrush (Schoenoplectus acutus). Spikerush had the highest N concentration, followed by smartweed, bulrush, reed canary grass, and then cattail. These parameters will be useful for the actual wetland species measured and for the wetland plant functional groups they represent. These parameters and the associated process-based models offer promise as valuable tools for evaluating environmental benefits of wetlands and for evaluating impacts of various agronomic practices in adjacent areas as they affect wetlands.

Silicon production process evaluations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1982-01-01

Chemical engineering analyses involving the preliminary process design of a plant (1,000 metric tons/year capacity) to produce silicon via the technology under consideration were accomplished. Major activities in the chemical engineering analyses included base case conditions, reaction chemistry, process flowsheet, material balance, energy balance, property data, equipment design, major equipment list, production labor and forward for economic analysis. The process design package provided detailed data for raw materials, utilities, major process equipment and production labor requirements necessary for polysilicon production in each process.

Technical/commercial feasibility study of the production of fuel-grade ethanol from corn: 100-million-gallon-per-year production facility in Myrtle Grove, Louisiana

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1982-05-01

The technical and economic feasibility of producing motor fuel alcohol from corn in a 100 million gallon per year plant to be constructed in Myrtle Grove, Louisiana is evaluated. The evaluation includes a detailed process design using proven technology, a capital cost estimate for the plant, a detailed analysis of the annual operating cost, a market study, a socioeconomic, environmental, health and safety analysis, and a complete financial analysis. Several other considerations for production of ethanol were evaluated including: cogeneration and fuel to be used in firing the boilers; single by-products vs. multiple by-products; and use of boiler flue gas for by-product drying.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Flanigan, Tom; Pybus, Craig; Roy, Sonya

This report summarizes the results of the Pre-Front End Engineering Design (pre-FEED) phase of a proposed advanced oxy-combustion power generation plant to repower the existing 200 MWe Unit 4 at Ameren Energy Resources’ (AER) Meredosia Power Plant. AER has formed an alliance with Air Liquide Process and Construction, Inc. (ALPC) and Babcock & Wilcox Power Generation Group (B&W PGG) for the design, construction, and testing of the facility, and has contracted with URS Corporation (URS) for preliminary design and Owner’s engineering services. The Project employs oxy-combustion technology – combustion of coal with nearly pure oxygen and recycled flue gas (insteadmore » of air) – to capture approximately 90% of the flue gas CO2 for transport and sequestration by another Project. Plant capacity and configuration has been developed based on the B&W PGG-ALPC cool recycle process firing high-sulfur bituminous coal fuel, assuming baseload plant operation to maximize existing steam turbine capability, with limited consideration for plant redundancy and performance optimization in order to keep plant costs as low as practical. Activities and preliminary results from the pre-FEED phase addressed in this report include the following: Overall plant thermal performance; Equipment sizing and system configuration; Plant operation and control philosophy; Plant emissions and effluents; CO 2 production and recovery characteristics; Project cost estimate and economic evaluation; Integrated project engineering and construction schedule; Project risk and opportunity assessment; Development of Project permitting strategy and requirements During the Phase 2 of the Project, additional design details will be developed and the Phase 1 work products updated to support actual construction and operation of the facility in Phase 3. Additional information will be provided early in Phase 2 to support Ameren-Environmental in finalizing the appropriate permitting strategies and permit applications. Additional performance and reliability enhancements will also be evaluated in Phase 2 to try to improve overall project economics.« less

Economic evaluation of radiation processing in urban solid wastes treatment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carassiti, F.; Lacquaniti, L.; Liuzzo, G.

During the last few years, quite a number of studies have been done, or are still in course, on disinfection of urban liquid wastes by means of ionizing radiations. The experience gained by SANDIA pilot plant of irradiation on dried sewage sludge, together with the recently presented conceptual design of another plant handling granular solids, characterized by high efficiency and simple running, have shown the possibility of extending this process to the treatment of urban solid wastes. As a matter of fact, the problems connected to the pathogenic aspects of sludge handling are often similar to those met during the disposal of urban solid wastes. This is even more so in the case of their reuse in agriculture and zootechny. The present paper introduces the results of an analysis carried out in order to evaluate the economical advantage of inserting irradiation treatment in some process scheme for management of urban solid wastes. Taking as an example a comprehensive pattern of urban solid wastes management which has been analysed and estimated economically in previous works, we first evaluated the extra capital and operational costs due to the irradiation and then analysed economical justification, taking into account the increasing commercial value of the by-products.

Evaluation of Bacteriophage Application to Cattle in Lairage at Beef Processing Plants to Reduce Escherichia coli O157:H7 Prevalence on Hides and Carcasses.

PubMed

Arthur, Terrance M; Kalchayanand, Norasak; Agga, Getahun E; Wheeler, Tommy L; Koohmaraie, Mohammad

2017-01-01

Escherichia coli O157:H7 is a major food safety concern for the beef industry. Several studies have provided evidence that cattle hides are the main source of beef carcass contamination during processing and that reductions in the E. coli O157:H7 load on the hides of cattle entering processing facilities will lead to reductions in carcass contamination. Bacteriophages have been proposed as a novel preharvest antimicrobial intervention to reduce the levels of E. coli O157:H7 on cattle hides. The objective of this study was to evaluate a commercialized phage application administered in the lairage area of commercial beef processing plants for the ability to reduce E. coli O157:H7 contamination of cattle hides and carcasses. Cattle lots either received phage spray treatment (n = 289) or did not (n = 301), as they entered the lairage environments in two separate experiments at two different commercial beef processing plants. Hide and carcass samples were collected and analyzed for E. coli O157:H7 prevalence and concentration. Cattle hides receiving phage treatment had an E. coli O157:H7 prevalence of 51.8%, whereas untreated hides had a prevalence of 57.6%. For carcass samples, the E. coli O157 prevalence in treated and untreated samples was 17.1% and 17.6%, respectively. The results obtained from these experiments demonstrated that the treatment of cattle hides with bacteriophages before processing did not produce a significant reduction of E. coli O157:H7 on cattle hides or beef carcasses during processing.

Plant Cation-Chloride Cotransporters (CCC): Evolutionary Origins and Functional Insights.

PubMed

Henderson, Sam W; Wege, Stefanie; Gilliham, Matthew

2018-02-06

Genomes of unicellular and multicellular green algae, mosses, grasses and dicots harbor genes encoding cation-chloride cotransporters (CCC). CCC proteins from the plant kingdom have been comparatively less well investigated than their animal counterparts, but proteins from both plants and animals have been shown to mediate ion fluxes, and are involved in regulation of osmotic processes. In this review, we show that CCC proteins from plants form two distinct phylogenetic clades (CCC1 and CCC2). Some lycophytes and bryophytes possess members from each clade, most land plants only have members of the CCC1 clade, and green algae possess only the CCC2 clade. It is currently unknown whether CCC1 and CCC2 proteins have similar or distinct functions, however they are both more closely related to animal KCC proteins compared to NKCCs. Existing heterologous expression systems that have been used to functionally characterize plant CCC proteins, namely yeast and Xenopus laevis oocytes, have limitations that are discussed. Studies from plants exposed to chemical inhibitors of animal CCC protein function are reviewed for their potential to discern CCC function in planta. Thus far, mutations in plant CCC genes have been evaluated only in two species of angiosperms, and such mutations cause a diverse array of phenotypes-seemingly more than could simply be explained by localized disruption of ion transport alone. We evaluate the putative roles of plant CCC proteins and suggest areas for future investigation.

Water Extraction from Coal-Fired Power Plant Flue Gas

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bruce C. Folkedahl; Greg F. Weber; Michael E. Collings

2006-06-30

The overall objective of this program was to develop a liquid disiccant-based flue gas dehydration process technology to reduce water consumption in coal-fired power plants. The specific objective of the program was to generate sufficient subscale test data and conceptual commercial power plant evaluations to assess process feasibility and merits for commercialization. Currently, coal-fired power plants require access to water sources outside the power plant for several aspects of their operation in addition to steam cycle condensation and process cooling needs. At the present time, there is no practiced method of extracting the usually abundant water found in the powermore » plant stack gas. This project demonstrated the feasibility and merits of a liquid desiccant-based process that can efficiently and economically remove water vapor from the flue gas of fossil fuel-fired power plants to be recycled for in-plant use or exported for clean water conservation. After an extensive literature review, a survey of the available physical and chemical property information on desiccants in conjunction with a weighting scheme developed for this application, three desiccants were selected and tested in a bench-scale system at the Energy and Environmental Research Center (EERC). System performance at the bench scale aided in determining which desiccant was best suited for further evaluation. The results of the bench-scale tests along with further review of the available property data for each of the desiccants resulted in the selection of calcium chloride as the desiccant for testing at the pilot-scale level. Two weeks of testing utilizing natural gas in Test Series I and coal in Test Series II for production of flue gas was conducted with the liquid desiccant dehumidification system (LDDS) designed and built for this study. In general, it was found that the LDDS operated well and could be placed in an automode in which the process would operate with no operator intervention or adjustment. Water produced from this process should require little processing for use, depending on the end application. Test Series II water quality was not as good as that obtained in Test Series I; however, this was believed to be due to a system upset that contaminated the product water system during Test Series II. The amount of water that can be recovered from flue gas with the LDDS is a function of several variables, including desiccant temperature, L/G in the absorber, flash drum pressure, liquid-gas contact method, and desiccant concentration. Corrosion will be an issue with the use of calcium chloride as expected but can be largely mitigated through proper material selection. Integration of the LDDS with either low-grade waste heat and or ground-source heating and cooling can affect the parasitic power draw the LDDS will have on a power plant. Depending on the amount of water to be removed from the flue gas, the system can be designed with no parasitic power draw on the power plant other than pumping loads. This can be accomplished in one scenario by taking advantage of the heat of absorption and the heat of vaporization to provide the necessary temperature changes in the desiccant with the flue gas and precipitates that may form and how to handle them. These questions must be addressed in subsequent testing before scale-up of the process can be confidently completed.« less

Process development and exergy cost sensitivity analysis of a hybrid molten carbonate fuel cell power plant and carbon dioxide capturing process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mehrpooya, Mehdi; Ansarinasab, Hojat; Moftakhari Sharifzadeh, Mohammad Mehdi; Rosen, Marc A.

2017-10-01

An integrated power plant with a net electrical power output of 3.71 × 105 kW is developed and investigated. The electrical efficiency of the process is found to be 60.1%. The process includes three main sub-systems: molten carbonate fuel cell system, heat recovery section and cryogenic carbon dioxide capturing process. Conventional and advanced exergoeconomic methods are used for analyzing the process. Advanced exergoeconomic analysis is a comprehensive evaluation tool which combines an exergetic approach with economic analysis procedures. With this method, investment and exergy destruction costs of the process components are divided into endogenous/exogenous and avoidable/unavoidable parts. Results of the conventional exergoeconomic analyses demonstrate that the combustion chamber has the largest exergy destruction rate (182 MW) and cost rate (13,100 /h). Also, the total process cost rate can be decreased by reducing the cost rate of the fuel cell and improving the efficiency of the combustion chamber and heat recovery steam generator. Based on the total avoidable endogenous cost rate, the priority for modification is the heat recovery steam generator, a compressor and a turbine of the power plant, in rank order. A sensitivity analysis is done to investigate the exergoeconomic factor parameters through changing the effective parameter variations.

Competitive interactions are mediated in a sex-specific manner by arbuscular mycorrhiza in Antennaria dioica.

PubMed

Varga, S; Vega-Frutis, R; Kytöviita, M-M

2017-03-01

Plants usually interact with other plants, and the outcome of such interaction ranges from facilitation to competition depending on the identity of the plants, including their sexual expression. Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi have been shown to modify competitive interactions in plants. However, few studies have evaluated how AM fungi influence plant intraspecific and interspecific interactions in dioecious species. The competitive abilities of female and male plants of Antennaria dioica were examined in a greenhouse experiment. Females and males were grown in the following competitive settings: (i) without competition, (ii) with intrasexual competition, (iii) with intersexual competition, and (iv) with interspecific competition by Hieracium pilosella - a plant with similar characteristics to A. dioica. Half of the pots were grown with Claroideoglomus claroideum, an AM fungus isolated from the same habitat as the plant material. We evaluated plant survival, growth, flowering phenology, and production of AM fungal structures. Plant survival was unaffected by competition or AM fungi. Competition and the presence of AM fungi reduced plant biomass. However, the sexes responded differently to the interaction between fungal and competition treatments. Both intra- and interspecific competition results were sex-specific, and in general, female performance was reduced by AM colonization. Plant competition or sex did not affect the intraradical structures, extraradical hyphae, or spore production of the AM fungus. These findings suggest that plant sexual differences affect fundamental processes such as competitive ability and symbiotic relationships with AM fungi. © 2016 German Botanical Society and The Royal Botanical Society of the Netherlands.

Disentangling Facilitation Along the Life Cycle: Impacts of Plant-Plant Interactions at Vegetative and Reproductive Stages in a Mediterranean Forb.

PubMed

García-Cervigón, Ana I; Iriondo, José M; Linares, Juan C; Olano, José M

2016-01-01

Facilitation enables plants to improve their fitness in stressful environments. The overall impact of plant-plant interactions on the population dynamics of protégées is the net result of both positive and negative effects that may act simultaneously along the plant life cycle, and depends on the environmental context. This study evaluates the impact of the nurse plant Juniperus sabina on different stages of the life cycle of the forb Helleborus foetidus. Growth, number of leaves, flowers, carpels, and seeds per flower were compared for 240 individuals collected under nurse canopies and in open areas at two sites with contrasting stress levels. Spatial associations with nurse plants and age structures were also checked. A structural equation model was built to test the effect of facilitation on fecundity, accounting for sequential steps from flowering to seed production. The net impact of nurse plants depended on a combination of positive and negative effects on vegetative and reproductive variables. Although nurse plants caused a decrease in flower production at the low-stress site, their net impact there was neutral. In contrast, at the high-stress site the net outcome of plant-plant interactions was positive due to an increase in effective recruitment, plant density, number of viable carpels per flower, and fruit set under nurse canopies. The naturally lower rates of secondary growth and flower production at the high-stress site were compensated by the net positive impact of nurse plants here. Our results emphasize the need to evaluate entire processes and not only final outcomes when studying plant-plant interactions.

Creating and Evaluating a Hypertext System of Documenting Analytical Test Methods in a Chemical Plant Quality Assurance Laboratory.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

White, Charles E., Jr.

The purpose of this study was to develop and implement a hypertext documentation system in an industrial laboratory and to evaluate its usefulness by participative observation and a questionnaire. Existing word-processing test method documentation was converted directly into a hypertext format or "hyperdocument." The hyperdocument was designed and…

A Perspective on the Development of Plant-Made Vaccines in the Fight against Ebola Virus

PubMed Central

Rosales-Mendoza, Sergio; Nieto-Gómez, Ricardo; Angulo, Carlos

2017-01-01

The Ebola virus (EBOV) epidemic indicated a great need for prophylactic and therapeutic strategies. The use of plants for the production of biopharmaceuticals is a concept being adopted by the pharmaceutical industry, with an enzyme for human use currently commercialized since 2012 and some plant-based vaccines close to being commercialized. Although plant-based antibodies against EBOV are under clinical evaluation, the development of plant-based vaccines against EBOV essentially remains an unexplored area. The current technologies for the production of plant-based vaccines include stable nuclear expression, transient expression mediated by viral vectors, and chloroplast expression. Specific perspectives on how these technologies can be applied for developing anti-EBOV vaccines are provided, including possibilities for the design of immunogens as well as the potential of the distinct expression modalities to produce the most relevant EBOV antigens in plants considering yields, posttranslational modifications, production time, and downstream processing. PMID:28344580

Phytoremediation of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Soils Artificially Polluted Using Plant-Associated-Endophytic Bacteria and Dactylis glomerata as the Bioremediation Plant.

PubMed

Gałązka, Ann; Gałązka, Rafał

2015-01-01

The reaction of soil microorganisms to the contamination of soil artificially polluted with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) was evaluated in pot experiments. The plant used in the tests was cock's foot (Dactylis glomerata). Three different soils artificially contaminated with PAHs were applied in the studies. Three selected PAHs (anthracene, phenanthrene, and pyrene) were used at the doses of 100, 500, and 1000 mg/kg d.m. of soil and diesel fuel at the doses of 100, 500, and 1000 mg/kg d.m. of soil. For evaluation of the synergistic effect of nitrogen fixing bacteria, the following strains were selected: associative Azospirillum spp. and Pseudomonas stutzerii. Additionally, in the bioremediation process, the inoculation of plants with a mixture of the bacterial strains in the amount of 1 ml suspension per 500 g of soil was used. Chamber pot-tests were carried out in controlled conditions during four weeks of plant growth period. The basic physical, microbiological and biochemical properties in contaminated soils were determined. The obtained results showed a statistically important increase in the physical properties of soils polluted with PAHs and diesel fuel compared with the control and also an important decrease in the content of PAHs and heavy metals in soils inoculated with Azospirillum spp. and P. stutzeri after cock's foot grass growth. The bioremediation processes were especially intensive in calcareous rendzina soil artificially polluted with PAHs.

The role of female search behaviour in determining host plant range in plant feeding insects: a test of the information processing hypothesis

PubMed Central

Janz, N.; Nylin, S.

1997-01-01

Recent theoretical studies have suggested that host range in herbivorous insects may be more restricted by constraints on information processing on the ovipositing females than by trade-offs in larval feeding efficiency. We have investigated if females from polyphagous species have to pay for their ability to localize and evaluate plants from different species with a lower ability to discriminate between conspecific host plants with differences in quality. Females of the monophagous butterflies Polygonia satyrus, Vanessa indica and Inachis io and the polyphagous P. c-album and Cynthia cardui (all in Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae) were given a simultaneous choice of stinging nettles (Urtica dioica) of different quality. In addition, the same choice trial was given to females from two populations of P. c-album with different degrees of specificity. As predicted from the information processing hypothesis, all specialists discriminated significantly against the bad quality nettle, whereas the generalists laid an equal amount of eggs on both types of nettle. There were no corresponding differences between specialist and generalist larvae in their ability to utilize poor quality leaves. Our study therefore suggests that female host-searching behaviour plays an important role in determining host plant range.

The Role of Female Search Behaviour in Determining Host Plant Range in Plant Feeding Insects: A Test of the Information Processing Hypothesis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Janz, Niklas; Nylin, Soren

1997-05-01

Recent theoretical studies have suggested that host range in herbivorous insects may be more restricted by constraints on information processing on the ovipositing females than by trade-offs in larval feeding efficiency. We have investigated if females from polyphagous species have to pay for their ability to localize and evaluate plants from different species with a lower ability to discriminate between conspecific host plants with differences in quality. Females of the monophagous butterflies Polygonia satyrus, Vanessa indica and Inachis io and the polyphagous P. c-album and Cynthia cardui (all in Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae) were given a simultaneous choice of stinging nettles (Urtica dioica) of different quality. In addition, the same choice trial was given to females from two populations of P. c-album with different degrees of specificity. As predicted from the information processing hypothesis, all specialists discriminated significantly against the bad quality nettle, whereas the generalists laid an equal amount of eggs on both types of nettle. There were no corresponding differences between specialist and generalist larvae in their ability to utilize poor quality leaves. Our study therefore suggests that female host-searching behaviour plays an important role in determining host plant range.

An evaluation of airborne nickel, zinc, and lead exposure at hot dip galvanizing plants.

PubMed

Verma, D K; Shaw, D S

1991-12-01

Industrial hygiene surveys were conducted at three hot dip galvanizing plants to determine occupational exposure to nickel, zinc, and lead. All three plants employed the "dry process" and used 2% nickel, by weight, in their zinc baths. A total of 32 personal and area air samples were taken. The air samples were analyzed for nickel, zinc, and lead. Some samples were also analyzed for various species of nickel (i.e., metallic, soluble, and oxidic). The airborne concentrations observed for nickel and its three species, zinc, and lead at the three plants were all well below the current and proposed threshold limit values recommended by the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH).

Wind Plant Performance Prediction (WP3) Project

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Craig, Anna

The methods for analysis of operational wind plant data are highly variable across the wind industry, leading to high uncertainties in the validation and bias-correction of preconstruction energy estimation methods. Lack of credibility in the preconstruction energy estimates leads to significant impacts on project financing and therefore the final levelized cost of energy for the plant. In this work, the variation in the evaluation of a wind plant's operational energy production as a result of variations in the processing methods applied to the operational data is examined. Preliminary results indicate that selection of the filters applied to the data andmore » the filter parameters can have significant impacts in the final computed assessment metrics.« less

Workshop on environmental qualification of electric equipment

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lofaro, R.; Gunther, W.; Villaran, M.

1994-05-01

Questions concerning the Environmental Qualification (EQ) of electrical equipment used in commercial nuclear power plants have recently become the subject of significant interest to the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). Initial questions centered on whether compliance with the EQ requirements for older plants were adequate to support plant operation beyond 40 years. After subsequent investigation, the NRC Staff concluded that questions related to the differences in EQ requirements between older and newer plants constitute a potential generic issue which should be evaluated for backfit, independent of license renewal activities. EQ testing of electric cables was performed by Sandia National Laboratoriesmore » (SNL) under contract to the NRC in support of license renewal activities. Results showed that some of the environmentally qualified cables either failed or exhibited marginal insulation resistance after a simulated plant life of 20 years during accident simulation. This indicated that the EQ process for some electric cables may be non-conservative. These results raised questions regarding the EQ process including the bases for conclusions about the qualified life of components based upon artificial aging prior to testing.« less

DEVELOPMENT OF A CHEMICAL PROCESS MODELING ENVIRONMENT BASED ON CAPE-OPEN INTERFACE STANDARDS AND THE MICROSOFT .NET FRAMEWORK

EPA Science Inventory

Chemical process simulation has long been used as a design tool in the development of chemical plants, and has long been considered a means to evaluate different design options. With the advent of large scale computer networks and interface models for program components, it is po...

FY95 limited energy study for the area `a` package boiler. Holston Army Ammunition Plant, Kingsport, Tennessee. Final report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1995-11-03

Holston Army Ammunition Plant (HSAAP) in Holston, Tennessee, manufactures explosives from raw materials. The facility comprises two separate areas designated Area `A11 and Area 11B`. Each area is served by a steam plant which produces steam for production processes, equipment operation, space heating, domestic water heating, steam tracing, and product storage heating requirements. The purpose of this study is to identify and evaluate the technical and economic feasibility of alternative methods of meeting the steam requirements of the Area 11A11 industrial complex. The following items were specifically requested to be evaluated. Evaluate the use of two new gas-fired packaged boilersmore » sized to meet the requirements of the industrial complex. The new boilers would be installed adjacent to the existing steam plant and would utilize the existing smokestacks and steam distribution system. Evaluate using the existing steam distribution system rather than locating multiple boilers at various sites. Existing steam driven chillers will be replaced with electric driven equipment. Evaluate this impact on the steam system requirements. Field survey and test two existing gas-fired packaged boilers located at the Volunteer Army Ammunition Plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The two boilers were last used about 1980 and are presently laid away. The boilers are approximately the same capacity and operating characteristics as the ones at HSAAP. Relocation of the existing boilers and ancillary equipment (feedwater pumps, generators, fans, etc.) would be required as well as repairs or modifications necessary to meet current operating conditions and standards.« less

Evaluation of the leishmanicidal and cytotoxic potential of essential oils derived from ten colombian plants.

PubMed

Sanchez-Suarez, Jf; Riveros, I; Delgado, G

2013-01-01

The leishmanicidal and cytotoxic activity of ten essential oils obtained from ten plant specimens were evaluated. Essential oils were obtained by the steam distillation of plant leaves without any prior processing. Cytotoxicity was tested on J774 macrophages and leishmanicidal activity was assessed against four species of Leishmania associated with cutaneous leishmaniasis. Seven essential oils exhibited activity against Leishmania parasites, five of which were toxic against J774 macrophages. Selectivity indices of >6 and 13 were calculated for the essential oils of Ocimum basilicum and Origanum vulgare, respectively. The essential oil of Ocimum basilicum was active against promastigotes of Leishmania and innocuous to J774 macrophages at concentrations up to 1600 µg/mL and should be further investigated for leishmanicidal activity in others in vitro and in vivo experimental models.

Techno-economic analysis of bioethanol production from lignocellulosic residues in Colombia: a process simulation approach.

PubMed

Quintero, Julián A; Moncada, Jonathan; Cardona, Carlos A

2013-07-01

In this study a techno-economic analysis of the production of bioethanol from four lignocellusic (Sugarcane bagasse, Coffee cut-stems, Rice Husk, and Empty Fruit Bunches) residues is presented for the Colombian case. The ethanol production was evaluated using Aspen Plus and Aspen Process Economic Analyzer carrying out the simulation and the economic evaluation, respectively. Simulations included the composition of lignocellulosic residues, which was determined experimentally. It was found that empty fruit bunches presents the highest ethanol yield from a dry basis point of view (313.83 L/t), while rice husk produced less ethanol (250.56 L/t). The ethanol production cost was assessed for the standalone ethanol plant and the ethanol plant coupled with a cogeneration system. Moreover, ethanol production cost using EFB was the lowest with (0.49 US$/L) and without (0.58 US$/L) cogeneration scheme. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

MO200: a model for evaluation safeguards through material accountability for a 200 tonne per year mixed-oxide fuel-rod fabrication plant

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sandborn, R.H.

1976-01-01

M0200, a computer simulation model, was used to investigate the safeguarding of plutonium dioxide. The computer program operating the model was constructed so that replicate runs could provide data for statistical analysis of the distributions of the randomized variables. The plant model was divided into material balance areas associated with definable unit processes. Indicators of plant operations studied were modified end-of-shift material balances, end-of-blend errors formed by closing material balances between blends, and cumulative sums of the differences between actual and expected performances. (auth)

Evaluation of bacteriophage application to cattle in lairage at beef processing plants to reduce Escherichia coli O157:H7 prevalence on hides and carcasses

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Escherichia coli O157:H7 is a major food safety concern for the beef industry. Several studies have provided evidence that cattle hides are the main source of beef carcass contamination during processing and that reductions in the E. coli O157:H7 load on the hides of cattle entering processing faci...

Performance of a commercial industrial-scale UF-based process for treatment of oily wastewaters.

PubMed

Karhu, M; Kuokkanen, T; Rämö, J; Mikola, M; Tanskanen, J

2013-10-15

An evaluation was made of the performance of a commercial industrial-scale ultrafiltration (UF)-based process for treatment of highly concentrated oily wastewaters. Wastewater samples were gathered from two plants treating industrial wastewaters in 2008, and in 2011 (only from one of the plants), from three points of a UF-based treatment train. The wastewater samples were analyzed by measuring the BOD7, COD, TOC and total surface charge (TSC). The inorganic content and zeta potentials of the samples were analyzed and GC-FID/MS analyses were performed. The removal performances of BOD7, COD, TOC and TSC in 2008 and 2011 for both plants were very high. Initial concentrations of contaminants in 2011 were lower than in 2008, therefore the COD and TSC reductions were also lower in 2011 than three years before. Regardless of the high performance of UF-based processes in both plants, at times the residual concentrations were considerable. This could be explained by the high initial concentrations and also by the presence of the dissolved compounds that were characterized. Linear correlation was observed between COD and TOC, and between COD and TSC. The correlation between COD and TSC could be utilized for process control purposes. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The "Kluge-Lüttge Kammer": a preliminary evaluation of an enclosed, Crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) Mesocosm that allows separation of synchronized and desynchronized contributions of plants to whole system gas exchange.

PubMed

Rascher, U; Bobich, E G; Osmond, C B

2006-01-01

Crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) is recognized as a photosynthetic adaptation of plants to arid habitats. This paper presents a proof-of-concept evaluation of partitioning net CO2 exchanges for soil and plants in an arid, exclusively CAM mesocosm, with soil depth and succulent plant biomass approximating that of natural Sonoran Desert ecosystems. We present the first evidence that an enclosed CAM-dominated soil and plant community exposed to a substantial day/night temperature difference (30/20 degrees C), exhibits a diel gas exchange pattern consisting of four consecutive phases with a distinct nocturnal CO2 uptake. These phases were modulated by plant assimilation and soil respiration processes. Day-time stomatal closure of the CAM cycle during phase III was used to eliminate aboveground photosynthetic assimilation and respiration and thereby to estimate belowground plant plus soil respiration. Rapid changes in temperature appeared to synchronize single plant gas exchange but individual plant gas exchange patterns were desynchronized at constant day/night temperatures (25 degrees C), masking the distinct mesocosm pattern. Overall, the mean carbon budget of this CAM model Sonoran Desert system was negative, releasing an average of 22.5 mmol CO2 m-2 d-1. The capacity for nocturnal CO2 assimilation in this exclusively CAM mesocosm was inadequate to recycle CO2 released by plant and soil respiration.

COMMERCIALIZATION OF AN ATMOSPHERIC IRON-BASED CDCL PROCESS FOR POWER PRODUCTION. PHASE I: TECHNOECONOMIC ANALYSIS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Vargas, Luis

Coal Direct Chemical Looping (CDCL) is an advanced oxy-combustion technology that has potential to enable substantial reductions in the cost and energy penalty associated with carbon dioxide (CO2) capture from coal-fired power plants. Through collaborative efforts, the Babcock & Wilcox Power Generation Group (B&W) and The Ohio State University (OSU) developed a conceptual design for a 550 MWe (net) supercritical CDCL power plant with greater than 90% CO2 capture and compression. Process simulations were completed to enable an initial assessment of its technical performance. A cost estimate was developed following DOE’s guidelines as outlined in NETL’s report “Quality Guidelines formore » Energy System Studies: Cost Estimation Methodology for NETL Assessments of Power Plant Performance”, (2011/1455). The cost of electricity for the CDCL plant without CO2 Transportation and Storage cost resulted in $ $102.67 per MWh, which corresponds to a 26.8 % increase in cost of electricity (COE) when compared to an air-fired pulverized-coal supercritical power plant. The cost of electricity is strongly depending on the total plant cost and cost of the oxygen carrier particles. The CDCL process could capture further potential savings by increasing the performance of the particles and reducing the plant size. During the techno-economic analysis, the team identified technology and engineering gaps that need to be closed to bring the technology to commercialization. The technology gaps were focused in five critical areas: (i) moving bed reducer reactor, (ii) fluidized bed combustor, (iii) particle riser, (iv) oxygen-carrier particle properties, and (v) process operation. The key technology gaps are related to particle performance, particle manufacturing cost, and the operation of the reducer reactor. These technology gaps are to be addressed during Phase II of project. The project team is proposing additional lab testing to be completed on the particle and a 3MWth pilot facility be built to evaluate the reducer reactor performance among other aspects of the technology. A Phase II proposal was prepared and submitted to DOE. The project team proposed a three year program in Phase II. Year 1 includes lab testing and particle development work aimed at improving the chemical and mechanical properties of the oxygen carrier particle. In parallel, B&W will design the 3MWt pilot plant. Any improvements to the particle performance discovered in year 1 that would impact the design of the pilot will be incorporated into the final design. Year 2 will focus on procurement of materials and equipment, and construction of the pilot plant. Year 3 will include, commissioning, start-up, and testing in the pilot. Phase I work was successfully completed and a design and operating philosophy for a 550 MWe commercial scale coal-direct chemical looping power plant was developed. Based on the results of the techno-economic evaluation, B&W projects that the CDCL process can achieve 96.5% CO2 capture with a« less

Toxicity testing of sediment collected in the vicinity of effluent discharges from seafood processing plants in the maritimes.

PubMed

Lalonde, Benoit A; Jackman, Paula; Doe, Ken; Garron, Christine; Aubé, Jamie

2009-04-01

There are over 1100 fish-processing plants in Canada and the majority of them discharge untreated effluents directly to marine or estuarine receiving environments. The purpose of this study was to evaluate chemical and toxicological characteristics of sediments near fish-processing plant effluent discharges to assess potential impacts of seafood-processing effluents on receiving environments. Eighteen sediment samples were collected near effluent discharges of six seafood-processing plant outfalls in New Brunswick, Canada in the winter of 2006. Ammonia levels ranged from <0.2 to 3480 microg/g, sulfide levels ranged from <0.4 to 6970 microg/g, and redox ranged from -255 to 443 mV. Only one sample had a Microtox Solid-Phase Test IC(50) value below 1000 mg/kg, whereas three samples caused greater than 30% reduction to amphipod survival. Redox, sulfide, and ammonia concentrations were all found to be significantly related to both Eohaustorius estuarius survival and Microto (Vibrio fischeri) IC(50). An increase in sulfide (R (2) = 0.584; 0.750) and ammonia (R (2) = 0.478; 0.552) and a decrease in redox (R (2) = 0.485; 0.651) were associated with an increase in toxicity to E. estuarius and Microtox, respectively. The highest toxicity to both test organisms, and the most contaminated sediments based on physical/chemical characteristics measured, was observed in samples from Blacks Harbour.

Arsenic exposure levels in relation to different working departments in a copper mining and smelting plant

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Qingshan; Song, Yingli; Liu, Shengnan; Wang, Fei; Zhang, Lin; Xi, Shuhua; Sun, Guifan

2015-10-01

The investigation was carried out to evaluate arsenic exposure and the urine metabolite profiles of workers with different working departments, including administration (Group1), copper ore mining (Group2), copper ore grinding (Group3), electrolytic procession (Group4) and copper smelting (Group5) in a Copper mining and processing plant in China. Information about characteristics of each subject was obtained by questionnaire and inorganic arsenic (iAs), monomethylarsonic acid (MMA), dimethylarsinic acid (DMA) in urine were determined. The highest urinary levels of iAs, MMA and DMA all were found in the Group 5. Group 4 workers had a higher iAs% and a lower PMI compared to Group 3. The urinary total As (TAs) levels of 54.7% subjects exceeded 50 μg/g Cr, and the highest percentage (93.3%) was found in Group 5, smelters. The results of the present study indicate that workers in copper production plant indeed exposed to As, especially for smelters and workers of electrolytic process.

Fuzzy logic for plant-wide control of biological wastewater treatment process including greenhouse gas emissions.

PubMed

Santín, I; Barbu, M; Pedret, C; Vilanova, R

2018-06-01

The application of control strategies is increasingly used in wastewater treatment plants with the aim of improving effluent quality and reducing operating costs. Due to concerns about the progressive growth of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), these are also currently being evaluated in wastewater treatment plants. The present article proposes a fuzzy controller for plant-wide control of the biological wastewater treatment process. Its design is based on 14 inputs and 6 outputs in order to reduce GHG emissions, nutrient concentration in the effluent and operational costs. The article explains and shows the effect of each one of the inputs and outputs of the fuzzy controller, as well as the relationship between them. Benchmark Simulation Model no 2 Gas is used for testing the proposed control strategy. The results of simulation results show that the fuzzy controller is able to reduce GHG emissions while improving, at the same time, the common criteria of effluent quality and operational costs. Copyright © 2018 ISA. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Rates of inactivation of waterborne coliphages by monochloramine.

PubMed Central

Dee, S W; Fogleman, J C

1992-01-01

A sophisticated water quality monitoring program was established to evaluate virus removal through Denver's 1-million-gal (ca. 4-million-liter)/day Direct Potable Reuse Demonstration Plant. As a comparison point for the reuse demonstration plant, Denver's main water treatment facility was also monitored for coliphage organisms. Through the routine monitoring of the main plant, it was discovered that coliphage organisms were escaping the water treatment processes. Monochloramine residuals and contact times (CT values) required to achieve 99% inactivation were determined for coliphage organisms entering and leaving this conventional water treatment plant. The coliphage tested in the effluent waters had higher CT values on the average than those of the influent waters. CT values established for some of these coliphages suggest that monochloramine alone is not capable of removing 2 orders of magnitude of these specific organisms in a typical water treatment facility. Electron micrographs revealed one distinct type of phage capable of escaping the water treatment processes and three distinct types of phages in all. Images PMID:1444427

Temperature and pH effects on plant uptake of benzotriazoles by sunflowers in hydroponic culture.

PubMed

Castro, Sigifredo; Davis, Lawrence C; Erickson, Larry E

2004-01-01

This article describes a systematic approach to understanding the effect of environmental variables on plant uptake (phyto-uptake) of organic contaminants. Uptake (and possibly phytotransformation) of xenobiotics is a complex process that may differ from nutrient uptake. A specific group of xenobiotics (benzotriazoles) were studied using sunflowers grown hydroponically with changes of environmental conditions including solution volume, temperature, pH, and mixing. The response of plants to these stimuli was evaluated and compared using physiological changes (biomass production and water uptake) and estimated uptake rates (influx into plants), which define the uptake characteristics for the xenobiotic. Stirring of the hydroponic solution had a significant impact on plant growth and water uptake. Plants were healthier, probably because of a combination of factors such as improved aeration and increase in temperature. Uptake and possibly phytotransformation of benzotriazoles was increased accordingly. Experiments at different temperatures allowed us to estimate an activation energy for the reaction leading to triazole disappearance from the solution. The estimated activation energy was 43 kJ/mol, which indicates that the uptake process is kinetically limited. Culturing plants in triazole-amended hydroponic solutions at different pH values did not strongly affect the biomass production, water uptake, and benzotriazole uptake characteristics. The sunflowers showed an unexpected capacity to buffer the solution pH.

Manufacturing Economics of Plant-Made Biologics: Case Studies in Therapeutic and Industrial Enzymes

PubMed Central

Tusé, Daniel; McDonald, Karen A.

2014-01-01

Production of recombinant biologics in plants has received considerable attention as an alternative platform to traditional microbial and animal cell culture. Industrially relevant features of plant systems include proper eukaryotic protein processing, inherent safety due to lack of adventitious agents, more facile scalability, faster production (transient systems), and potentially lower costs. Lower manufacturing cost has been widely claimed as an intuitive feature of the platform by the plant-made biologics community, even though cost information resides within a few private companies and studies accurately documenting such an advantage have been lacking. We present two technoeconomic case studies representing plant-made enzymes for diverse applications: human butyrylcholinesterase produced indoors for use as a medical countermeasure and cellulases produced in the field for the conversion of cellulosic biomass into ethanol as a fuel extender. Production economics were modeled based on results reported with the latest-generation expression technologies on Nicotiana host plants. We evaluated process unit operations and calculated bulk active and per-dose or per-unit costs using SuperPro Designer modeling software. Our analyses indicate that substantial cost advantages over alternative platforms can be achieved with plant systems, but these advantages are molecule/product-specific and depend on the relative cost-efficiencies of alternative sources of the same product. PMID:24977145

Manufacturing economics of plant-made biologics: case studies in therapeutic and industrial enzymes.

PubMed

Tusé, Daniel; Tu, Tiffany; McDonald, Karen A

2014-01-01

Production of recombinant biologics in plants has received considerable attention as an alternative platform to traditional microbial and animal cell culture. Industrially relevant features of plant systems include proper eukaryotic protein processing, inherent safety due to lack of adventitious agents, more facile scalability, faster production (transient systems), and potentially lower costs. Lower manufacturing cost has been widely claimed as an intuitive feature of the platform by the plant-made biologics community, even though cost information resides within a few private companies and studies accurately documenting such an advantage have been lacking. We present two technoeconomic case studies representing plant-made enzymes for diverse applications: human butyrylcholinesterase produced indoors for use as a medical countermeasure and cellulases produced in the field for the conversion of cellulosic biomass into ethanol as a fuel extender. Production economics were modeled based on results reported with the latest-generation expression technologies on Nicotiana host plants. We evaluated process unit operations and calculated bulk active and per-dose or per-unit costs using SuperPro Designer modeling software. Our analyses indicate that substantial cost advantages over alternative platforms can be achieved with plant systems, but these advantages are molecule/product-specific and depend on the relative cost-efficiencies of alternative sources of the same product.

Techno-Economic Analysis of Integration of Low-Temperature Geothermal Resources for Coal-Fired Power Plants

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bearden, Mark D.; Davidson, Casie L.; Horner, Jacob A.

Presented here are the results of a techno-economic (TEA) study of the potential for coupling low-grade geothermal resources to boost the electrical output from coal-fired power plants. This study includes identification of candidate 500 MW subcritical coal-fired power plants in the continental United States, followed by down-selection and characterization of the North Valmy generating station, a Nevada coal-fired plant. Based on site and plant characteristics, ASPEN Plus models were designed to evaluate options to integrate geothermal resources directly into existing processes at North Valmy. Energy outputs and capital costing are presented for numerous hybrid strategies, including integration with Organic Rankinemore » Cycles (ORCs), which currently represent the primary technology for baseload geothermal power generation.« less

Determination of inorganic and organic priority pollutants in biosolids from meat processing industry

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sena, Rennio F. de; Institute of Environmental Engineering; Tambosi, Jose L.

2009-09-15

The biosolids (BS) generated in the wastewater treatment process of a meat processing plant were monitored and the priority pollutant content was characterized. The trace metal and organic pollutant content - polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/PCDF) - were determined quantitatively and compared to guideline limits established by the US EPA and EU. PCBs were not detected in the solid samples, while trace metals, PAHs and PCDD/PCDF were detected in concentrations below the limits established by international standards. Toxic equivalent factors were evaluated for the biosolids, and the results proved that these wastesmore » can be safely deposited on land or used in combustion/incineration plants. Since no previous data were found for meat processing waste, comparisons were made using municipal sewage sludge data reported in the literature. Since, this report monitored part of the priority pollutants established by the US EPA for meat and poultry processing wastewater and sludge, the results verified that low pollution loads are generated by the meat processing plant located in the southern part of Brazil. However, the BS generated in the treatment processes are in accordance with the limits established for waste disposal and even for soil fertilizer.« less

An Evaluative Review of Simulated Dynamic Smart 3d Objects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Romeijn, H.; Sheth, F.; Pettit, C. J.

2012-07-01

Three-dimensional (3D) modelling of plants can be an asset for creating agricultural based visualisation products. The continuum of 3D plants models ranges from static to dynamic objects, also known as smart 3D objects. There is an increasing requirement for smarter simulated 3D objects that are attributed mathematically and/or from biological inputs. A systematic approach to plant simulation offers significant advantages to applications in agricultural research, particularly in simulating plant behaviour and the influences of external environmental factors. This approach of 3D plant object visualisation is primarily evident from the visualisation of plants using photographed billboarded images, to more advanced procedural models that come closer to simulating realistic virtual plants. However, few programs model physical reactions of plants to external factors and even fewer are able to grow plants based on mathematical and/or biological parameters. In this paper, we undertake an evaluation of plant-based object simulation programs currently available, with a focus upon the components and techniques involved in producing these objects. Through an analytical review process we consider the strengths and weaknesses of several program packages, the features and use of these programs and the possible opportunities in deploying these for creating smart 3D plant-based objects to support agricultural research and natural resource management. In creating smart 3D objects the model needs to be informed by both plant physiology and phenology. Expert knowledge will frame the parameters and procedures that will attribute the object and allow the simulation of dynamic virtual plants. Ultimately, biologically smart 3D virtual plants that react to changes within an environment could be an effective medium to visually represent landscapes and communicate land management scenarios and practices to planners and decision-makers.

Parameter Stability of the Functional–Structural Plant Model GREENLAB as Affected by Variation within Populations, among Seasons and among Growth Stages

PubMed Central

Ma, Yuntao; Li, Baoguo; Zhan, Zhigang; Guo, Yan; Luquet, Delphine; de Reffye, Philippe; Dingkuhn, Michael

2007-01-01

Background and Aims It is increasingly accepted that crop models, if they are to simulate genotype-specific behaviour accurately, should simulate the morphogenetic process generating plant architecture. A functional–structural plant model, GREENLAB, was previously presented and validated for maize. The model is based on a recursive mathematical process, with parameters whose values cannot be measured directly and need to be optimized statistically. This study aims at evaluating the stability of GREENLAB parameters in response to three types of phenotype variability: (1) among individuals from a common population; (2) among populations subjected to different environments (seasons); and (3) among different development stages of the same plants. Methods Five field experiments were conducted in the course of 4 years on irrigated fields near Beijing, China. Detailed observations were conducted throughout the seasons on the dimensions and fresh biomass of all above-ground plant organs for each metamer. Growth stage-specific target files were assembled from the data for GREENLAB parameter optimization. Optimization was conducted for specific developmental stages or the entire growth cycle, for individual plants (replicates), and for different seasons. Parameter stability was evaluated by comparing their CV with that of phenotype observation for the different sources of variability. A reduced data set was developed for easier model parameterization using one season, and validated for the four other seasons. Key Results and Conclusions The analysis of parameter stability among plants sharing the same environment and among populations grown in different environments indicated that the model explains some of the inter-seasonal variability of phenotype (parameters varied less than the phenotype itself), but not inter-plant variability (parameter and phenotype variability were similar). Parameter variability among developmental stages was small, indicating that parameter values were largely development-stage independent. The authors suggest that the high level of parameter stability observed in GREENLAB can be used to conduct comparisons among genotypes and, ultimately, genetic analyses. PMID:17158141

Integrated Risk-Informed Decision-Making for an ALMR PRISM

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Muhlheim, Michael David; Belles, Randy; Denning, Richard S.

Decision-making is the process of identifying decision alternatives, assessing those alternatives based on predefined metrics, selecting an alternative (i.e., making a decision), and then implementing that alternative. The generation of decisions requires a structured, coherent process, or a decision-making process. The overall objective for this work is that the generalized framework is adopted into an autonomous decision-making framework and tailored to specific requirements for various applications. In this context, automation is the use of computing resources to make decisions and implement a structured decision-making process with limited or no human intervention. The overriding goal of automation is to replace ormore » supplement human decision makers with reconfigurable decision-making modules that can perform a given set of tasks rationally, consistently, and reliably. Risk-informed decision-making requires a probabilistic assessment of the likelihood of success given the status of the plant/systems and component health, and a deterministic assessment between plant operating parameters and reactor protection parameters to prevent unnecessary trips and challenges to plant safety systems. The probabilistic portion of the decision-making engine of the supervisory control system is based on the control actions associated with an ALMR PRISM. Newly incorporated into the probabilistic models are the prognostic/diagnostic models developed by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. These allow decisions to incorporate the health of components into the decision–making process. Once the control options are identified and ranked based on the likelihood of success, the supervisory control system transmits the options to the deterministic portion of the platform. The deterministic portion of the decision-making engine uses thermal-hydraulic modeling and components for an advanced liquid-metal reactor Power Reactor Inherently Safe Module. The deterministic multi-attribute decision-making framework uses various sensor data (e.g., reactor outlet temperature, steam generator drum level) and calculates its position within the challenge state, its trajectory, and its margin within the controllable domain using utility functions to evaluate current and projected plant state space for different control decisions. The metrics that are evaluated are based on reactor trip set points. The integration of the deterministic calculations using multi-physics analyses and probabilistic safety calculations allows for the examination and quantification of margin recovery strategies. This also provides validation of the control options identified from the probabilistic assessment. Thus, the thermalhydraulics analyses are used to validate the control options identified from the probabilistic assessment. Future work includes evaluating other possible metrics and computational efficiencies, and developing a user interface to mimic display panels at a modern nuclear power plant.« less

Crossing the Technology Adoption Chasm: Implications for DoD

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-06-30

technologies (where, given uncertainty of evaluation, adoption is driven by mimicry processes) and those technologies that exhibit network...Total Capital per Farm Dependent Variable = Long-run Equilibrium Percentage of Acreage Planted to Hybrid Seed Average Corn Acre per

Source-sink-storage relationships of conifers

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Luxmoore, R.J.; Oren, R.; Sheriff, D.W.

1995-07-01

Irradiance, air temperature, saturation vapor pressure deficit, and soil temperature vary in association with Earth`s daily rotation, inducing significant hourly changes in the rates of plant physiological processes. These processes include carbon fixation in photosynthesis, sucrose translocation, and carbon utilization in growth, storage, and respiration. The sensitivity of these physiological processes to environmental factors such as temperature, soil water availability, and nutrient supply reveals differences that must be viewed as an interactive whole in order to comprehend whole-plant responses to the environment. Integrative frameworks for relationships between plant physiological processes are needed to provide syntheses of plant growth and development.more » Source-sink-storage relationships, addressed in this chapter, provide one framework for synthesis of whole-plant responses to external environmental variables. To address this issue, some examples of carbon assimilation and utilization responses of five conifer species to environmental factors from a range of field environments are first summarized. Next, the interactions between sources, sinks, and storages of carbon are examined at the leaf and tree scales, and finally, the review evaluates the proposition that processes involved with carbon utilization (sink activity) are more sensitive to the supply of water and nutrients (particularly nitrogen) than are the processes of carbon gain (source activity) and carbon storage. The terms {open_quotes}sink{close_quotes} and {open_quotes}source{close_quotes} refer to carbon utilization and carbon gain, respectively. The relative roles of stored carbon reserves and of current photosynthate in meeting sink demand are addressed. Discussions focus on source-sink-storage relationships within the diurnal, wetting-drying, and annual cycles of conifer growth and development, and some discussion of life cycle aspects is also presented.« less

Economic evaluation of United States ethanol production from ligno-cellulosic feedstocks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choi, Youn-Sang

This paper evaluates the economic feasibility and economy-wide impacts of the U. S. ethanol production from lignocellulosic feedstocks (LCF) using Tennessee Valley Authority's (TVA's) dilute acid hydrolysis process. A nonlinear mathematical programming model of a single ethanol producer, whose objective is profit maximization, is developed. Because of differences in their chemical composition and production process, lignocellulosic feedstocks are divided into two groups: Biomass feedstocks, which refer to crop residues, energy crops and woody biomass, and municipal solid waste (MSW). Biomass feedstocks are more productive and less costly in producing ethanol and co-products, while MSW generates an additional income to the producer from a tipping fee and recycling. The analysis suggests that, regardless of types of feedstocks used, TVA's conversion process can enhance the economic viability of ethanol production as long as furfural is produced from the hemicellulose fraction of feedstocks as a co-product. The high price of furfural makes it a major factor in determining the economic feasibility of ethanol production. Along with evaluating economic feasibility of LCF-to-ethanol production, the optimal size of a plant producing ethanol using TVA's conversion process is estimated. The larger plant would have the advantage of economies of scale, but also have a disadvantage of increased collection and transportation costs for bulky biomass from more distant locations. We assume that the plant is located in the state of Missouri and utilizes only feedstocks produced in the state. The results indicate that the size of a plant using Biomass feedstocks is much bigger than one using MSW. The difference of plant sizes results from plant location and feedstock availability. One interesting finding is that energy crops are not feasible feedstocks for LCF-to-ethanol production due to their high price. Next, a static CGE model is developed to estimate the U.S. economy-wide impacts of the current ethanol production with a government subsidy and the LCF-to-ethanol production using TVA's dilute acid hydrolysis process. The model is innovative in three ways. First, a production subsidy is explicitly included in the model. Second, co-products are explicitly accounted for in ethanol production. Third, ethanol and gasoline are treated as perfect demand substitutes, as are the co-products and the manufacturing sector's output. The CGE model shows that current ethanol production expands grain crop production by creating an additional demand. In contrast, LCF-to-ethanol production has adverse impacts on grain crop production because Biomass feedstocks substitute for grain in the production of ethanol. The LCF-to-ethanol production also discourages the manufacturing industry because co-products displace a part of intermediate input demand for manufacturing outputs. It is also found that, even though ethanol production using TVA's conversion technology with MSW is economically viable, it is not favorable to the economy. Finally, the results suggest that ethanol production from Biomass feedstocks using TVA's dilute acid hydrolysis process is beneficial to the U.S. economy.

Techno-economic analysis of a transient plant-based platform for monoclonal antibody production

PubMed Central

Nandi, Somen; Kwong, Aaron T.; Holtz, Barry R.; Erwin, Robert L.; Marcel, Sylvain; McDonald, Karen A.

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT Plant-based biomanufacturing of therapeutic proteins is a relatively new platform with a small number of commercial-scale facilities, but offers advantages of linear scalability, reduced upstream complexity, reduced time to market, and potentially lower capital and operating costs. In this study we present a detailed process simulation model for a large-scale new “greenfield” biomanufacturing facility that uses transient agroinfiltration of Nicotiana benthamiana plants grown hydroponically indoors under light-emitting diode lighting for the production of a monoclonal antibody. The model was used to evaluate the total capital investment, annual operating cost, and cost of goods sold as a function of mAb expression level in the plant (g mAb/kg fresh weight of the plant) and production capacity (kg mAb/year). For the Base Case design scenario (300 kg mAb/year, 1 g mAb/kg fresh weight, and 65% recovery in downstream processing), the model predicts a total capital investment of $122 million dollars and cost of goods sold of $121/g including depreciation. Compared with traditional biomanufacturing platforms that use mammalian cells grown in bioreactors, the model predicts significant reductions in capital investment and >50% reduction in cost of goods compared with published values at similar production scales. The simulation model can be modified or adapted by others to assess the profitability of alternative designs, implement different process assumptions, and help guide process development and optimization. PMID:27559626

Techno-economic analysis of a transient plant-based platform for monoclonal antibody production.

PubMed

Nandi, Somen; Kwong, Aaron T; Holtz, Barry R; Erwin, Robert L; Marcel, Sylvain; McDonald, Karen A

Plant-based biomanufacturing of therapeutic proteins is a relatively new platform with a small number of commercial-scale facilities, but offers advantages of linear scalability, reduced upstream complexity, reduced time to market, and potentially lower capital and operating costs. In this study we present a detailed process simulation model for a large-scale new "greenfield" biomanufacturing facility that uses transient agroinfiltration of Nicotiana benthamiana plants grown hydroponically indoors under light-emitting diode lighting for the production of a monoclonal antibody. The model was used to evaluate the total capital investment, annual operating cost, and cost of goods sold as a function of mAb expression level in the plant (g mAb/kg fresh weight of the plant) and production capacity (kg mAb/year). For the Base Case design scenario (300 kg mAb/year, 1 g mAb/kg fresh weight, and 65% recovery in downstream processing), the model predicts a total capital investment of $122 million dollars and cost of goods sold of $121/g including depreciation. Compared with traditional biomanufacturing platforms that use mammalian cells grown in bioreactors, the model predicts significant reductions in capital investment and >50% reduction in cost of goods compared with published values at similar production scales. The simulation model can be modified or adapted by others to assess the profitability of alternative designs, implement different process assumptions, and help guide process development and optimization.

Risks of beryllium disease related to work processes at a metal, alloy, and oxide production plant.

PubMed

Kreiss, K; Mroz, M M; Zhen, B; Wiedemann, H; Barna, B

1997-08-01

To describe relative hazards in sectors of the beryllium industry, risk factors of beryllium disease and sensitisation related to work process were sought in a beryllium manufacturing plant producing pure metal, oxide, alloys, and ceramics. All 646 active employees were interviewed; beryllium sensitisation was ascertained with the beryllium lymphocyte proliferation blood test on 627 employees; clinical evaluation and bronchoscopy were offered to people with abnormal test results; and industrial hygiene measurements related to work processes taken in 1984-93 were reviewed. 59 employees (9.4%) had abnormal blood tests, 47 of whom underwent bronchoscopy. 24 new cases of beryllium disease were identified, resulting in a beryllium disease prevalence of 4.6%, including five known cases (29/632). Employees who had worked in ceramics had the highest prevalence of beryllium disease (9.0%). Employees in the pebble plant (producing beryllium metal) who had been employed after 1983 also had increased risk, with a prevalence of beryllium disease of 6.4%, compared with 1.3% of other workers hired in the same period, and a prevalence of abnormal blood tests of 19.2%. Logistic regression modelling confirmed these two risk factors for beryllium disease related to work processes and the dependence on time of the risk at the pebble plant. The pebble plant was not associated with the highest gravimetric industrial hygiene measurements available since 1984. Further characterisation of exposures in beryllium metal production may be important to understanding how beryllium exposures confer high contemporary risk of beryllium disease.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Salama, A.; Mikhail, M.

Comprehensive software packages have been developed at the Western Research Centre as tools to help coal preparation engineers analyze, evaluate, and control coal cleaning processes. The COal Preparation Software package (COPS) performs three functions: (1) data handling and manipulation, (2) data analysis, including the generation of washability data, performance evaluation and prediction, density and size modeling, evaluation of density and size partition characteristics and attrition curves, and (3) generation of graphics output. The Separation ChARacteristics Estimation software packages (SCARE) are developed to balance raw density or size separation data. The cases of density and size separation data are considered. Themore » generated balanced data can take the balanced or normalized forms. The scaled form is desirable for direct determination of the partition functions (curves). The raw and generated separation data are displayed in tabular and/or graphical forms. The computer softwares described in this paper are valuable tools for coal preparation plant engineers and operators for evaluating process performance, adjusting plant parameters, and balancing raw density or size separation data. These packages have been applied very successfully in many projects carried out by WRC for the Canadian coal preparation industry. The software packages are designed to run on a personal computer (PC).« less

A Mock UF6 Feed and Withdrawal System for Testing Safeguards Monitoring Systems and Strategies Intended for Nuclear Fuel Enrichment and Processing Plants

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Krichinsky, Alan M; Bates, Bruce E; Chesser, Joel B

2009-12-01

This report describes an engineering-scale, mock UF6 feed and withdrawal (F&W) system, its operation, and its intended uses. This system has been assembled to provide a test bed for evaluating and demonstrating new methodologies that can be used in remote, unattended, continuous monitoring of nuclear material process operations. These measures are being investigated to provide independent inspectors improved assurance that operations are being conducted within declared parameters, and to increase the overall effectiveness of safeguarding nuclear material. Testing applicable technologies on a mock F&W system, which uses water as a surrogate for UF6, enables thorough and cost-effective investigation of hardware,more » software, and operational strategies before their direct installation in an industrial nuclear material processing environment. Electronic scales used for continuous load-cell monitoring also are described as part of the basic mock F&W system description. Continuous monitoring components on the mock F&W system are linked to a data aggregation computer by a local network, which also is depicted. Data collection and storage systems are described only briefly in this report. The mock UF{sub 6} F&W system is economical to operate. It uses a simple process involving only a surge tank between feed tanks and product and withdrawal (or waste) tanks. The system uses water as the transfer fluid, thereby avoiding the use of hazardous UF{sub 6}. The system is not tethered to an operating industrial process involving nuclear materials, thereby allowing scenarios (e.g., material diversion) that cannot be conducted otherwise. These features facilitate conducting experiments that yield meaningful results with a minimum of expenditure and quick turnaround time. Technologies demonstrated on the engineering-scale system lead to field trials (described briefly in this report) for determining implementation issues and performance of the monitoring technologies under plant operating conditions. The ultimate use of technologies tested on the engineering-scale test bed is to work with safeguards agencies to install them in operating plants (e.g., enrichment and fuel processing plants), thereby promoting new safeguards measures with minimal impact to operating plants. In addition, this system is useful in identifying features for new plants that can be incorporated as part of 'safeguards by design,' in which load cells and other monitoring technologies are specified to provide outputs for automated monitoring and inspector evaluation.« less

Status Report on the High-Temperature Steam Electrolysis Plant Model Developed in the Modelica Framework (FY17)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kim, Jong Suk; Bragg-Sitton, Shannon M.; Boardman, Richard D.

This report has been prepared as part of an effort to design and build a modeling and simulation (M&S) framework to assess the economic viability of a nuclear-renewable hybrid energy system (N-R HES). In order to facilitate dynamic M&S of such an integrated system, research groups in multiple national laboratories have been developing various subsystems as dynamic physics-based components using the Modelica programming language. In fiscal year 2015 (FY15), Idaho National Laboratory (INL) performed a dynamic analysis of two region-specific N-R HES configurations, including the gas-to-liquid (natural gas to Fischer-Tropsch synthetic fuel) and brackish water reverse osmosis desalination plants asmore » industrial processes. In FY16, INL developed two additional subsystems in the Modelica framework: (1) a high-temperature steam electrolysis (HTSE) plant as a high priority industrial plant to be integrated with a light water reactor (LWR) within an N-R HES and (2) a gas turbine power plant as a secondary energy supply. In FY17, five new components (i.e., a feedwater pump, a multi-stage compression system, a sweep-gas turbine, flow control valves, and pressure control valves) have been incorporated into the HTSE system proposed in FY16, aiming to better realistically characterize all key components of concern. Special attention has been given to the controller settings based on process models (i.e., direct synthesis method), aiming to improve process dynamics and controllability. A dynamic performance analysis of the improved LWR/HTSE integration case was carried out to evaluate the technical feasibility (load-following capability) and safety of such a system operating under highly variable conditions requiring flexible output. The analysis (evaluated in terms of the step response) clearly shows that the FY17 model resulted in superior output responses with much smaller settling times and less oscillatory behavior in response to disturbances in the electric load than those observed with the FY16 model. Simulation results involving several case studies show that the suggested control scheme could maintain the controlled variables (including the steam utilization factor, cathode stream inlet composition, and temperatures and pressures of the process streams at various locations) within desired limits under various plant operating conditions. The results also indicate that the proposed HTSE plant could provide operational flexibility to participate in energy management at the utility scale by dynamically optimizing the use of excess plant capacity within an N-R HES.« less

Evaluation of continuous oxydesulfurization processes. Final technical report, September 1979-July 1981

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jones, J.F.; Wever, D.M.

1981-07-01

Three processes developed by Pittsburgh Energy Technology Center (PETC), Ledgemont Laboratories, and Ames Laboratories for the oxydesulfurization of coal were evaluated in continuous processing equipment designed, built, and/or adapted for the purpose at the DOE-owned Multi-Use Fuels and Energy Processes Test Plant (MEP) located at TRW's Capistrano Test Site in California. The three processes differed primarily in the chemical additives (none, sodium carbonate, or ammonia), fed to the 20% to 40% coal/water slurries, and in the oxygen content of the feed gas stream. Temperature, pressure, residence time, flow rates, slurry concentration and stirrer speed were the other primary independent variables.more » The amount of organic sulfur removed, total sulfur removed and the Btu recovery were the primary dependent variables. Evaluation of the data presented was not part of the test effort.« less

Plant Cation-Chloride Cotransporters (CCC): Evolutionary Origins and Functional Insights

PubMed Central

Gilliham, Matthew

2018-01-01

Genomes of unicellular and multicellular green algae, mosses, grasses and dicots harbor genes encoding cation-chloride cotransporters (CCC). CCC proteins from the plant kingdom have been comparatively less well investigated than their animal counterparts, but proteins from both plants and animals have been shown to mediate ion fluxes, and are involved in regulation of osmotic processes. In this review, we show that CCC proteins from plants form two distinct phylogenetic clades (CCC1 and CCC2). Some lycophytes and bryophytes possess members from each clade, most land plants only have members of the CCC1 clade, and green algae possess only the CCC2 clade. It is currently unknown whether CCC1 and CCC2 proteins have similar or distinct functions, however they are both more closely related to animal KCC proteins compared to NKCCs. Existing heterologous expression systems that have been used to functionally characterize plant CCC proteins, namely yeast and Xenopus laevis oocytes, have limitations that are discussed. Studies from plants exposed to chemical inhibitors of animal CCC protein function are reviewed for their potential to discern CCC function in planta. Thus far, mutations in plant CCC genes have been evaluated only in two species of angiosperms, and such mutations cause a diverse array of phenotypes—seemingly more than could simply be explained by localized disruption of ion transport alone. We evaluate the putative roles of plant CCC proteins and suggest areas for future investigation. PMID:29415511

Genetic and epigenetic stability of cryopreserved and cold-stored hops (Humulus lupulus L.).

PubMed

Peredo, Elena L; Arroyo-García, Rosa; Reed, Barbara M; Revilla, M Angeles

2008-12-01

Conventional cold storage and cryopreservation methods for hops (Humulus lupulus L.) are available but, to our knowledge, the genetic and epigenetic stability of the recovered plants have not been tested. This study analyzed 51 accessions of hop using the molecular techniques, Random Amplified DNA Polymorphism (RAPD) and Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism (AFLP), revealing no genetic variation among greenhouse-grown controls and cold stored or cryopreserved plants. Epigenetic stability was evaluated using Methylation Sensitive Amplified Polymorphism (MSAP). Over 36% of the loci were polymorphic when the cold and cryo-treated plants were compared to greenhouse plants. The main changes were demethylation events and they were common to the cryopreserved and cold stored plants indicating the possible effect of the in vitro establishment process, an essential step in both protocols. Protocol-specific methylation patterns were also detected indicating that both methods produced epigenetic changes in plants following cold storage and cryopreservation.

The Conceptual Design of an Integrated Nuclearhydrogen Production Plant Using the Sulfur Cycle Water Decomposition System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Farbman, G. H.

1976-01-01

A hydrogen production plant was designed based on a hybrid electrolytic-thermochemical process for decomposing water. The sulfur cycle water decomposition system is driven by a very high temperature nuclear reactor that provides 1,283 K helium working gas. The plant is sized to approximately ten million standard cubic meters per day of electrolytically pure hydrogen and has an overall thermal efficiently of 45.2 percent. The economics of the plant were evaluated using ground rules which include a 1974 cost basis without escalation, financing structure and other economic factors. Taking into account capital, operation, maintenance and nuclear fuel cycle costs, the cost of product hydrogen was calculated at $5.96/std cu m for utility financing. These values are significantly lower than hydrogen costs from conventional water electrolysis plants and competitive with hydrogen from coal gasification plants.

Connecting qualitative observation and quantitative measurement for enhancing quantitative literacy in plant anatomy course

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nuraeni, E.; Rahmat, A.

2018-05-01

Forming of cognitive schemes of plant anatomy concepts is performed by processing of qualitative and quantitative data obtained from microscopic observations. To enhancing student’s quantitative literacy, strategy of plant anatomy course was modified by adding the task to analyze quantitative data produced by quantitative measurement of plant anatomy guided by material course. Participant in this study was 24 biology students and 35 biology education students. Quantitative Literacy test, complex thinking in plant anatomy test and questioner used to evaluate the course. Quantitative literacy capability data was collected by quantitative literacy test with the rubric from the Association of American Colleges and Universities, Complex thinking in plant anatomy by test according to Marzano and questioner. Quantitative literacy data are categorized according to modified Rhodes and Finley categories. The results showed that quantitative literacy of biology education students is better than biology students.

Biological and Physicochemical Wastewater Treatment Processes Reduce the Prevalence of Virulent Escherichia coli

PubMed Central

Biswal, Basanta Kumar; Mazza, Alberto; Masson, Luke; Gehr, Ronald

2013-01-01

Effluents discharged from wastewater treatment plants are possible sources of pathogenic bacteria, including Escherichia coli, in the freshwater environment, and determining the possible selection of pathogens is important. This study evaluated the impact of activated sludge and physicochemical wastewater treatment processes on the prevalence of potentially virulent E. coli. A total of 719 E. coli isolates collected from four municipal plants in Québec before and after treatment were characterized by using a customized DNA microarray to determine the impact of treatment processes on the frequency of specific pathotypes and virulence genes. The percentages of potentially pathogenic E. coli isolates in the plant influents varied between 26 and 51%, and in the effluents, the percentages were 14 to 31%, for a reduction observed at all plants ranging between 14 and 45%. Pathotypes associated with extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli (ExPEC) were the most abundant at three of the four plants and represented 24% of all isolates, while intestinal pathogenic E. coli pathotypes (IPEC) represented 10% of the isolates. At the plant where ExPEC isolates were not the most abundant, a large number of isolates were classified as both ExPEC and IPEC; overall, 6% of the isolates were classified in both groups, with the majority being from the same plant. The reduction of the proportion of pathogenic E. coli could not be explained by the preferential loss of one virulence gene or one type of virulence factor; however, the quinolone resistance gene (qnrS) appears to enhance the loss of virulence genes, suggesting a mechanism involving the loss of pathogenicity islands. PMID:23160132

Using Phytoremediation to Clean Up Contamination at Military Installations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zellmer, S.D.; Hinchman, R.R.; Negri, M.C.

1997-07-01

During and following World War II, wastes from the production of munitions and other military materials were disposed of using the best available practices acceptable at that time. However, these disposal methods often contaminated soil and groundwater with organic compounds and metals that require cleanup under current regulations. An emerging technology for cleaning contaminated soils and shallow groundwater is phytoremediation, an environmentally friendly, low- cost, and low-tech process. Phytoremediation encompasses all plant- influenced biological, chemical, and physical processes that aid in the uptake, degradation, and metabolism of contaminants by either plants or free-living organisms in the plant`s rhizosphere. A phytoremediationmore » system can be viewed as a biological, solar-driven, pump-and-treat system with an extensive, self-extending uptake network (the root system) that enhances the soil and below-ground ecosystem for subsequent productive use. Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) has been conducting basic and applied research in phytoremediation since 1990. Initial greenhouse studies evaluated salt-tolerant wetland plants to clean UP and reduce the volume of salty `produced water` from petroleum wells. Results of these studies were used to design a bioreactor for processing produced water that is being demonstrated at a natural gas well in Oklahoma; this system can reduce produced water volume by about 75% in less than eight days, representing substantial savings in waste disposal cost. During 1994, ANL conducted a TNT plant uptake and in situ remediation study in a ridge-and-furrow area used for the disposal of pink water at the Joliet Army Ammunition Plant.« less

Implementation of Recommendations from the One System Comparative Evaluation of the Hanford Tank Farms and Waste Treatment Plant Safety Bases

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Garrett, Richard L.; Niemi, Belinda J.; Paik, Ingle K.

2013-11-07

A Comparative Evaluation was conducted for One System Integrated Project Team to compare the safety bases for the Hanford Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant Project (WTP) and Tank Operations Contract (TOC) (i.e., Tank Farms) by an Expert Review Team. The evaluation had an overarching purpose to facilitate effective integration between WTP and TOC safety bases. It was to provide One System management with an objective evaluation of identified differences in safety basis process requirements, guidance, direction, procedures, and products (including safety controls, key safety basis inputs and assumptions, and consequence calculation methodologies) between WTP and TOC. The evaluation identified 25more » recommendations (Opportunities for Integration). The resolution of these recommendations resulted in 16 implementation plans. The completion of these implementation plans will help ensure consistent safety bases for WTP and TOC along with consistent safety basis processes. procedures, and analyses. and should increase the likelihood of a successful startup of the WTP. This early integration will result in long-term cost savings and significant operational improvements. In addition, the implementation plans lead to the development of eight new safety analysis methodologies that can be used at other U.S. Department of Energy (US DOE) complex sites where URS Corporation is involved.« less

Technoeconomic Comparison of Biofuels: Ethanol, Methanol, and Gasoline from Gasification of Woody Residues (Presentation)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tarud, J.; Phillips, S.

This presentation provides a technoeconomic comparison of three biofuels - ethanol, methanol, and gasoline - produced by gasification of woody biomass residues. The presentation includes a brief discussion of the three fuels evaluated; discussion of equivalent feedstock and front end processes; discussion of back end processes for each fuel; process comparisons of efficiencies, yields, and water usage; and economic assumptions and results, including a plant gate price (PGP) for each fuel.

Effect of cooled and chlorinated chiller water on Campylobacter and coliform counts on broiler carcasses during chilling at a middle-size poultry processing plant.

PubMed

Kameyama, Mitsuhiro; Chuma, Takehisa; Nishimoto, Tadahiro; Oniki, Hiroyuki; Yanagitani, Yasuo; Kanetou, Ryouichi; Gotou, Kouichi; Shahada, Francis; Iwata, Hiroyuki; Okamoto, Karoku

2012-01-01

To evaluate the effect of cooled and chlorinated chill water for Campylobacter and coliforms at a middle-size processing plant which was considered to be difficult for eliminate pathogenic bacteria on carcasses, following three conditions were examined; keeping temperature at < 20, < 10 and < 10°C, and chlorine concentration at < 50, < 50 and 50 to 70 ppm during processing in experiment 1, 2 and 3 respectively. Fifteen prechill and 15 postchill carcasses were examined in each experiment. In lower temperature of experiment 2, decreasing rate (%) of coliforms was significantly higher (P<0.01) than that in experiment 1. In higher chlorination of experiment 3, no Campylobacter was detected from all postchill carcasses.

Enumeration of Salmonella and Campylobacter spp. in environmental farm samples and processing plant carcass rinses from commercial broiler chicken flocks.

PubMed

Berghaus, Roy D; Thayer, Stephan G; Law, Bibiana F; Mild, Rita M; Hofacre, Charles L; Singer, Randall S

2013-07-01

A prospective cohort study was performed to evaluate the prevalences and loads of Salmonella and Campylobacter spp. in farm and processing plant samples collected from 55 commercial broiler chicken flocks. Environmental samples were collected from broiler houses within 48 h before slaughter, and carcass rinses were performed on birds from the same flocks at 4 different stages of processing. Salmonella was detected in farm samples of 50 (90.9%) flocks and in processing samples of 52 (94.5%) flocks. Campylobacter was detected in farm samples of 35 (63.6%) flocks and in processing samples of 48 (87.3%) flocks. There was a significant positive relationship between environmental farm samples and processing plant carcass rinses with respect to both Salmonella and Campylobacter prevalences and loads. Campylobacter loads were significantly higher than Salmonella loads, and the correlations between samples collected from the same flocks were higher for Campylobacter than they were for Salmonella. Boot socks were the most sensitive sample type for detection of Salmonella on the farm, whereas litter samples had the strongest association with Salmonella loads in pre- and postchill carcass rinses. Boot socks, drag swabs, and fecal samples all had similar sensitivities for detecting Campylobacter on the farm, and all were more strongly associated with Campylobacter loads in carcass rinses than were litter samples. Farm samples explained a greater proportion of the variability in carcass rinse prevalences and loads for Campylobacter than they did for Salmonella. Salmonella and Campylobacter prevalences and loads both decreased significantly as birds progressed through the processing plant.

Enumeration of Salmonella and Campylobacter spp. in Environmental Farm Samples and Processing Plant Carcass Rinses from Commercial Broiler Chicken Flocks

PubMed Central

Thayer, Stephan G.; Law, Bibiana F.; Mild, Rita M.; Hofacre, Charles L.; Singer, Randall S.

2013-01-01

A prospective cohort study was performed to evaluate the prevalences and loads of Salmonella and Campylobacter spp. in farm and processing plant samples collected from 55 commercial broiler chicken flocks. Environmental samples were collected from broiler houses within 48 h before slaughter, and carcass rinses were performed on birds from the same flocks at 4 different stages of processing. Salmonella was detected in farm samples of 50 (90.9%) flocks and in processing samples of 52 (94.5%) flocks. Campylobacter was detected in farm samples of 35 (63.6%) flocks and in processing samples of 48 (87.3%) flocks. There was a significant positive relationship between environmental farm samples and processing plant carcass rinses with respect to both Salmonella and Campylobacter prevalences and loads. Campylobacter loads were significantly higher than Salmonella loads, and the correlations between samples collected from the same flocks were higher for Campylobacter than they were for Salmonella. Boot socks were the most sensitive sample type for detection of Salmonella on the farm, whereas litter samples had the strongest association with Salmonella loads in pre- and postchill carcass rinses. Boot socks, drag swabs, and fecal samples all had similar sensitivities for detecting Campylobacter on the farm, and all were more strongly associated with Campylobacter loads in carcass rinses than were litter samples. Farm samples explained a greater proportion of the variability in carcass rinse prevalences and loads for Campylobacter than they did for Salmonella. Salmonella and Campylobacter prevalences and loads both decreased significantly as birds progressed through the processing plant. PMID:23624481

Research and engineering assessment of biological solubilization of phosphate

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rogers, R.D.; McIlwain, M.E.; Losinski, S.J.

This research and engineering assessment examined a microbial phosphate solubilization process as a method of recovering phosphate from phosphorus containing ore compared to the existing wet acid and electric arc methods. A total of 860 microbial isolates, collected from a range of natural environments were tested for their ability to solubilize phosphate from rock phosphate. A bacterium (Pseudomonas cepacia) was selected for extensive characterization and evaluation of the mechanism of phosphate solubilization and of process engineering parameters necessary to recover phosphate from rock phosphate. These studies found that concentration of hydrogen ion and production of organic acids arising from oxidationmore » of the carbon source facilitated microbial solubilization of both pure chemical insoluble phosphate compounds and phosphate rock. Genetic studies found that phosphate solubilization was linked to an enzyme system (glucose dehydrogenase). Process-related studies found that a critical solids density of 1% by weight (ore to liquid) was necessary for optimal solubilization. An engineering analysis evaluated the cost and energy requirements for a 2 million ton per year sized plant, whose size was selected to be comparable to existing wet acid plants.« less

Eucalyptus grandis Hill ex Maiden inoculated with Pisolithus microcarpus (UFSC-Pt116) in land subject to the sandy process in Southern Brazil

PubMed Central

de Souza, Eduardo Lorensi; Antoniolli, Zaida Inês; Machado, Rafael Goulart; Eckhardt, Daniel Pazzini; Dahmer, Sabrina de Fátima Barbosa

2014-01-01

Eucalypts is one of the main species used for commercial reforestation in the Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil. This study aimed to evaluate the survival and early growth of eucalyptus trees in an area subject to sandy process after three years of growth. The Eucalyptus grandis seedlings were grown in a greenhouse, inoculated or not with the isolated ectomycorrhizal Pisolithus microcarpus (UFSC-Pt116), produced in peat or Entisol. After 120 days, the seedlings were transplanted to an area subject to the sandy process, in the São Francisco de Assis city, RS. The plants have been evaluated regarding survival, height, stem diameter, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium levels and total phosphorus, inorganic phosphorus, organic phosphorus and wood production on different days after planting. The seedlings grown on the Entisol which was inoculated with the isolated UFSC-Pt116 presented higher survival rates, height, stem diameter, nitrogen concentration and wood production then non-inoculated seedlings. Inoculation with ectomycorrhizal fungi enhanced the production of E. grandis seedlings in survival rates, height, stem diameter. PMID:25763017

Development of an experimental approach to study coupled soil-plant-atmosphere processes using plant analogs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trautz, Andrew C.; Illangasekare, Tissa H.; Rodriguez-Iturbe, Ignacio; Heck, Katharina; Helmig, Rainer

2017-04-01

The atmosphere, soils, and vegetation near the land-atmosphere interface are in a state of continuous dynamic interaction via a myriad of complex interrelated feedback processes which collectively, remain poorly understood. Studying the fundamental nature and dynamics of such processes in atmospheric, ecological, and/or hydrological contexts in the field setting presents many challenges; current experimental approaches are an important factor given a general lack of control and high measurement uncertainty. In an effort to address these issues and reduce overall complexity, new experimental design considerations (two-dimensional intermediate-scale coupled wind tunnel-synthetic aquifer testing using synthetic plants) for studying soil-plant-atmosphere continuum soil moisture dynamics are introduced and tested in this study. Validation of these experimental considerations, particularly the adoption of synthetic plants, is required prior to their application in future research. A comparison of three experiments with bare soil surfaces or transplanted with a Stargazer lily/limestone block was used to evaluate the feasibility of the proposed approaches. Results demonstrate that coupled wind tunnel-porous media experimentation, used to simulate field conditions, reduces complexity, and enhances control while allowing fine spatial-temporal resolution measurements to be made using state-of-the-art technologies. Synthetic plants further help reduce system complexity (e.g., airflow) while preserving the basic hydrodynamic functions of plants (e.g., water uptake and transpiration). The trends and distributions of key measured atmospheric and subsurface spatial and temporal variables (e.g., soil moisture, relative humidity, temperature, air velocity) were comparable, showing that synthetic plants can be used as simple, idealized, nonbiological analogs for living vegetation in fundamental hydrodynamic studies.

Ixcatec ethnoecology: plant management and biocultural heritage in Oaxaca, Mexico.

PubMed

Rangel-Landa, Selene; Casas, Alejandro; Rivera-Lozoya, Erandi; Torres-García, Ignacio; Vallejo-Ramos, Mariana

2016-07-20

Studying motives of plant management allows understanding processes that originated agriculture and current forms of traditional technology innovation. Our work analyses the role of native plants in the Ixcatec subsistence, management practices, native plants biocultural importance, and motivations influencing management decisions. Cultural and ecological importance and management complexity may differ among species according with their use value and availability. We hypothesized that decreasing risk in availability of resources underlies the main motives of management, but curiosity, aesthetic, and ethical values may also be determinant. Role of plants in subsistence strategies, forms of use and management was documented through 130 semi-structured interviews and participant observation. Free listing interviews to 38 people were used to estimate the cognitive importance of species used as food, medicine, fuel, fodder, ornament and ceremonial. Species ecological importance was evaluated through sampling vegetation in 22 points. Principal Components Analysis were performed to explore the relation between management, cultural and ecological importance and estimating the biocultural importance of native species. We recorded 627 useful plant species, 589 of them native. Livelihood strategies of households rely on agriculture, livestock and multiple use of forest resources. At least 400 species are managed, some of them involving artificial selection. Management complexity is the main factor reflecting the biocultural importance of plant species, and the weight of ecological importance and cultural value varied among use types. Management strategies aim to ensure resources availability, to have them closer, to embellish human spaces or satisfying ethical principles. Decisions about plants management are influenced by perception of risk to satisfy material needs, but immaterial principles are also important. Studying such relation is crucial for understanding past and present technological innovation processes and understand the complex process of developing biocultural legacy.

Simulation and experimental studies of operators` decision styles and crew composition while using an ecological and traditional user interface for the control room of a nuclear power plant

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Meshkati, N.; Buller, B.J.; Azadeh, M.A.

1995-04-01

The goal of this research is threefold: (1) use of the Skill-, Rule-, and Knowledge-based levels of cognitive control -- the SRK framework -- to develop an integrated information processing conceptual framework (for integration of workstation, job, and team design); (2) to evaluate the user interface component of this framework -- the Ecological display; and (3) to analyze the effect of operators` individual information processing behavior and decision styles on handling plant disturbances plus their performance on, and preference for, Traditional and Ecological user interfaces. A series of studies were conducted. In Part I, a computer simulation model and amore » mathematical model were developed. In Part II, an experiment was designed and conducted at the EBR-II plant of the Argonne National Laboratory-West in Idaho Falls, Idaho. It is concluded that: the integrated SRK-based information processing model for control room operations is superior to the conventional rule-based model; operators` individual decision styles and the combination of their styles play a significant role in effective handling of nuclear power plant disturbances; use of the Ecological interface results in significantly more accurate event diagnosis and recall of various plant parameters, faster response to plant transients, and higher ratings of subject preference; and operators` decision styles affect on both their performance and preference for the Ecological interface.« less

Comprehensive evaluation of the main technology for new sewage treatment plants in small towns along the Duliujian river basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Yiming; Zhou, Beihai; Yuan, Rongfang; Bao, Xiangming; Li, Dongwei

2018-02-01

In recent years, water contamination problem has been becoming more and more serious due to increasing wastewater discharge. So our country has accelerated the pace of constructing sewage treatment plant in small towns. But in China it has not been issued any corresponding technical specifications about the choice of treatment technology. So the article is based on the basin of Duliujian river, through field research, data collection and analysis of relevant documentations, preliminarily elects seven kinds of technology: Improved A2/O, Integrated oxidation ditch, Orbal oxidation ditch, CASS, A/O+refined diatomite, BIOLAK and UNITANK as alternatives for Tianjin sewage discharge local standard.Then the article use the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) to evaluate the seven kinds of alternatives, finally it is concluded that CASS technology is most suitable for the main technology of new sewage treatment plants in small towns along the Duliujian River basin.

Waste gasification vs. conventional Waste-to-Energy: a comparative evaluation of two commercial technologies.

PubMed

Consonni, Stefano; Viganò, Federico

2012-04-01

A number of waste gasification technologies are currently proposed as an alternative to conventional Waste-to-Energy (WtE) plants. Assessing their potential is made difficult by the scarce operating experience and the fragmentary data available. After defining a conceptual framework to classify and assess waste gasification technologies, this paper compares two of the proposed technologies with conventional WtE plants. Performances are evaluated by proprietary software developed at Politecnico di Milano and compared on the basis of a coherent set of assumptions. Since the two gasification technologies are configured as "two-step oxidation" processes, their energy performances are very similar to those of conventional plants. The potential benefits that may justify their adoption relate to material recovery and operation/emission control: recovery of metals in non-oxidized form; collection of ashes in inert, vitrified form; combustion control; lower generation of some pollutants. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of the Leishmanicidal and Cytotoxic Potential of Essential Oils Derived From Ten Colombian Plants

PubMed Central

Sanchez-Suarez, JF; Riveros, I; Delgado, G

2013-01-01

Background The leishmanicidal and cytotoxic activity of ten essential oils obtained from ten plant specimens were evaluated. Methods Essential oils were obtained by the steam distillation of plant leaves without any prior processing. Cytotoxicity was tested on J774 macrophages and leishmanicidal activity was assessed against four species of Leishmania associated with cutaneous leishmaniasis. Results Seven essential oils exhibited activity against Leishmania parasites, five of which were toxic against J774 macrophages. Selectivity indices of >6 and 13 were calculated for the essential oils of Ocimum basilicum and Origanum vulgare, respectively. Conclusion The essential oil of Ocimum basilicum was active against promastigotes of Leishmania and innocuous to J774 macrophages at concentrations up to 1600 µg/mL and should be further investigated for leishmanicidal activity in others in vitro and in vivo experimental models. PMID:23682270

Assessment and comparison of 100-MW coal gasification phosphoric acid fuel cell power plants

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lu, Cheng-Yi

1988-01-01

One of the advantages of fuel cell (FC) power plants is fuel versatility. With changes only in the fuel processor, the power plant will be able to accept a variety of fuels. This study was performed to design process diagrams, evaluate performance, and to estimate cost of 100 MW coal gasifier (CG)/phosphoric acid fuel cell (PAFC) power plant systems utilizing coal, which is the largest single potential source of alternate hydrocarbon liquids and gases in the United States, as the fuel. Results of this study will identify the most promising integrated CG/PAFC design and its near-optimal operating conditions. The comparison is based on the performance and cost of electricity which is calculated under consistent financial assumptions.

Effect of Azospirillum brasilense and Burkholderia unamae Bacteria on Maize Photosynthetic Activity Evaluated Using the Photoacoustic Technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gordillo-Delgado, F.; Marín, E.; Calderón, A.

2016-09-01

In this work, the photosynthetic process of maize plants ( Zea mays), which were grown using seeds inoculated with plant growth promoting bacteria Azospirillum brasilense and Burkholderia unamae, was monitored. Photothermal and photobaric signals obtained by a time-resolved photoacoustic measurement configuration were used for measuring the oxygen evolution rate in situ. A frequency-resolved configuration of the method was utilized to determine the oxygen diffusion coefficient and the thermal diffusivity of the maize leaves. The latter parameters, which can be used as indicators of the photosynthetic activity of maize, are found to vary according to the plant-microbe interaction. Treatment with plant growth promoting bacteria induced a decrease in the oxygen diffusion coefficient of about 20 %.

BIG DARBY CREEK WATERSHED

EPA Science Inventory

What is an ecological risk assessment?

EVALUATION OF CHEMICAL RELEASES AND WORKER EXPOSURES FROM FILTER PRESS OPERATIONS

EPA Science Inventory

The exposures (inhalation and dermal) and releases (air, water, solids, and process streams) associated with the filtration of industrial wastewater sludge from an electronics manufacturing plant were characterized. Chemical releases and worker exposures for a target chemical (t...

SOURCE ASSESSMENT: NITROGEN FERTILIZER INDUSTRY WATER EFFLUENTS

EPA Science Inventory

The report describes a study of waterborne pollutants from the manufacture of nitrogen fertilizers. It includes an evaluation of the ammonia, ammonium nitrate, urea, and nitric acid manufacturing processes. Water effluents in a nitrogen fertilizer plant originate from a variety o...

76 FR 28481 - Carolina Power & Light Company; Brunswick Steam Electric Plant, Units 1 and 2; Environmental...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-05-17

... to public health and safety; (2) performing health physics or chemistry duties required as a member... SSCs that a risk-informed evaluation process has shown to be significant to public health and safety...

Middle Platte River Watershed

EPA Science Inventory

What is an ecological risk assessment?

An ecological risk assessment evaluates the potential adverse effects of human activities on the plants and animals that make up ecosystems. The risk assessment process provides a way to develop, organize and present sc...

Distribution and prevalence of airborne microorganisms in three commercial poultry processing plants.

PubMed

Whyte, P; Collins, J D; McGill, K; Monahan, C; O'Mahony, H

2001-03-01

Airborne microbial contaminants and indicator organisms were monitored within three poultry processing plants (plants A, B, and C). In total, 15 cubic feet (c.f.) of air was sampled per location during 15 visits to each plant and quantitatively analyzed for total mesophilic and psychrophilic aerobic counts, thermophilic campylobacters, Escherichia coli, and Enterobacteriaceae. The prevalence of Salmonella spp. in air samples was also evaluated. Significant reductions in total aerobic counts were observed between defeathering and evisceration areas of the three plants (P < 0.05). Mesophilic plate counts were highest in the defeathering areas of all plants compared to equivalent psychrophilic plate counts. Enterobacteriaceae counts were highest in the defeathering areas of all three plants with counts of log10 1.63, 1.53, and 1.18 CFU/15 c.f. recovered in plants A, B, and C, respectively. E. coli enumerated from air samples in the defeathering areas exhibited a similar trend to those obtained for Enterobacteriaceae with log10 1.67, 1.58, and 1.18 CFU for plants A, B, and C, respectively. Thermophilic campylobacters were most frequently isolated from samples in the defeathering areas followed by the evisceration areas. The highest mean counts of the organism were observed in plant A at 21 CFU/15 c.f. sample with plants B and C at 9 and 8 CFU/sample, respectively. With the exception of low levels of Enterobacteriaceae recovered from samples in the on-line air chill in plant A, E. coli, Enterobacteriaceae, or Campylobacter spp. were not isolated from samples in postevisceration sites in any of the plants examined. Salmonella spp. were not recovered from any samples during the course of the investigation.

An exergy approach to efficiency evaluation of desalination

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ng, Kim Choon; Shahzad, Muhammad Wakil; Son, Hyuk Soo; Hamed, Osman A.

2017-05-01

This paper presents an evaluation process efficiency based on the consumption of primary energy for all types of practical desalination methods available hitherto. The conventional performance ratio has, thus far, been defined with respect to the consumption of derived energy, such as the electricity or steam, which are susceptible to the conversion losses of power plants and boilers that burned the input primary fuels. As derived energies are usually expressed by the units, either kWh or Joules, these units cannot differentiate the grade of energy supplied to the processes accurately. In this paper, the specific energy consumption is revisited for the efficacy of all large-scale desalination plants. In today's combined production of electricity and desalinated water, accomplished with advanced cogeneration concept, the input exergy of fuels is utilized optimally and efficiently in a temperature cascaded manner. By discerning the exergy destruction successively in the turbines and desalination processes, the relative contribution of primary energy to the processes can be accurately apportioned to the input primary energy. Although efficiency is not a law of thermodynamics, however, a common platform for expressing the figures of merit explicit to the efficacy of desalination processes can be developed meaningfully that has the thermodynamic rigor up to the ideal or thermodynamic limit of seawater desalination for all scientists and engineers to aspire to.

Improving methods to evaluate the impacts of plant invasions: lessons from 40 years of research

PubMed Central

Stricker, Kerry Bohl; Hagan, Donald; Flory, S. Luke

2015-01-01

Methods used to evaluate the ecological impacts of biological invasions vary widely from broad-scale observational studies to removal experiments in invaded communities and experimental additions in common gardens and greenhouses. Different methods provide information at diverse spatial and temporal scales with varying levels of reliability. Thus, here we provide a synthetic and critical review of the methods used to evaluate the impacts of plant invasions and provide recommendations for future research. We review the types of methods available and report patterns in methods used, including the duration and spatial scale of studies and plant functional groups examined, from 410 peer-reviewed papers published between 1971 and 2011. We found that there has been a marked increase in papers published on plant invasion impacts since 2003 and that more than half of all studies employed observational methods while <5 % included predictive modelling. Most of the studies were temporally and spatially restricted with 51 % of studies lasting <1 year and almost half of all studies conducted in plots or mesocosms <1 m2. There was also a bias in life form studied: more than 60 % of all studies evaluated impacts of invasive forbs and graminoids while <16 % focused on invasive trees. To more effectively quantify invasion impacts, we argue that longer-term experimental research and more studies that use predictive modelling and evaluate impacts of invasions on ecosystem processes and fauna are needed. Combining broad-scale observational studies with experiments and predictive modelling may provide the most insight into invasion impacts for policy makers and land managers seeking to reduce the effects of plant invasions. PMID:25829379

Enhancement of Micropollutant Degradation at the Outlet of Small Wastewater Treatment Plants

PubMed Central

Rossi, Luca; Queloz, Pierre; Brovelli, Alessandro; Margot, Jonas; Barry, D. A.

2013-01-01

The aim of this work was to evaluate low-cost and easy-to-operate engineering solutions that can be added as a polishing step to small wastewater treatment plants to reduce the micropollutant load to water bodies. The proposed design combines a sand filter/constructed wetland with additional and more advanced treatment technologies (UV degradation, enhanced adsorption to the solid phase, e.g., an engineered substrate) to increase the elimination of recalcitrant compounds. The removal of five micropollutants with different physico-chemical characteristics (three pharmaceuticals: diclofenac, carbamazepine, sulfamethoxazole, one pesticide: mecoprop, and one corrosion inhibitor: benzotriazole) was studied to evaluate the feasibility of the proposed system. Separate batch experiments were conducted to assess the removal efficiency of UV degradation and adsorption. The efficiency of each individual process was substance-specific. No process was effective on all the compounds tested, although elimination rates over 80% using light expanded clay aggregate (an engineered material) were observed. A laboratory-scale flow-through setup was used to evaluate interactions when removal processes were combined. Four of the studied compounds were partially eliminated, with poor removal of the fifth (benzotriazole). The energy requirements for a field-scale installation were estimated to be the same order of magnitude as those of ozonation and powdered activated carbon treatments. PMID:23484055

Parasite contamination (helminth eggs) in sludge treatment plants: definition of a sampling strategy.

PubMed

Gaspard, Philippe G; Schwartzbrod, Janine

2003-03-01

The use of sludge in agriculture must be carried out according to many guidelines, especially regarding a precise knowledge of the pathogenic microorganisms it contains. The control of the produced sludge requires a sampling strategy that is representative of the contamination present in the sludge. Thus, we evaluated the distribution of helminth eggs in sludge to determine how to sample and at what frequency. Two plants were studied, firstly we studied sludge that was undergoing biological treatment (anaerobic digestion, prolonged aeration), secondly we evaluated the dehydration step (centrifugation and filter press). The helminth egg concentrations were measured over short periods (between 5 minutes and 7 hours) and for periods of over 24 hours (7 to 28 days). The results showed that there was much homogeneity in periods of less than 7 hours, thus it was advisable to take grab samples. An appropriate sample weight was 30 g dry matter, because this allowed an analysis in triplicate when testing treatment processes according to standards of France, (less than 3 viable eggs/10 g dry matter). Determination of the egg concentration in the plants during periods of over 24 hours showed that the parasite flow was stable. In some cases, large variations were due to the treatment processes (storage or thickening, mixing of different sludges). These results have been confirmed with the study of 6 other plants during a one year period. Thus, the recommended sampling frequency can be limited to every 3 to 6 months, by adapting the sampling methods to the characteristics of the plant.

Dioxin formation and control in a gasification-melting plant.

PubMed

Kawamoto, Katsuya; Miyata, Haruo

2015-10-01

We investigated dioxin formation and removal in a commercial thermal waste treatment plant employing a gasification and melting process that has become widespread in the last decade in Japan. The aim was to clarify the possibility of dioxin formation in a process operation at high temperatures and the applicability of catalytic decomposition of dioxins. Also, the possible use of dioxin surrogate compounds for plant monitoring was further evaluated. The main test parameter was the influence of changes in the amount and type of municipal solid waste (MSW) supplied to the thermal waste treatment plant which from day to day operation is a relevant parameter also from commercial perspective. Here especially, the plastic content on dioxin release was assessed. The following conclusions were reached: (1) disturbance of combustion by adding plastic waste above the capability of the system resulted in a considerable increase in dioxin content of the flue gas at the inlet of the bag house and (2) bag filter equipment incorporating a catalytic filter effectively reduced the gaseous dioxin content below the standard of 0.1 ng toxic equivalency (TEQ)/m(3) N, by decomposition and partly adsorption, as was revealed by total dioxin mass balance and an increased levels in the fly ash. Also, the possible use of organohalogen compounds as dioxin surrogate compounds for plant monitoring was further evaluated. The levels of these surrogates did not exceed values corresponding to 0.1 ng TEQ/m(3) N dioxins established from former tests. This further substantiated that surrogate measurement therefore can well reflect dioxin levels.

Evaluating best practices for Campylobacter and Salmonella reduction in poultry processing plants.

PubMed

Wideman, N; Bailey, M; Bilgili, S F; Thippareddi, H; Wang, L; Bratcher, C; Sanchez-Plata, M; Singh, M

2016-02-01

Poultry processing plants in the United States were surveyed on their current Campylobacter and Salmonella control practices. Following surveys, data were collected to develop a baseline for prevalence rates of Salmonella and Campylobacter; then changes in practices were implemented and evaluated for improvements in pathogen control. Surveys were sent to the plant Quality Assurance managers to determine production levels, antimicrobial interventions, and current pathogen testing practices. Initial sampling was performed at 6 plants with similar production volumes, at sites that included carcass samples before any pre-evisceration intervention, after exiting the inside-outside bird washer (IOBW), after exiting the pre-chiller, after exiting the primary chiller, and after exiting any post-chill intervention, as well as a water sample from each scalder, pre-chiller, primary chiller, and post-chill dip tank or finishing chiller. Enumerations and enrichments were performed for Campylobacter and Salmonella. Following the baseline sampling, changes in practices were suggested for each plant and a second sampling was conducted to determine their effectiveness. Results demonstrated that peracetic acid (PAA) was the most effective (P < 0.05) antimicrobial currently in use. The use of a post-chill antimicrobial immersion tank and/or use of a cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC) spray cabinet also displayed a further reduction in microbial levels (P < 0.05) when the primary chiller was not sufficient (P > 0.05). Microbial buildup in the immersion tanks demonstrates the need for effective cleaning, sanitation practices, and chiller maintenance to reduce contamination of poultry with Campylobacter and Salmonella. © 2015 Poultry Science Association Inc.

Automotive manufacturing assessment system. Volume IV: engine manufacturing analysis. Final report Jun 77-Aug 78

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Taylor, T. Jr

Volume IV represents the results of one of four major study areas under the Automotive Manufacturing Assessment System (AMAS) sponsored by the DOT/Transportation Systems Center. AMAS was designed to assist in the evaluation of industry's capability to produce fuel efficient vehicles. An analysis of automotive engine manufacturing was conducted in order to determine the impact of regulatory changes on tooling costs and the production process. The 351W CID V-8 engine at Ford's Windsor No. 1 Plant was the subject of the analysis. A review of plant history and its product is presented along with an analysis of manufacturing operations, includingmore » material and production flow, plant layout, machining and assembly processes, tooling, supporting facilities, inspection, service and repair. Four levels of product change intensity showing the impact on manufacturing methods and cost is also presented.« less

Bioremediation and detoxification of industrial wastes by earthworms: Vermicompost as powerful crop nutrient in sustainable agriculture.

PubMed

Bhat, Sartaj Ahmad; Singh, Sharanpreet; Singh, Jaswinder; Kumar, Sunil; Bhawana; Vig, Adarsh Pal

2018-03-01

Vermicompost is the final product of the vermicomposting process involving the collective action of earthworms and microbes. During this process, the waste is converted into useful manure by reducing the harmful effects of waste. Toxicity of industrial wastes is evaluated by plant bioassays viz. Allium cepa and Vicia faba test. These bioassays are sensitive and cost-effective for the monitoring of environmental contamination. The valorization potential of earthworms and their ability to detoxify heavy metals in industrial wastes is because of their strong metabolic system and involvement of earthworm gut microbes and chloragocyte cells. Most of the studies reported that the vermicompost produced from organic wastes contains higher amounts of humic substances, which plays a major role in growth of plants. The present article discusses the detoxification of industrial wastes by earthworms and the role of final vermicompost in plant growth and development. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A straw-soil co-composting and evaluation for plant substrate in BLSS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, Quanyong; Guo, Shuangsheng; Ai, Weidang; Tang, Yongkang; Qin, Lifeng

2013-02-01

Material closure is important for the establishment of Bioregenerative Life Support System, and many studies have focused on transforming candidate plant residues into plant culture medium. For the limitations of using wheat straw compost as substrate for plant cultivation, a straw-soil co-composting technique was studied. The changes of pH, C/N value, germination index, cellulose, lignin and so on were monitored during the co-composting process. The maturity was evaluated by the C/N value and the germination index. The result showed that after 45 days' fermentation, the straw-soil final co-compost with inoculation (T1) became mature, while the co-compost without inoculation (T0) was not mature. In the plant culture test, the T1 substrate could satisfy the needs for lettuce's growth, and the edible biomass yield of lettuce averaged 74.42 g pot-1 at harvest. But the lettuces in T0 substrate showed stress symptoms and have not completed the growth cycle. Moreover, the results of nitrogen (N) transformation experiment showed that about 10.0% and 3.1% N were lost during the T1 co-composting and plant cultivation, respectively, 23.5% N was absorbed by lettuce, and 63.4% N remained in the T1 substrate after cultivation.

Utilization of starch films plasticized with urea as fertilizer for improvement of plant growth.

PubMed

Rychter, Piotr; Kot, Marta; Bajer, Krzysztof; Rogacz, Diana; Šišková, Alena; Kapuśniak, Janusz

2016-02-10

The utilization of starch films, obtained by extrusion of potato starch with urea as plasticizer, for the fertilization of plants has been undertaken. Release rate of urea from the starch films was conducted in water conditions. The molecular weight distribution, surface erosion and weight loss of the starch samples have been determined. The evaluation of efficiency of urea as a fertilizer in the process of release from the starch films was performed under laboratory conditions based on the plant growth test proposed by OECD 208 Guideline and the PN-ISO International Standard using oat and common radish. Although among extruded starch-based films, those that contain the highest amount of fertilizer hold the most promise for a delayed release system, the time of release of fertilizer from obtained films in undertaken study was not satisfactory. All the same, in the present study effort has been made to utilize extruded samples as a fertilizer for agriculture or horticulture purposes. Urea-plasticized starch was successfully used as a fertilizer. Plant growth assessment, including determination of such parameters as fresh and dry matter of plants and their visual evaluation, has proved the stimulating effect of using extruded films on the growth and development of cultivated plants. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Assessment of contamination potential of lettuce by Salmonella enterica serovar Newport added to the plant growing medium.

PubMed

Bernstein, Nirit; Sela, Shlomo; Neder-Lavon, Sarit

2007-07-01

The capacity of Salmonella enterica serovar Newport to contaminate Romaine lettuce (Lactuca sativa L. cv. Nogal) via the root system was evaluated in 17-, 20-, and 33-day-old plants. Apparent internalization of Salmonella via the root to the above-ground parts was identified in 33- but not 17- or 20-day-old plants and was stimulated by root decapitation. Leaves of lettuce plants with intact and damaged roots harbored Salmonella at 500 +/- 120 and 5,130 +/- 440 CFU/g of leaf, respectively, at 2 days postinoculation but not 5 days later. These findings are first to suggest that Salmonella Newport can translocate from contaminated roots to the aerial parts of lettuce seedlings and propose that the process is dependent on the developmental stage of the plant.

Aerobic nonaseptic growth of Verticillium on coffee waste waters and cane blackstrap molasses at a pilot plant scale

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Espinosa, R.; Maldonado, O.; Menchu, J.F.

1977-01-01

An evaluation is made of the pilot plant studies on the biosynthesis of Verticillium sp. both on coffee waste waters and blackstrap molasses. The purpose of the study was two-fold: the first to produce a filamentous fungi as a source of protein and the second to alleviate the serious water pollution resulting from the processing of coffee berries. The molasses was studied as an alternative medium to enable year-round operation of the plant since coffee is a seasonal crop. The results indicated that the growth of Verticillium is technically feasible in a batch operation. (JSR)

Refractory Wear Mechanisms in the Nonferrous Metal Industry: Testing and Modeling Results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gregurek, D.; Ressler, A.; Reiter, V.; Franzkowiak, A.; Spanring, A.; Prietl, T.

2013-11-01

Nonferrous pyrometallurgical processes today operate at a high intensity requiring the best standards for the furnace refractory systems. From one plant to another, there is a range of process conditions such as temperature, slag chemistry, and feed types, and each of these parameters can influence refractory life. It is generally understood that process changes at plants can impact refractory life. The ability to test and understand refractory responses to a wide range of furnace operating conditions is therefore important. The RHI Technology Centre in Leoben, Austria is well equipped with laboratory and pilot plant facilities to evaluate refractory suitability over the range of conditions encountered in modern nonferrous pyrometallurgical systems. This article describes refractory testing at the RHI Technology Centre of the impact of two metallurgical slags on a number of different RHI test bricks. The slags were a fayalite slag and a calcium ferrite slag supplied by two smelter plants. High-temperature corrosion tests were carried out in a 250-mm-diameter induction furnace and a 165-mm-diameter short rotary kiln; each unit was lined with a number of refractory bricks and tested against attack by the particular slag. After testing, the refractory bricks were subjected to several laboratory tests to determine the extent of corrosion. Optimal refractory choices for the customers' plants were developed based on the test results.

Emission, transport, deposition, and re-suspension of radionuclides from Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant in the atmosphere - Overview of 2-year investigations in Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kita, Kazuyuki; Igarashi, Yasuhiro; Yoshida, Naohiro; Nakajima, Teruyuki

2013-04-01

Following a huge earthquake and tsunami in Eastern Japan on 11 March, 2011, the accident in Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) occurred to emit a large amount of artificial radionuclides to the environment. Soon after the FDNPP accident, many Japanese researchers, as well as researchers in other countries, started monitoring radionuclides in various environmental fields and/or model calculations to understand extent and magnitude of radioactive pollution. In this presentation, we overview these activities for the atmospheric radionuclides in Japan as followings: 1. Investigations to evaluate radionuclide emissions by explosions at FNDPP in March 2011 and to estimate the respiration dose of the radiation at this stage. 2. Investigations to evaluate atmospheric transport and deposition processes of atmospheric radionuclide to determine the extent of radionuclide pollution. -- Based on results of the regular and urgent monitoring results, as well as the mapping of the distribution of radionuclide s accumulated by the deposition to the ground, restoration of their time-dependent emission rates has been tried, and processes determining atmospheric concentration and deposition to the ground have been investigated by using the model calculations. 3. Monitoring of the atmospheric concentrations of radionuclide after the initial, surge phase of FNDPP accident. 4. Investigations to evaluate re-suspension of radionuclide from the ground, including the soil and the vegetation. -- Intensive monitoring of the atmospheric concentrations and deposition amount of radionuclide after the initial, surge phase of the accident enable us to evaluate emission history from FNDPP, atmospheric transport and deposition processes, chemical and physical characteristics of atmospheric radionuclide especially of radio cesium, and re-suspension processes which has become dominant process to supply radio cesium to the atmosphere recently.

USAF solar thermal applications case studies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1981-01-01

The potential of solar energy technologies to meet mission related applications for process heat was investigated. The reduction of the dependence of military installations on fossil fuels by promoting the use of more abundant resources where liquid hydrocarbons and natural gas are now used is examined. The evaluation and utilization of renewable energy systems to provide process heat and space heating are emphasized. The application of thermal energy systems is divided into four steps: (1) investigation of the potential operational cost effectiveness of selected thermal technologies; (2) selection of a site and preliminary design of point focussing solar thermal plant; (3) construction and test of an engineering prototype; and (4) installation and operation of a solar thermal energy plant.

Evaluating and Improving Water Treatment Plant Processes at Fixed Army Installations.

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-05-01

blender with variable speeds to handle different flow rates through the plant. * A coagulant feed system using orifices (facing upstream) may help achieve...cause the pipe to rupture. Tubercules are formed on pipe surfaces when iron ions are oxidized and ferric hydroxide precipitates: 2 + 2Fe + 5H20 + 1/20...2 2Fe (01)3 + 4H + " The tubercules interfere with flow and reduce the carrying capacity of the pipe . Several factors affect the rate of corrosion

Analysis of Growth and Molecular Responses to Ethylene in Etiolated Rice Seedlings.

PubMed

Ma, Biao; Zhang, Jin-Song

2017-01-01

Ethylene plays a key role in various submergence responses of rice plants, but the mechanism of ethylene action remains largely unclear in rice. Regarding the differences between rice and Arabidopsis in ethylene-regulated processes, rice plants may possess divergent mechanisms in ethylene signaling in addition to the conserved aspects. Forward genetic analysis is essential to fully understand the ethylene signaling mechanism in rice. Here, we describe a method for screening ethylene-response mutants and evaluating ethylene responsiveness in etiolated rice seedlings.

Evaluation of new alternatives in wastewater treatment plants based on dynamic modelling and life cycle assessment (DM-LCA).

PubMed

Bisinella de Faria, A B; Spérandio, M; Ahmadi, A; Tiruta-Barna, L

2015-11-01

With a view to quantifying the energy and environmental advantages of Urine Source-Separation (USS) combined with different treatment processes, five wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) scenarios were compared to a reference scenario using Dynamic Modelling (DM) and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), and an integrated DM-LCA framework was thus developed. Dynamic simulations were carried out in BioWin(®) in order to obtain a realistic evaluation of the dynamic behaviour and performance of plants under perturbation. LCA calculations were performed within Umberto(®) using the Ecoinvent database. A Python™ interface was used to integrate and convert simulation data and to introduce them into Umberto(®) to achieve a complete LCA evaluation comprising foreground and background processes. Comparisons between steady-state and dynamic simulations revealed the importance of considering dynamic aspects such as nutrient and flow peaks. The results of the evaluation highlighted the potential of the USS scenario for nutrient recovery whereas the Enhanced Primary Clarification (EPC) scenario gave increased biogas production and also notably decreased aeration consumption, leading to a positive energy balance. Both USS and EPC scenarios also showed increased stability of plant operation, with smaller daily averages of total nitrogen and phosphorus. In this context, USS and EPC results demonstrated that the coupled USS + EPC scenario and its combinations with agricultural spreading of N-rich effluent and nitritation/anaerobic deammonification could present an energy-positive balance with respectively 27% and 33% lower energy requirements and an increase in biogas production of 23%, compared to the reference scenario. The coupled scenarios also presented lesser environmental impacts (reduction of 31% and 39% in total endpoint impacts) along with effluent quality well within the specified limits. The marked environmental performance (reduction of global warming) when nitrogen is used in agriculture shows the importance of future research on sustainable solutions for nitrogen recovery. The contribution analysis of midpoint impacts also showed hotspots that it will be important to optimize further, such as plant infrastructure and direct N2O emissions. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Toxicological Evaluation of Realistic Emission Source Aerosols (TERESA): Introduction and overview

PubMed Central

Godleski, John J.; Rohr, Annette C.; Kang, Choong M.; Diaz, Edgar A.; Ruiz, Pablo A.; Koutrakis, Petros

2013-01-01

Determining the health impacts of sources and components of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is an important scientific goal. PM2.5 is a complex mixture of inorganic and organic constituents that are likely to differ in their potential to cause adverse health outcomes. The Toxicological Evaluation of Realistic Emissions of Source Aerosols (TERESA) study focused on two PM sources—coal-fired power plants and mobile sources—and sought to investigate the toxicological effects of exposure to emissions from these sources. The set of papers published here document the power plant experiments. TERESA attempted to delineate health effects of primary particles, secondary (aged) particles, and mixtures of these with common atmospheric constituents. TERESA involved withdrawal of emissions from the stacks of three coal-fired power plants in the United States. The emissions were aged and atmospherically transformed in a mobile laboratory simulating downwind power plant plume processing. Toxicological evaluations were carried out in laboratory rats exposed to different emission scenarios with extensive exposure characterization. The approach employed in TERESA was ambitious and innovative. Technical challenges included the development of stack sampling technology that prevented condensation of water vapor from the power plant exhaust during sampling and transfer, while minimizing losses of primary particles; development and optimization of a photochemical chamber to provide an aged aerosol for animal exposures; development and evaluation of a denuder system to remove excess gaseous components; and development of a mobile toxicology laboratory. This paper provides an overview of the conceptual framework, design, and methods employed in the study. PMID:21639692

Proposed plan for remedial action for the Groundwater Operable Unit at the Chemical Plant Area of the Weldon Spring Site, Weldon Spring, Missouri

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1999-08-10

This Proposed Plan addresses the remediation of groundwater contamination at the chemical plant area of the Weldon Spring site in Weldon Spring, Missouri. The site is located approximately 48 km (30 mi) west of St. Louis in St. Charles County . Remedial activities at the site will be conducted in accordance with the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), in conjunction with the U.S. Department of the Army (DA), conducted a joint remedial investigation/feasibility study (RI/FS) to allow for a comprehensive evaluation of groundwater conditions at the Weldon Spring chemical plant areamore » and the Weldon Spring ordnance works area, which is an Army site adjacent to the chemical plant area. Consistent with DOE policy, National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) values have been incorporated into the CERCLA process. That is, the analysis conducted and presented in the RVFS reports included an evaluation of environmental impacts that is comparable to that performed under NEPA. This Proposed Plan summarizes information about chemical plant area groundwater that is presented in the following documents: (1) The Remedial Investigation (RI), which presents information on the nature and extent of contamination; (2) The Baseline Risk Assessment (BRA), which evaluates impacts to human health and the environment that could occur if no cleanup action of the groundwater were taken (DOE and DA 1997a); and (3) The Feasibility Study (FS) and the Supplemental FS, which develop and evaluate remedial action alternatives for groundwater remediation.« less

Development of retrospective quantitative and qualitative job-exposure matrices for exposures at a beryllium processing facility.

PubMed

Couch, James R; Petersen, Martin; Rice, Carol; Schubauer-Berigan, Mary K

2011-05-01

To construct a job-exposure matrix (JEM) for an Ohio beryllium processing facility between 1953 and 2006 and to evaluate temporal changes in airborne beryllium exposures. Quantitative area- and breathing-zone-based exposure measurements of airborne beryllium were made between 1953 and 2006 and used by plant personnel to estimate daily weighted average (DWA) exposure concentrations for sampled departments and operations. These DWA measurements were used to create a JEM with 18 exposure metrics, which was linked to the plant cohort consisting of 18,568 unique job, department and year combinations. The exposure metrics ranged from quantitative metrics (annual arithmetic/geometric average DWA exposures, maximum DWA and peak exposures) to descriptive qualitative metrics (chemical beryllium species and physical form) to qualitative assignment of exposure to other risk factors (yes/no). Twelve collapsed job titles with long-term consistent industrial hygiene samples were evaluated using regression analysis for time trends in DWA estimates. Annual arithmetic mean DWA estimates (overall plant-wide exposures including administration, non-production, and production estimates) for the data by decade ranged from a high of 1.39 μg/m(3) in the 1950s to a low of 0.33 μg/m(3) in the 2000s. Of the 12 jobs evaluated for temporal trend, the average arithmetic DWA mean was 2.46 μg/m(3) and the average geometric mean DWA was 1.53 μg/m(3). After the DWA calculations were log-transformed, 11 of the 12 had a statistically significant (p < 0.05) decrease in reported exposure over time. The constructed JEM successfully differentiated beryllium exposures across jobs and over time. This is the only quantitative JEM containing exposure estimates (average and peak) for the entire plant history.

[Hygienic characteristics of work conditions at large Hydroelectric Power Plants with mechanization and automatization].

PubMed

Iakimova, L D

1997-01-01

The article touches upon hygienic problems associated with mechanization and automation of major hydroelectric power stations. The authors present criteria to evaluate work conditions of the main occupations participating in the technologic process of hydroelectric power stations.

Evaluating Environmental Effects of Dredged Material Management Alternatives: A Technical Framework

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-11-01

fluctuating flows and tamperatures would be difficult. Biological processes such as nitrification, nutrient catabolism, and photosynthesis are important...communities as tidal flats, seagrass meadows, oyster beds, clam flats, fishing reefs, and freshwater aquatic plant establishment. The bottom of many

Triacylglycerol-based fuels: An evaluation

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A variety of feedstocks exist and several processes have been developed to produce alternative diesel fuels from triacylglycerol-based materials, such as plant and algal oils as well as animal fats and used cooking oils. Biodiesel is obtained by transesterifying a triacylglycerol feedstock with an a...

Exploring the functional significance of sterol glycosyltransferase enzymes.

PubMed

Singh, Gaurav; Dhar, Yogeshwar Vikram; Asif, Mehar Hasan; Misra, Pratibha

2018-01-01

Steroidal alkaloids (SAs) are widely synthesized and distributed in plants manifesting as natural produce endowed with potential for medicinal, pesticidal and other high-value usages. Glycosylation of these SAs raises complex and diverse glycosides in plant cells that indeed govern numerous functional aspects. During the glycosylation process of these valuable metabolites, the addition of carbohydrate molecule(s) is catalyzed by enzymes known as sterol glycosyltransferases (SGTs), commonly referred to as UGTs, leading to the production of steryl glycosides (SGs). The ratio of SGs and nonglyco-conjugated SAs are different in different plant species, however, their biosynthesis in the cell is controlled by different environmental factors. The aim of this review is to evaluate the current SGT enzyme research and the functional consequences of glycomodification of SAs on the physiology and plant development, which together are associated with the plant's primary processes. Pharmaceutical, industrial, and other potential uses of saponins have also been discussed and their use in therapeutics has been unveiled by in silico analysis. The field of biotransformation or conversion of nonglycosylated to glycosylated phytosterols by the activity of SGTs, making them soluble, available and more useful for humankind is the new field of interest towards drug therapy. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Identification of Arabidopsis mutants with altered freezing tolerance.

PubMed

Perea-Resa, Carlos; Salinas, Julio

2014-01-01

Low temperature is an important determinant in the configuration of natural plant communities and defines the range of distribution and growth of important crops. Some plants, including Arabidopsis, have evolved sophisticated adaptive mechanisms to tolerate low and freezing temperatures. Central to this adaptation is the process of cold acclimation. By means of this process, many plants from temperate regions are able to develop or increase their freezing tolerance in response to low, nonfreezing temperatures. The identification and characterization of factors involved in freezing tolerance are crucial to understand the molecular mechanisms underlying the cold acclimation response and have a potential interest to improve crop tolerance to freezing temperatures. Many genes implicated in cold acclimation have been identified in numerous plant species by using molecular approaches followed by reverse genetic analysis. Remarkably, however, direct genetic analyses have not been conveniently exploited in their capacity for identifying genes with pivotal roles in that adaptive response. In this chapter, we describe a protocol for evaluating the freezing tolerance of both non-acclimated and cold-acclimated Arabidopsis plants. This protocol allows the accurate and simple screening of mutant collections for the identification of novel factors involved in freezing tolerance and cold acclimation.

Safety of plant-made pharmaceuticals: product development and regulatory considerations based on case studies of two autologous human cancer vaccines.

PubMed

Tusé, Daniel

2011-03-01

Guidelines issued by regulatory agencies for the development of plant-made pharmaceutical (PMP) products provide criteria for product manufacturing and characterization, safety determination, containment and mitigation of environmental risks. Features of plant-made products do not always enable an easy fit within the criteria subscribed to by regulators. The unconventional nature of plant-based manufacturing processes and peculiarities of plant biology relative to that of traditional biological production systems have led to special considerations in the regulatory scrutiny of PMP. Presented in this review are case studies of two plant-made autologous (patient-specific) cancer vaccines, the nature of which introduced challenges to conventional and standardized development and preclinical evaluation routes. The rationale presented to FDA by the sponsors of each vaccine to build consensus and obtain variances to existing guidelines is discussed. While development of many plant-made biologics can be accomplished within the existing regulatory framework, the development of specialized products can be defended with rational arguments based on strong science.

Genetic patterns of habitat fragmentation and past climate-change effects in the Mediterranean high-mountain plant Armeria caespitosa (Plumbaginaceae).

PubMed

García-Fernández, Alfredo; Iriondo, Jose M; Escudero, Adrián; Aguilar, Javier Fuertes; Feliner, Gonzalo Nieto

2013-08-01

Mountain plants are among the species most vulnerable to global warming, because of their isolation, narrow geographic distribution, and limited geographic range shifts. Stochastic and selective processes can act on the genome, modulating genetic structure and diversity. Fragmentation and historical processes also have a great influence on current genetic patterns, but the spatial and temporal contexts of these processes are poorly known. We aimed to evaluate the microevolutionary processes that may have taken place in Mediterranean high-mountain plants in response to changing historical environmental conditions. Genetic structure, diversity, and loci under selection were analyzed using AFLP markers in 17 populations distributed over the whole geographic range of Armeria caespitosa, an endemic plant that inhabits isolated mountains (Sierra de Guadarrama, Spain). Differences in altitude, geographic location, and climate conditions were considered in the analyses, because they may play an important role in selective and stochastic processes. Bayesian clustering approaches identified nine genetic groups, although some discrepancies in assignment were found between alternative analyses. Spatially explicit analyses showed a weak relationship between genetic parameters and spatial or environmental distances. However, a large proportion of outlier loci were detected, and some outliers were related to environmental variables. A. caespitosa populations exhibit spatial patterns of genetic structure that cannot be explained by the isolation-by-distance model. Shifts along the altitude gradient in response to Pleistocene climatic oscillations and environmentally mediated selective forces might explain the resulting structure and genetic diversity values found.

Theoretical and experimental researches on the operating costs of a wastewater treatment plant

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Panaitescu, M.; Panaitescu, F.-V.; Anton, I.-A.

2015-11-01

Purpose of the work: The total cost of a sewage plants is often determined by the present value method. All of the annual operating costs for each process are converted to the value of today's correspondence and added to the costs of investment for each process, which leads to getting the current net value. The operating costs of the sewage plants are subdivided, in general, in the premises of the investment and operating costs. The latter can be stable (normal operation and maintenance, the establishment of power) or variables (chemical and power sludge treatment and disposal, of effluent charges). For the purpose of evaluating the preliminary costs so that an installation can choose between different alternatives in an incipient phase of a project, can be used cost functions. In this paper will be calculated the operational cost to make several scenarios in order to optimize its. Total operational cost (fixed and variable) is dependent global parameters of wastewater treatment plant. Research and methodology: The wastewater treatment plant costs are subdivided in investment and operating costs. We can use different cost functions to estimate fixed and variable operating costs. In this study we have used the statistical formulas for cost functions. The method which was applied to study the impact of the influent characteristics on the costs is economic analysis. Optimization of plant design consist in firstly, to assess the ability of the smallest design to treat the maximum loading rates to a given effluent quality and, secondly, to compare the cost of the two alternatives for average and maximum loading rates. Results: In this paper we obtained the statistical values for the investment cost functions, operational fixed costs and operational variable costs for wastewater treatment plant and its graphical representations. All costs were compared to the net values. Finally we observe that it is more economical to build a larger plant, especially if maximum loading rates are reached. The actual target of operational management is to directly implement the presented cost functions in a software tool, in which the design of a plant and the simulation of its behaviour are evaluated simultaneously.

Agricultural recycling of treatment-plant sludge: a case study for a vegetable-processing factory.

PubMed

Dolgen, Deniz; Alpaslan, M Necdet; Delen, Nafiz

2007-08-01

The present study evaluated the possibility of using the sludge produced by a vegetable-processing factory in agriculture. The sludge was amended with a soil mixture (i.e., a mixture of sand, soil, and manure) and was applied at 0, 165, 330, 495 and 660 t/ha to promote the growth of cucumbers. The effects of various sludge loadings on plant growth were assessed by counting plants and leaves, measuring stem lengths, and weighing the green parts and roots of the plants. We also compared heavy metal uptake by the plants for sludge loadings of 330, 495, and 660 t/ha with various recommended standards for vegetables. Our results showed that plant growth patterns were influenced to some extent by the sludge loadings. In general, the number of leaves, stem length, and dry weight of green parts exhibited a pronounced positive growth response compared with an unfertilized control, and root growth showed a lesser but still significant response at sludge loadings of 165 and 330 t/ha. The sludge application caused no significant increase in heavy metal concentrations in the leaves, though zinc (Zn) and iron (Fe) were found at elevated concentrations. However, despite the Zn and Fe accumulation, we observed no toxicity symptoms in the plants. This may be a result of cucumber's tolerance of high metal levels.

Accumulation of Biomass and Mineral Elements with Calendar Time by Corn: Application of the Expanded Growth Model

PubMed Central

Overman, Allen R.; Scholtz, Richard V.

2011-01-01

The expanded growth model is developed to describe accumulation of plant biomass (Mg ha−1) and mineral elements (kg ha−1) in with calendar time (wk). Accumulation of plant biomass with calendar time occurs as a result of photosynthesis for green land-based plants. A corresponding accumulation of mineral elements such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium occurs from the soil through plant roots. In this analysis, the expanded growth model is tested against high quality, published data on corn (Zea mays L.) growth. Data from a field study in South Carolina was used to evaluate the application of the model, where the planting time of April 2 in the field study maximized the capture of solar energy for biomass production. The growth model predicts a simple linear relationship between biomass yield and the growth quantifier, which is confirmed with the data. The growth quantifier incorporates the unit processes of distribution of solar energy which drives biomass accumulation by photosynthesis, partitioning of biomass between light-gathering and structural components of the plants, and an aging function. A hyperbolic relationship between plant nutrient uptake and biomass yield is assumed, and is confirmed for the mineral elements nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K). It is concluded that the rate limiting process in the system is biomass accumulation by photosynthesis and that nutrient accumulation occurs in virtual equilibrium with biomass accumulation. PMID:22194842

Cyber-physical system for a water reclamation plant: Balancing aeration, energy, and water quality to maintain process resilience

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Junjie

Aeration accounts for a large fraction of energy consumption in conventional water reclamation plants (WRPs). Although process operations at older WRPs can satisfy effluent permit requirements, they typically operate with excess aeration. More effective process controls at older WRPs can be challenging as operators work to balance higher energy costs and more stringent effluent limitations while managing fluctuating loads. Therefore, understandings of process resilience or ability to quickly return to original operation conditions at a WRP are important. A state-of-art WRP should maintain process resilience to deal with different kinds of perturbations even after optimization of energy demands. This work was to evaluate the applicability and feasibility of cyber-physical system (CPS) for improving operation at Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRDGC) Calumet WRP. In this work, a process model was developed and used to better understand the conditions of current Calumet WRP, with additional valuable information from two dissolved oxygen field measurements. Meanwhile, a classification system was developed to reveal the pattern of historical influent scenario based on cluster analysis and cross-tabulation analysis. Based on the results from the classification, typical process control options were investigated. To ensure the feasibility of information acquisition, the reliability and flexibility of soft sensors were assessed to typical influent conditions. Finally, the process resilience was investigated to better balance influent perturbations, energy demands, and effluent quality for long-term operations. These investigations and evaluations show that although the energy demands change as the influent conditions and process controls. In general, aeration savings could be up to 50% from the level of current consumption; with a more complex process controls, the saving could be up to 70% in relatively steady-state conditions and at least 40% in relatively challenging transient conditions. The soft sensors can provide reliable and flexible performance on target predictions. The plant can still maintain at a similar level of process resilience after 50% aeration saving, even during long-term perturbations. Overall, this work shows that it is well feasible to provide more cost-effective operations at the Calumet WRP, and meanwhile influent perturbations, effluent quality, and process resilience are well in balance.

Simplifiying global biogeochemistry models to evaluate methane emissions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gerber, S.; Alonso-Contes, C.

2017-12-01

Process-based models are important tools to quantify wetland methane emissions, particularly also under climate change scenarios, evaluating these models is often cumbersome as they are embedded in larger land-surface models where fluctuating water table and the carbon cycle (including new readily decomposable plant material) are predicted variables. Here, we build on these large scale models but instead of modeling water table and plant productivity we provide values as boundary conditions. In contrast, aerobic and anaerobic decomposition, as well as soil column transport of oxygen and methane are predicted by the model. Because of these simplifications, the model has the potential to be more readily adaptable to the analysis of field-scale data. Here we determine the sensitivity of the model to specific setups, parameter choices, and to boundary conditions in order to determine set-up needs and inform what critical auxiliary variables need to be measured in order to better predict field-scale methane emissions from wetland soils. To that end we performed a global sensitivity analysis that also considers non-linear interactions between processes. The global sensitivity analysis revealed, not surprisingly, that water table dynamics (both mean level and amplitude of fluctuations), and the rate of the carbon cycle (i.e. net primary productivity) are critical determinants of methane emissions. The depth-scale where most of the potential decomposition occurs also affects methane emissions. Different transport mechanisms are compensating each other to some degree: If plant conduits are constrained, methane emissions by diffusive flux and ebullition compensate to some degree, however annual emissions are higher when plants help to bypass methanotrophs in temporally unsaturated upper layers. Finally, while oxygen consumption by plant roots help creating anoxic conditions it has little effect on overall methane emission. Our initial sensitivity analysis helps guiding further model development and improvement. However, an important goal for our model is to use it in field settings as a tool to deconvolve the different processes that contribute to the net transfer of methane from soils to atmosphere.

Evaluation of the significance of cell wall polymers in flax infected with a pathogenic strain of Fusarium oxysporum.

PubMed

Wojtasik, Wioleta; Kulma, Anna; Dymińska, Lucyna; Hanuza, Jerzy; Czemplik, Magdalena; Szopa, Jan

2016-03-22

Fusarium oxysporum infection leads to Fusarium-derived wilt, which is responsible for the greatest losses in flax (Linum usitatissimum) crop yield. Plants infected by Fusarium oxysporum show severe symptoms of dehydration due to the growth of the fungus in vascular tissues. As the disease develops, vascular browning and leaf yellowing can be observed. In the case of more virulent strains, plants die. The pathogen's attack starts with secretion of enzymes degrading the host cell wall. The main aim of the study was to evaluate the role of the cell wall polymers in the flax plant response to the infection in order to better understand the process of resistance and develop new ways to protect plants against infection. For this purpose, the expression of genes involved in cell wall polymer metabolism and corresponding polymer levels were investigated in flax seedlings after incubation with Fusarium oxysporum. This analysis was facilitated by selecting two groups of genes responding differently to the infection. The first group comprised genes strongly affected by the infection and activated later (phenylalanine ammonia lyase and glucosyltransferase). The second group comprised genes which are slightly affected (up to five times) and their expression vary as the infection progresses. Fusarium oxysporum infection did not affect the contents of cell wall polymers, but changed their structure. The results suggest that the role of the cell wall polymers in the plant response to Fusarium oxysporum infection is manifested through changes in expression of their genes and rearrangement of the cell wall polymers. Our studies provided new information about the role of cellulose and hemicelluloses in the infection process, the change of their structure and the expression of genes participating in their metabolism during the pathogen infection. We also confirmed the role of pectin and lignin in this process, indicating the major changes at the mRNA level of lignin metabolism genes and the loosening of the pectin structure.

Recovering More than Tree Cover: Herbivores and Herbivory in a Restored Tropical Dry Forest

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

Intense and chronic disturbance may arrest natural succession, reduce environmental quality and lead to ecological interaction losses. Where natural succession does not occur, ecological restoration aims to accelerate this process. While plant establishment and diversity is promoted by restoration, few studies have evaluated the effect of restoration activities on ecological processes and animal diversity. This study assessed herbivory and lepidopteran diversity associated with two pioneer tree species growing in 4-year-old experimental restoration plots in a tropical dry forest at Sierra de Huautla, in Morelos, Mexico. The study was carried out during the rainy season of 2010 (July-October) in eleven 50 x 50 m plots in three different habitats: cattle-excluded, cattle-excluded with restoration plantings, and cattle grazing plots. At the beginning of the rainy season, 10 juveniles of Heliocarpus pallidus (Malvaceae) and Ipomoea pauciflora (Convolvulaceae) were selected in each plot (N = 110 trees). Herbivory was measured in 10 leaves per plant at the end of the rainy season. To evaluate richness and abundance of lepidopteran larvae, all plants were surveyed monthly. Herbivory was similar among habitats and I. pauciflora showed a higher percentage of herbivory. A total of 868 lepidopteran larvae from 65 morphospecies were recorded. The family with the highest number of morphospecies (9 sp.) was Geometridae, while the most abundant family was Saturnidae, with 427 individuals. Lepidopteran richness and abundance were significantly higher in H. pallidus than in I. pauciflora. Lepidopteran richness was significantly higher in the cattle-excluded plots, while abundance was significantly higher in the non-excluded plots. After four years of cattle exclusion and the establishment of plantings, lepidopteran richness increased 20 –fold in the excluded plots compared to the disturbed areas, whereas herbivory levels were equally high in both restored and disturbed sites. Restoration with plantings and exclusion of cattle and plantings was shown to be a successful strategy for attracting lepidopterans and cattle exclusion was the main factor explaining lepidopteran diversity. PMID:26030756

Recovering more than tree cover: herbivores and herbivory in a restored tropical dry forest.

PubMed

Juan-Baeza, Iris; Martínez-Garza, Cristina; Del-Val, Ek

2015-01-01

Intense and chronic disturbance may arrest natural succession, reduce environmental quality and lead to ecological interaction losses. Where natural succession does not occur, ecological restoration aims to accelerate this process. While plant establishment and diversity is promoted by restoration, few studies have evaluated the effect of restoration activities on ecological processes and animal diversity. This study assessed herbivory and lepidopteran diversity associated with two pioneer tree species growing in 4-year-old experimental restoration plots in a tropical dry forest at Sierra de Huautla, in Morelos, Mexico. The study was carried out during the rainy season of 2010 (July-October) in eleven 50 x 50 m plots in three different habitats: cattle-excluded, cattle-excluded with restoration plantings, and cattle grazing plots. At the beginning of the rainy season, 10 juveniles of Heliocarpus pallidus (Malvaceae) and Ipomoea pauciflora (Convolvulaceae) were selected in each plot (N = 110 trees). Herbivory was measured in 10 leaves per plant at the end of the rainy season. To evaluate richness and abundance of lepidopteran larvae, all plants were surveyed monthly. Herbivory was similar among habitats and I. pauciflora showed a higher percentage of herbivory. A total of 868 lepidopteran larvae from 65 morphospecies were recorded. The family with the highest number of morphospecies (9 sp.) was Geometridae, while the most abundant family was Saturnidae, with 427 individuals. Lepidopteran richness and abundance were significantly higher in H. pallidus than in I. pauciflora. Lepidopteran richness was significantly higher in the cattle-excluded plots, while abundance was significantly higher in the non-excluded plots. After four years of cattle exclusion and the establishment of plantings, lepidopteran richness increased 20 -fold in the excluded plots compared to the disturbed areas, whereas herbivory levels were equally high in both restored and disturbed sites. Restoration with plantings and exclusion of cattle and plantings was shown to be a successful strategy for attracting lepidopterans and cattle exclusion was the main factor explaining lepidopteran diversity.

Yield model development project implementation plan

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ambroziak, R. A.

1982-01-01

Tasks remaining to be completed are summarized for the following major project elements: (1) evaluation of crop yield models; (2) crop yield model research and development; (3) data acquisition processing, and storage; (4) related yield research: defining spectral and/or remote sensing data requirements; developing input for driving and testing crop growth/yield models; real time testing of wheat plant process models) and (5) project management and support.

Automated Simulation For Analysis And Design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cantwell, E.; Shenk, Tim; Robinson, Peter; Upadhye, R.

1992-01-01

Design Assistant Workstation (DAWN) software being developed to facilitate simulation of qualitative and quantitative aspects of behavior of life-support system in spacecraft, chemical-processing plant, heating and cooling system of large building, or any of variety of systems including interacting process streams and processes. Used to analyze alternative design scenarios or specific designs of such systems. Expert system will automate part of design analysis: reason independently by simulating design scenarios and return to designer with overall evaluations and recommendations.

Simulation of ethane steam cracking with severity evaluation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rosli, M. N.; Aziz, N.

2016-11-01

Understanding the influence of operating parameters towards cracking severity is paramount in ensuring optimum operation of an ethylene plant. However, changing the parameters in an actual plant for data collection can be dangerous. Thus, a simulation model for ethane steam cracking furnace is developed using ASPEN Plus for the assessment. The process performance is evaluated with cracking severity factors and main product yields. Three severity factors are used for evaluation due to their ease of measurement, which are methane yield (Ymet), Ethylene-Ethane Ratio (EER) and Propylene-Ethylene Ratio (PER). The result shows that cracking severity is primarily influenced by reactor temperature. Operating the furnace with coil outlet temperature ranging between 850°C to 950°C and steam-to-hydrocarbon ratio of 0.3 to 0.5 has led to optimum main product yield.

Modelling the impacts of pests and diseases on agricultural systems.

PubMed

Donatelli, M; Magarey, R D; Bregaglio, S; Willocquet, L; Whish, J P M; Savary, S

2017-07-01

The improvement and application of pest and disease models to analyse and predict yield losses including those due to climate change is still a challenge for the scientific community. Applied modelling of crop diseases and pests has mostly targeted the development of support capabilities to schedule scouting or pesticide applications. There is a need for research to both broaden the scope and evaluate the capabilities of pest and disease models. Key research questions not only involve the assessment of the potential effects of climate change on known pathosystems, but also on new pathogens which could alter the (still incompletely documented) impacts of pests and diseases on agricultural systems. Yield loss data collected in various current environments may no longer represent a adequate reference to develop tactical, decision-oriented, models for plant diseases and pests and their impacts, because of the ongoing changes in climate patterns. Process-based agricultural simulation modelling, on the other hand, appears to represent a viable methodology to estimate the impacts of these potential effects. A new generation of tools based on state-of-the-art knowledge and technologies is needed to allow systems analysis including key processes and their dynamics over appropriate suitable range of environmental variables. This paper offers a brief overview of the current state of development in coupling pest and disease models to crop models, and discusses technical and scientific challenges. We propose a five-stage roadmap to improve the simulation of the impacts caused by plant diseases and pests; i) improve the quality and availability of data for model inputs; ii) improve the quality and availability of data for model evaluation; iii) improve the integration with crop models; iv) improve the processes for model evaluation; and v) develop a community of plant pest and disease modelers.

Lead exposure in an urban community: investigation of risk factors and assessment of the impact of lead abatement measures.

PubMed

de Freitas, Clarice Umbelino; De Capitani, Eduardo Mello; Gouveia, Nelson; Simonetti, Marcia Helena; de Paula E Silva, Mario Ramos; Kira, Carmen Silvia; Sakuma, Alice Momoyo; de Fátima Henriques Carvalho, Maria; Duran, Maria Cristina; Tiglea, Paulo; de Abreu, Maria Helena

2007-03-01

A battery recycling plant located in an urbanized area contaminated the environment with lead oxides. The Secretary of Environment of the State of São Paulo demanded an evaluation of lead exposure among the population in the vicinity of the plant. To assess the lead exposure of children, to propose control measures and evaluate the impact of these measures. Cross-sectional study of all children<13 years old in a radius of 1km from the plant responsible for the contamination. Blood lead levels (BLL) were determined for each child and questionnaires were applied to their parents. Mean BLL were compared before and after control measures were implemented. Logistic regression identified risk factors of lead exposure. Of the 850 investigated children, 311 presented BLL above the action limit established by the World Health Organization. Overall, the median BLL was 7.3 micro g/dL and it varied according to age of children (higher among 1-5 years old) and distance of the residence from the plant. Risk factors identified for BLL>10 micro g/dL were: to live in unpaved areas, parent working in the plant, distance from the plant, to play on the ground, pica, and to drink locally produced milk. After control measures were implemented (closing the plant, soil removal, dust vacuum-cleaning in the households, etc.), a reduction of 46% in BLL was observed considering the 241 re-evaluated children with levels >10 micro g/dL. This study showed that combined abatement measures were effective in reducing BLL in children living close to a contaminating source. These results informed the decision-making process regarding management of contaminated areas in Brazil.

Wastewater treatment in the pulp-and-paper industry: A review of treatment processes and the associated greenhouse gas emission.

PubMed

Ashrafi, Omid; Yerushalmi, Laleh; Haghighat, Fariborz

2015-08-01

Pulp-and-paper mills produce various types of contaminants and a significant amount of wastewater depending on the type of processes used in the plant. Since the generated wastewaters can be potentially polluting and very dangerous, they should be treated in wastewater treatment plants before being released to the environment. This paper reviews different wastewater treatment processes used in the pulp-and-paper industry and compares them with respect to their contaminant removal efficiencies and the extent of greenhouse gas (GHG) emission. It also evaluates the impact of operating parameters on the performance of different treatment processes. Two mathematical models were used to estimate GHG emission in common biological treatment processes used in the pulp-and-paper industry. Nutrient removal processes and sludge treatment are discussed and their associated GHG emissions are calculated. Although both aerobic and anaerobic biological processes are appropriate for wastewater treatment, their combination known as hybrid processes showed a better contaminant removal capacity at higher efficiencies under optimized operating conditions with reduced GHG emission and energy costs. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of proteome alterations induced by cadmium stress in sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) cultures.

PubMed

Lopes Júnior, Cícero Alves; Barbosa, Herbert de Sousa; Moretto Galazzi, Rodrigo; Ferreira Koolen, Hector Henrique; Gozzo, Fábio Cesar; Arruda, Marco Aurélio Zezzi

2015-09-01

The present study evaluates, at a proteomic level, changes in protein abundance in sunflower leaves in the absence or presence (at 50 or 700mg) of cadmium (as CdCl2). At the end of the cultivation period (45 days), proteins are extracted from leaves with phenol, separated by two-dimensional difference gel electrophoresis (2-D DIGE), and excised from the gels. The differential protein abundances (for proteins differing by more than 1.8 fold, which corresponds to 90% variation) are characterized using nESI-LC-MS/MS. The protein content decreases by approximately 41% in plants treated with 700mg Cd compared with control plants. By comparing all groups of plants evaluated in this study (Control vs. Cd-lower, Control vs. Cd-higher and Cd-lower vs. Cd-higher), 39 proteins are found differential and 18 accurately identified; the control vs. Cd-higher treatment is that presenting the most differential proteins. From identified proteins, those involved in energy and disease/defense (including stress), are the ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase large chain, transketolase, and heat shock proteins are the most differential abundant proteins. Thus, at the present study, photosynthesis is the main process affected by Cd in sunflowers, although these plants are highly tolerant to Cd. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Occurrence of pharmaceuticals in a municipal wastewater treatment plant: mass balance and removal processes.

PubMed

Gao, Pin; Ding, Yunjie; Li, Hui; Xagoraraki, Irene

2012-06-01

Occurrence and removal efficiencies of fifteen pharmaceuticals were investigated in a conventional municipal wastewater treatment plant in Michigan. Concentrations of these pharmaceuticals were determined in both wastewater and sludge phases by a high-performance liquid chromatograph coupled to a tandem mass spectrometer. Detailed mass balance analysis was conducted during the whole treatment process to evaluate the contributing processes for pharmaceutical removal. Among the pharmaceuticals studied, demeclocycline, sulfamerazine, erythromycin and tylosin were not detected in the wastewater treatment plant influent. Other target pharmaceuticals detected in wastewater were also found in the corresponding sludge phase. The removal efficiencies of chlortetracycline, tetracycline, sulfamerazine, acetaminophen and caffeine were >99%, while doxycycline, oxytetracycline, sulfadiazine and lincomycin exhibited relatively lower removal efficiencies (e.g., <50%). For sulfamethoxazole, the removal efficiency was approximately 90%. Carbamazepine manifested a net increase of mass, i.e. 41% more than the input from the influent. Based on the mass balance analysis, biotransformation is believed to be the predominant process responsible for the removal of pharmaceuticals (22% to 99%), whereas contribution of sorption to sludge was relatively insignificant (7%) for the investigated pharmaceuticals. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Energy recovery from thermal treatment of dewatered sludge in wastewater treatment plants.

PubMed

Yang, Qingfeng; Dussan, Karla; Monaghan, Rory F D; Zhan, Xinmin

Sewage sludge is a by-product generated from municipal wastewater treatment (WWT) processes. This study examines the conversion of sludge via energy recovery from gasification/combustion for thermal treatment of dewatered sludge. The present analysis is based on a chemical equilibrium model of thermal conversion of previously dewatered sludge with moisture content of 60-80%. Prior to combustion/gasification, sludge is dried to a moisture content of 25-55% by two processes: (1) heat recovered from syngas/flue gas cooling and (2) heat recovered from syngas combustion. The electricity recovered from the combined heat and power process can be reused in syngas cleaning and in the WWT plant. Gas temperature, total heat and electricity recoverable are evaluated using the model. Results show that generation of electricity from dewatered sludge with low moisture content (≤ 70%) is feasible within a self-sufficient sludge treatment process. Optimal conditions for gasification correspond to an equivalence ratio of 2.3 and dried sludge moisture content of 25%. Net electricity generated from syngas combustion can account for 0.071 kWh/m(3) of wastewater treated, which is up to 25.4-28.4% of the WWT plant's total energy consumption.

Light Water Reactor Sustainability Program Operator Performance Metrics for Control Room Modernization: A Practical Guide for Early Design Evaluation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ronald Boring; Roger Lew; Thomas Ulrich

2014-03-01

As control rooms are modernized with new digital systems at nuclear power plants, it is necessary to evaluate the operator performance using these systems as part of a verification and validation process. There are no standard, predefined metrics available for assessing what is satisfactory operator interaction with new systems, especially during the early design stages of a new system. This report identifies the process and metrics for evaluating human system interfaces as part of control room modernization. The report includes background information on design and evaluation, a thorough discussion of human performance measures, and a practical example of how themore » process and metrics have been used as part of a turbine control system upgrade during the formative stages of design. The process and metrics are geared toward generalizability to other applications and serve as a template for utilities undertaking their own control room modernization activities.« less

CN-Wheat, a functional–structural model of carbon and nitrogen metabolism in wheat culms after anthesis. I. Model description

PubMed Central

Barillot, Romain; Chambon, Camille; Andrieu, Bruno

2016-01-01

Background and Aims Improving crops requires better linking of traits and metabolic processes to whole plant performance. In this paper, we present CN-Wheat, a comprehensive and mechanistic model of carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) metabolism within wheat culms after anthesis. Methods The culm is described by modules that represent the roots, photosynthetic organs and grains. Each of them includes structural, storage and mobile materials. Fluxes of C and N among modules occur through a common pool and through transpiration flow. Metabolite variations are represented by differential equations that depend on the physiological processes occurring in each module. A challenging aspect of CN-Wheat lies in the regulation of these processes by metabolite concentrations and the environment perceived by organs. Key Results CN-Wheat simulates the distribution of C and N into wheat culms in relation to photosynthesis, N uptake, metabolite turnover, root exudation and tissue death. Regulation of physiological activities by local concentrations of metabolites appears to be a valuable feature for understanding how the behaviour of the whole plant can emerge from local rules. Conclusions The originality of CN-Wheat is that it proposes an integrated view of plant functioning based on a mechanistic approach. The formalization of each process can be further refined in the future as knowledge progresses. This approach is expected to strengthen our capacity to understand plant responses to their environment and investigate plant traits adapted to changes in agronomical practices or environmental conditions. A companion paper will evaluate the model. PMID:27497242

Plant traits determine the phylogenetic structure of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal communities.

PubMed

López-García, Álvaro; Varela-Cervero, Sara; Vasar, Martti; Öpik, Maarja; Barea, José M; Azcón-Aguilar, Concepción

2017-12-01

Functional diversity in ecosystems has traditionally been studied using aboveground plant traits. Despite the known effect of plant traits on the microbial community composition, their effects on the microbial functional diversity are only starting to be assessed. In this study, the phylogenetic structure of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungal communities associated with plant species differing in life cycle and growth form, that is, plant life forms, was determined to unravel the effect of plant traits on the functional diversity of this fungal group. The results of the 454 pyrosequencing showed that the AM fungal community composition differed across plant life forms and this effect was dependent on the soil collection date. Plants with ruderal characteristics tended to associate with phylogenetically clustered AM fungal communities. By contrast, plants with resource-conservative traits associated with phylogenetically overdispersed AM fungal communities. Additionally, the soil collected in different seasons yielded AM fungal communities with different phylogenetic dispersion. In summary, we found that the phylogenetic structure, and hence the functional diversity, of AM fungal communities is dependent on plant traits. This finding adds value to the use of plant traits for the evaluation of belowground ecosystem diversity, functions and processes. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

[Yield of starch extraction from plantain (Musa paradisiaca). Pilot plant study].

PubMed

Flores-Gorosquera, Emigdia; García-Suárez, Francisco J; Flores-Huicochea, Emmanuel; Núñez-Santiago, María C; González-Soto, Rosalia A; Bello-Pérez, Luis A

2004-01-01

In México, the banana (Musa paradisiaca) is cooked (boiling or deep frying) before being eaten, but the consumption is not very popular and a big quantity of the product is lost after harvesting. The unripe plantain has a high level of starch and due to this the use of banana can be diversified as raw material for starch isolation. The objective of this work was to study the starch yield at pilot plant scale. Experiments at laboratory scale were carried out using the pulp with citric acid to 0,3 % (antioxidant), in order to evaluate the different unitary operations of the process. The starch yield, based on starch presence in the pulp that can be isolated, were between 76 and 86 %, and the values at pilot plant scale were between 63 and 71 %, in different lots of banana fruit. Starch yield values were similar among the diverse lots, showing that the process is reproducible. The lower values of starch recovery at pilot plant scale are due to the loss during sieving operations; however, the amount of starch recovery is good.

EVALUATION OF BIOAEROSOL EXPOSURES DURING CONDITIONING OF BIOFILTER ORGANIC MEDIA BEDS

EPA Science Inventory

Biological media air filters (biofilters) are currently being used for the treatment of inorganic and organic gasses from sewage treatment plants, industrial processes, and remediation systems. The media may be organic material such as comost, wood chips, or synthetic plastic med...

Effects of invasive plants on arthropods.

PubMed

Litt, Andrea R; Cord, Erin E; Fulbright, Timothy E; Schuster, Greta L

2014-12-01

Non-native plants have invaded nearly all ecosystems and represent a major component of global ecological change. Plant invasions frequently change the composition and structure of vegetation communities, which can alter animal communities and ecosystem processes. We reviewed 87 articles published in the peer-reviewed literature to evaluate responses of arthropod communities and functional groups to non-native invasive plants. Total abundance of arthropods decreased in 62% of studies and increased in 15%. Taxonomic richness decreased in 48% of studies and increased in 13%. Herbivorous arthropods decreased in response to plant invasions in 48% of studies and increased in 17%, likely due to direct effects of decreased plant diversity. Predaceous arthropods decreased in response to invasive plants in 44% of studies, which may reflect indirect effects due to reductions in prey. Twenty-two percent of studies documented increases in predators, which may reflect changes in vegetation structure that improved mobility, survival, or web-building for these species. Detritivores increased in 67% of studies, likely in response to increased litter and decaying vegetation; no studies documented decreased abundance in this functional group. Although many researchers have examined effects of plant invasions on arthropods, sizeable information gaps remain, specifically regarding how invasive plants influence habitat and dietary requirements. Beyond this, the ability to predict changes in arthropod populations and communities associated with plant invasions could be improved by adopting a more functional and mechanistic approach. Understanding responses of arthropods to invasive plants will critically inform conservation of virtually all biodiversity and ecological processes because so many organisms depend on arthropods as prey or for their functional roles, including pollination, seed dispersal, and decomposition. Given their short generation times and ability to respond rapidly to ecological change, arthropods may be ideal targets for restoration and conservation activities. © 2014 Society for Conservation Biology.

Molecular analysis of post-harvest withering in grape by AFLP transcriptional profiling

PubMed Central

Zamboni, Anita; Minoia, Leone; Ferrarini, Alberto; Tornielli, Giovanni Battista; Zago, Elisa; Delledonne, Massimo; Pezzotti, Mario

2008-01-01

Post-harvest withering of grape berries is used in the production of dessert and fortified wines to alter must quality characteristics and increase the concentration of simple sugars. The molecular processes that occur during withering are poorly understood, so a detailed transcriptomic analysis of post-harvest grape berries was carried out by AFLP-transcriptional profiling analysis. This will help to elucidate the molecular mechanisms of berry withering and will provide an opportunity to select markers that can be used to follow the drying process and evaluate different drying techniques. AFLP-TP identified 699 withering-specific genes, 167 and 86 of which were unique to off-plant and on-plant withering, respectively. Although similar molecular events were revealed in both withering processes, it was apparent that off-plant withering induced a stronger dehydration stress response resulting in the high level expression of genes involved in stress protection mechanisms, such as dehydrin and osmolite accumulation. Genes involved in hexose metabolism and transport, cell wall composition, and secondary metabolism (particularly the phenolic and terpene compound pathways) were similarly regulated in both processes. This work provides the first comprehensive analysis of the molecular events underpinning post-harvest withering and could help to define markers for different withering processes. PMID:19010774

Molecular analysis of post-harvest withering in grape by AFLP transcriptional profiling.

PubMed

Zamboni, Anita; Minoia, Leone; Ferrarini, Alberto; Tornielli, Giovanni Battista; Zago, Elisa; Delledonne, Massimo; Pezzotti, Mario

2008-01-01

Post-harvest withering of grape berries is used in the production of dessert and fortified wines to alter must quality characteristics and increase the concentration of simple sugars. The molecular processes that occur during withering are poorly understood, so a detailed transcriptomic analysis of post-harvest grape berries was carried out by AFLP-transcriptional profiling analysis. This will help to elucidate the molecular mechanisms of berry withering and will provide an opportunity to select markers that can be used to follow the drying process and evaluate different drying techniques. AFLP-TP identified 699 withering-specific genes, 167 and 86 of which were unique to off-plant and on-plant withering, respectively. Although similar molecular events were revealed in both withering processes, it was apparent that off-plant withering induced a stronger dehydration stress response resulting in the high level expression of genes involved in stress protection mechanisms, such as dehydrin and osmolite accumulation. Genes involved in hexose metabolism and transport, cell wall composition, and secondary metabolism (particularly the phenolic and terpene compound pathways) were similarly regulated in both processes. This work provides the first comprehensive analysis of the molecular events underpinning post-harvest withering and could help to define markers for different withering processes.

Organic Separation Test Results

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Russell, Renee L.; Rinehart, Donald E.; Peterson, Reid A.

2014-09-22

Separable organics have been defined as “those organic compounds of very limited solubility in the bulk waste and that can form a separate liquid phase or layer” (Smalley and Nguyen 2013), and result from three main solvent extraction processes: U Plant Uranium Recovery Process, B Plant Waste Fractionation Process, and Plutonium Uranium Extraction (PUREX) Process. The primary organic solvents associated with tank solids are TBP, D2EHPA, and NPH. There is concern that, while this organic material is bound to the sludge particles as it is stored in the tanks, waste feed delivery activities, specifically transfer pump and mixer pump operations,more » could cause the organics to form a separated layer in the tank farms feed tank. Therefore, Washington River Protection Solutions (WRPS) is experimentally evaluating the potential of organic solvents separating from the tank solids (sludge) during waste feed delivery activities, specifically the waste mixing and transfer processes. Given the Hanford Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP) waste acceptance criteria per the Waste Feed Acceptance Criteria document (24590-WTP-RPT-MGT-11-014) that there is to be “no visible layer” of separable organics in the waste feed, this would result in the batch being unacceptable to transfer to WTP. This study is of particular importance to WRPS because of these WTP requirements.« less

Computer simulation of energy use, greenhouse gas emissions, and process economics of the fluid milk process.

PubMed

Tomasula, P M; Yee, W C F; McAloon, A J; Nutter, D W; Bonnaillie, L M

2013-05-01

Energy-savings measures have been implemented in fluid milk plants to lower energy costs and the energy-related carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Although these measures have resulted in reductions in steam, electricity, compressed air, and refrigeration use of up to 30%, a benchmarking framework is necessary to examine the implementation of process-specific measures that would lower energy use, costs, and CO2 emissions even further. In this study, using information provided by the dairy industry and equipment vendors, a customizable model of the fluid milk process was developed for use in process design software to benchmark the electrical and fuel energy consumption and CO2 emissions of current processes. It may also be used to test the feasibility of new processing concepts to lower energy and CO2 emissions with calculation of new capital and operating costs. The accuracy of the model in predicting total energy usage of the entire fluid milk process and the pasteurization step was validated using available literature and industry energy data. Computer simulation of small (40.0 million L/yr), medium (113.6 million L/yr), and large (227.1 million L/yr) processing plants predicted the carbon footprint of milk, defined as grams of CO2 equivalents (CO2e) per kilogram of packaged milk, to within 5% of the value of 96 g of CO 2e/kg of packaged milk obtained in an industry-conducted life cycle assessment and also showed, in agreement with the same study, that plant size had no effect on the carbon footprint of milk but that larger plants were more cost effective in producing milk. Analysis of the pasteurization step showed that increasing the percentage regeneration of the pasteurizer from 90 to 96% would lower its thermal energy use by almost 60% and that implementation of partial homogenization would lower electrical energy use and CO2e emissions of homogenization by 82 and 5.4%, respectively. It was also demonstrated that implementation of steps to lower non-process-related electrical energy in the plant would be more effective in lowering energy use and CO2e emissions than fuel-related energy reductions. The model also predicts process-related water usage, but this portion of the model was not validated due to a lack of data. The simulator model can serve as a benchmarking framework for current plant operations and a tool to test cost-effective process upgrades or evaluate new technologies that improve the energy efficiency and lower the carbon footprint of milk processing plants. Copyright © 2013 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

1170 MW/sub t/ HTGR steamer cogeneration plant: design and cost study

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

A conceptual design and cost study is presented for intermediate size high temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR) for industrial energy applications performed by United Engineers and Constructors Inc., (UE and C) and The General Atomic Company (GAC). The study is part of a program at ORNL and has the objective to provide support in the evaluation of the technical and economic feasibility of a single unit 1170 MW/sub t/ HTGR steam cycle cogeneration plant (referred to as the Steamer plant) for the production of industrial process energy. Inherent in the achievement of this objective, it was essential to perform a numbermore » of basic tasks such as the development of plant concept, capital cost estimate, project schedule and annual operation and maintenance (O and M) cost.« less

Antiproliferative effects of fresh and thermal processed green and red cultivars of curly kale (Brassica oleracea L. convar. acephala var. sabellica).

PubMed

Olsen, Helle; Grimmer, Stine; Aaby, Kjersti; Saha, Shikha; Borge, Grethe Iren A

2012-08-01

Brassica vegetables contain a diverse range of phytochemicals with biological properties such as antioxidant and anticancer activity. However, knowledge about how biological activities are affected by processing is lacking. A green cultivar and a red cultivar of curly kale were evaluated for water/methanol-soluble phytochemicals before and after processing involving blanching, freeze storage, and boil-in-bag heat treatment. In both kale cultivars, processing resulted in a significant decrease of total phenolics, antioxidant capacity, and content and distribution of flavonols, anthocyanins, hydroxycinnamic acids, glucosinolates, and vitamin C. Interestingly, the red curly kale cultivar had a higher capacity to withstand thermal loss of phytochemicals. The extracts of both green and red curly kale inhibited the cell proliferation of three human colon cancer cell lines (Caco-2, HT-29, and HCT 116). However, extracts from fresh plant material had a significantly stronger antiproliferative effect than extracts from processed plant material.

Unsupervised domain adaptation for early detection of drought stress in hyperspectral images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schmitter, P.; Steinrücken, J.; Römer, C.; Ballvora, A.; Léon, J.; Rascher, U.; Plümer, L.

2017-09-01

Hyperspectral images can be used to uncover physiological processes in plants if interpreted properly. Machine Learning methods such as Support Vector Machines (SVM) and Random Forests have been applied to estimate development of biomass and detect and predict plant diseases and drought stress. One basic requirement of machine learning implies, that training and testing is done in the same domain and the same distribution. Different genotypes, environmental conditions, illumination and sensors violate this requirement in most practical circumstances. Here, we present an approach, which enables the detection of physiological processes by transferring the prior knowledge within an existing model into a related target domain, where no label information is available. We propose a two-step transformation of the target features, which enables a direct application of an existing model. The transformation is evaluated by an objective function including additional prior knowledge about classification and physiological processes in plants. We have applied the approach to three sets of hyperspectral images, which were acquired with different plant species in different environments observed with different sensors. It is shown, that a classification model, derived on one of the sets, delivers satisfying classification results on the transformed features of the other data sets. Furthermore, in all cases early non-invasive detection of drought stress was possible.

Integrated bicarbonate-form ion exchange treatment and regeneration for DOC removal: Model development and pilot plant study.

PubMed

Hu, Yue; Boyer, Treavor H

2017-05-15

The application of bicarbonate-form anion exchange resin and sodium bicarbonate salt for resin regeneration was investigated in this research is to reduce chloride ion release during treatment and the disposal burden of sodium chloride regeneration solution when using traditional chloride-form ion exchange (IX). The target contaminant in this research was dissolved organic carbon (DOC). The performance evaluation was conducted in a completely mixed flow reactor (CMFR) IX configuration. A process model that integrated treatment and regeneration was investigated based on the characteristics of configuration. The kinetic and equilibrium experiments were performed to obtain required parameters for the process model. The pilot plant tests were conducted to validate the model as well as provide practical understanding on operation. The DOC concentration predicted by the process model responded to the change of salt concentration in the solution, and showed a good agreement with pilot plant data with less than 10% difference in terms of percentage removal. Both model predictions and pilot plant tests showed over 60% DOC removal by bicarbonate-form resin for treatment and sodium bicarbonate for regeneration, which was comparable to chloride-form resin for treatment and sodium chloride for regeneration. Lastly, the DOC removal was improved by using higher salt concentration for regeneration. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sewage sludge drying process integration with a waste-to-energy power plant.

PubMed

Bianchini, A; Bonfiglioli, L; Pellegrini, M; Saccani, C

2015-08-01

Dewatered sewage sludge from Waste Water Treatment Plants (WWTPs) is encountering increasing problems associated with its disposal. Several solutions have been proposed in the last years regarding energy and materials recovery from sewage sludge. Current technological solutions have relevant limits as dewatered sewage sludge is characterized by a high water content (70-75% by weight), even if mechanically treated. A Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF) with good thermal characteristics in terms of Lower Heating Value (LHV) can be obtained if dewatered sludge is further processed, for example by a thermal drying stage. Sewage sludge thermal drying is not sustainable if the power is fed by primary energy sources, but can be appealing if waste heat, recovered from other processes, is used. A suitable integration can be realized between a WWTP and a waste-to-energy (WTE) power plant through the recovery of WTE waste heat as energy source for sewage sludge drying. In this paper, the properties of sewage sludge from three different WWTPs are studied. On the basis of the results obtained, a facility for the integration of sewage sludge drying within a WTE power plant is developed. Furthermore, energy and mass balances are set up in order to evaluate the benefits brought by the described integration. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Root structural and functional dynamics in terrestrial biosphere models--evaluation and recommendations.

PubMed

Warren, Jeffrey M; Hanson, Paul J; Iversen, Colleen M; Kumar, Jitendra; Walker, Anthony P; Wullschleger, Stan D

2015-01-01

There is wide breadth of root function within ecosystems that should be considered when modeling the terrestrial biosphere. Root structure and function are closely associated with control of plant water and nutrient uptake from the soil, plant carbon (C) assimilation, partitioning and release to the soils, and control of biogeochemical cycles through interactions within the rhizosphere. Root function is extremely dynamic and dependent on internal plant signals, root traits and morphology, and the physical, chemical and biotic soil environment. While plant roots have significant structural and functional plasticity to changing environmental conditions, their dynamics are noticeably absent from the land component of process-based Earth system models used to simulate global biogeochemical cycling. Their dynamic representation in large-scale models should improve model veracity. Here, we describe current root inclusion in models across scales, ranging from mechanistic processes of single roots to parameterized root processes operating at the landscape scale. With this foundation we discuss how existing and future root functional knowledge, new data compilation efforts, and novel modeling platforms can be leveraged to enhance root functionality in large-scale terrestrial biosphere models by improving parameterization within models, and introducing new components such as dynamic root distribution and root functional traits linked to resource extraction. No claim to original US Government works. New Phytologist © 2014 New Phytologist Trust.

Safety and reliability analysis in a polyvinyl chloride batch process using dynamic simulator-case study: Loss of containment incident.

PubMed

Rizal, Datu; Tani, Shinichi; Nishiyama, Kimitoshi; Suzuki, Kazuhiko

2006-10-11

In this paper, a novel methodology in batch plant safety and reliability analysis is proposed using a dynamic simulator. A batch process involving several safety objects (e.g. sensors, controller, valves, etc.) is activated during the operational stage. The performance of the safety objects is evaluated by the dynamic simulation and a fault propagation model is generated. By using the fault propagation model, an improved fault tree analysis (FTA) method using switching signal mode (SSM) is developed for estimating the probability of failures. The timely dependent failures can be considered as unavailability of safety objects that can cause the accidents in a plant. Finally, the rank of safety object is formulated as performance index (PI) and can be estimated using the importance measures. PI shows the prioritization of safety objects that should be investigated for safety improvement program in the plants. The output of this method can be used for optimal policy in safety object improvement and maintenance. The dynamic simulator was constructed using Visual Modeler (VM, the plant simulator, developed by Omega Simulation Corp., Japan). A case study is focused on the loss of containment (LOC) incident at polyvinyl chloride (PVC) batch process which is consumed the hazardous material, vinyl chloride monomer (VCM).

RNA-Based Amplicon Sequencing Reveals Microbiota Development during Ripening of Artisanal versus Industrial Lard d'Arnad.

PubMed

Ferrocino, Ilario; Bellio, Alberto; Romano, Angelo; Macori, Guerrino; Rantsiou, Kalliopi; Decastelli, Lucia; Cocolin, Luca

2017-08-15

Valle d'Aosta Lard d'Arnad is a protected designation of origin (PDO) product produced from fat of the shoulder and back of heavy pigs. Its manufacturing process can be very diverse, especially regarding the maturation temperature and the NaCl concentration used for the brine; thereby, the main goal of this study was to investigate the impact of those parameters on the microbiota developed during curing and ripening. Three farms producing Lard d'Arnad were selected. Two plants, reflecting the industrial process characterized either by low maturation temperature (plant A [10% NaCl, 2°C]) or by using a low NaCl concentration (plant B [2.5% NaCl, 4°C]), were selected, while the third was characterized by an artisanal process (plant C [30% NaCl, 8°C]). Lard samples were obtained at time 0 and after 7, 15, 30, 60, and 90 days of maturation. From each plant, 3 independent lots were analyzed. The diversity of live microbiota was evaluated by using classical plate counts and amplicon target sequencing of small subunit (SSU) rRNA. The main taxa identified by sequencing were Acinetobacter johnsonii , Psychrobacter , Staphylococcus equorum , Staphylococcus sciuri , Pseudomonas fragi , Brochothrix , Halomonas , and Vibrio , and differences in their relative abundances distinguished samples from the individual plants. The composition of the microbiota was more similar among plants A and B, and it was characterized by the higher presence of taxa recognized as undesired bacteria in food-processing environments. Oligotype analysis of Halomonas and Acinetobacter revealed the presence of several characteristic oligotypes associated with A and B samples. IMPORTANCE Changes in the food production process can drastically affect the microbial community structure, with a possible impact on the final characteristics of the products. The industrial processes of Lard d'Arnad production are characterized by a reduction in the salt concentration in the brines to address a consumer demand for less salty products; this can negatively affect the dynamics and development of the live microbiota and, as a consequence, can negatively impact the quality of the final product due to the higher abundance of spoilage bacteria. This study is an overview of the live microbiota that develop during lard manufacturing, and it highlights the importance of the use of traditional process to produce PDO from a spoilage perspective. Copyright © 2017 American Society for Microbiology.

Forest biomass supply logistics for a power plant using the discrete-event simulation approach

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mobini, Mahdi; Sowlati, T.; Sokhansanj, Shahabaddine

This study investigates the logistics of supplying forest biomass to a potential power plant. Due to the complexities in such a supply logistics system, a simulation model based on the framework of Integrated Biomass Supply Analysis and Logistics (IBSAL) is developed in this study to evaluate the cost of delivered forest biomass, the equilibrium moisture content, and carbon emissions from the logistics operations. The model is applied to a proposed case of 300 MW power plant in Quesnel, BC, Canada. The results show that the biomass demand of the power plant would not be met every year. The weighted averagemore » cost of delivered biomass to the gate of the power plant is about C$ 90 per dry tonne. Estimates of equilibrium moisture content of delivered biomass and CO2 emissions resulted from the processes are also provided.« less

Innovative test method for the estimation of the foaming tendency of substrates for biogas plants.

PubMed

Moeller, Lucie; Eismann, Frank; Wißmann, Daniel; Nägele, Hans-Joachim; Zielonka, Simon; Müller, Roland A; Zehnsdorf, Andreas

2015-07-01

Excessive foaming in anaerobic digestion occurs at many biogas plants and can cause problems including plugged gas pipes. Unfortunately, the majority of biogas plant operators are unable to identify the causes of foaming in their biogas reactor. The occurrence of foaming is often related to the chemical composition of substrates fed to the reactor. The consistency of the digestate itself is also a crucial part of the foam formation process. Thus, no specific recommendations concerning substrates can be given in order to prevent foam formation in biogas plants. The safest way to avoid foaming is to test the foaming tendency of substrates on-site. A possible solution is offered by an innovative foaming test. With the help of this tool, biogas plant operators can evaluate the foaming disposition of new substrates prior to use in order to adjust the composition of substrate mixes. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

New technology for food safety: role of the new technology staff in FSIS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Early, Howard

2004-03-01

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has implemented new procedures for meat and poultry establishments, egg products plants, and companies that manufacture and sell technology to official establishments to notify the Agency of new technology that they propose to use in meat and poultry establishments or egg products plants. If the new technology could affect FSIS regulations, product safety, inspection procedures, or the safety of Federal inspection program personnel, then the establishment or plant would need to submit a written protocol to the Agency. As part of this process, the submitter will be expected to conduct in-plant trials of the new technology. The submitter will need to provide data to FSIS throughout the duration of the in-plant trial for the Agency to examine. Data may take several forms: laboratory results, weekly or monthly summary production reports, and evaluations from inspection program personnel.

Conceptual design of thermal energy storage systems for near term electric utility applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hall, E. W.; Hausz, W.; Anand, R.; Lamarche, N.; Oplinger, J.; Katzer, M.

1979-01-01

Potential concepts for near term electric utility applications were identified. The most promising ones for conceptual design were evaluated for their economic feasibility and cost benefits. The screening process resulted in selecting two coal-fired and two nuclear plants for detailed conceptual design. The coal plants utilized peaking turbines and the nuclear plants varied the feedwater extraction to change power output. It was shown that the performance and costs of even the best of these systems could not compete in near term utility applications with cycling coal plants and typical gas turbines available for peaking power. Lower electricity costs, greater flexibility of operation, and other benefits can be provided by cycling coal plants for greater than 1500 hours of peaking or by gas turbines for less than 1500 hours if oil is available and its cost does not increase significantly.

Idea of Identification of Copper Ore with the Use of Process Analyser Technology Sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jurdziak, Leszek; Kaszuba, Damian; Kawalec, Witold; Król, Robert

2016-10-01

The Polish resources of the copper ore exploited by the KGHM S.A. underground mines are considered as one of the most complex in the world and - consequently - the most difficult to be processed. The ore consists of three lithology forms: dolomites, shales and sandstones but in different proportions which has a significant impact on the effectiveness of the grinding and flotation processes. The lithological composition of the ore is generally recognised in-situ but after being mined it is blended on its long way from various mining fields to the processing plant by the complex transportation system consisting of belt conveyors with numerous switching points, ore bunkers and shafts. Identification of the lithological composition of the ore being supplied to the processing plant should improve the adjustments of the ore processing machinery equipment aiming to decrease the specific processing (mainly grinding) energy consumption as well as increase the metal recovery. The novel idea of Process Analyser Technology (PAT) sensors - information carrying pellets, dropped into the transported or processed bulk material which can be read directly when needed - is investigated for various applications within the DISIRE project (a part of the SPIRE initiative, acting under the Horizon2020 framework program) and here is adopted for implementing the annotation the transported copper ore for the needs of ore processing plants control. The identification of the lithological composition of ore blended on its way to the processing plant can be achieved by an information system consisting of pellets that keep the information about the original location of the portions of conveyed ore, the digital, geological database keeping the data of in-situ lithology and the simulation models of the transportation system, necessary to evaluate the composition of the blended ore. The assumptions of the proposed solution and the plan of necessary in-situ tests (with the special respect to harsh environment of

Update on the Department of Energy's 1994 plutonium vulnerability assessment for the plutonium finishing plant

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

HERZOG, K.R.

1999-09-01

A review of the environmental, safety, and health vulnerabilities associated with the continued storage of PFP's inventory of plutonium bearing materials and other SNM. This report re-evaluates the five vulnerabilities identified in 1994 at the PFP that are associated with SNM storage. This new evaluation took a more detailed look and applied a risk ranking process to help focus remediation efforts.

Final Techno-Economic Analysis of 550 MWe Supercritical PC Power Plant CO 2 Capture with Linde-BASF Advanced PCC Technology

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bostick, Devin; Stoffregen, Torsten; Rigby, Sean

This topical report presents the techno-economic evaluation of a 550 MWe supercritical pulverized coal (PC) power plant utilizing Illinois No. 6 coal as fuel, integrated with 1) a previously presented (for a subcritical PC plant) Linde-BASF post-combustion CO 2 capture (PCC) plant incorporating BASF’s OASE® blue aqueous amine-based solvent (LB1) [Ref. 6] and 2) a new Linde-BASF PCC plant incorporating the same BASF OASE® blue solvent that features an advanced stripper interstage heater design (SIH) to optimize heat recovery in the PCC process. The process simulation and modeling for this report is performed using Aspen Plus V8.8. Technical information frommore » the PCC plant is determined using BASF’s proprietary thermodynamic and process simulation models. The simulations developed and resulting cost estimates are first validated by reproducing the results of DOE/NETL Case 12 representing a 550 MWe supercritical PC-fired power plant with PCC incorporating a monoethanolamine (MEA) solvent as used in the DOE/NETL Case 12 reference [Ref. 2]. The results of the techno-economic assessment are shown comparing two specific options utilizing the BASF OASE® blue solvent technology (LB1 and SIH) to the DOE/NETL Case 12 reference. The results are shown comparing the energy demand for PCC, the incremental fuel requirement, and the net higher heating value (HHV) efficiency of the PC power plant integrated with the PCC plant. A comparison of the capital costs for each PCC plant configuration corresponding to a net 550 MWe power generation is also presented. Lastly, a cost of electricity (COE) and cost of CO 2 captured assessment is shown illustrating the substantial cost reductions achieved with the Linde-BASF PCC plant utilizing the advanced SIH configuration in combination with BASF’s OASE® blue solvent technology as compared to the DOE/NETL Case 12 reference. The key factors contributing to the reduction of COE and the cost of CO 2 captured, along with quantification of the magnitude of the reductions achieved by each of these factors, are also discussed. Additionally, a high-level techno-economic analysis of one more highly advanced Linde-BASF PCC configuration case (LB1-CREB) is also presented to demonstrate the significant impact of innovative PCC plant process design improvements on further reducing COE and cost of CO 2 captured for overall plant cost and performance comparison purposes. Overall, the net efficiency of the integrated 550 MWe supercritical PC power plant with CO 2 capture is increased from 28.4% with the DOE/NETL Case 12 reference to 30.9% with the Linde-BASF PCC plant previously presented utilizing the BASF OASE® blue solvent [Ref. 6], and is further increased to 31.4% using Linde-BASF PCC plant with BASF OASE® blue solvent and an advanced SIH configuration. The Linde-BASF PCC plant incorporating the BASF OASE® blue solvent also results in significantly lower overall capital costs, thereby reducing the COE and cost of CO 2 captured from $147.25/MWh and $56.49/MT CO 2, respectively, for the reference DOE/NETL Case 12 plant, to $128.49/MWh and $41.85/MT CO 2 for process case LB1, respectively, and $126.65/MWh and $40.66/MT CO 2 for process case SIH, respectively. With additional innovative Linde-BASF PCC process configuration improvements, the COE and cost of CO2 captured can be further reduced to $125.51/MWh and $39.90/MT CO 2 for LB1-CREB. Most notably, the Linde-BASF process options presented here have already demonstrated the potential to lower the cost of CO2 captured below the DOE target of $40/MT CO 2 at the 550 MWe scale for second generation PCC technologies.« less

A model system to study the lignification process in Eucalyptus globulus.

PubMed

Araújo, Pedro; Cesarino, Igor; Mayer, Juliana Lischka Sampaio; Ferrari, Ilse Fernanda; Kiyota, Eduardo; Sawaya, Alexandra Christine Helena Frankland; Paes Leme, Adriana Franco; Mazzafera, Paulo

2014-09-01

Recalcitrance of plant biomass is closely related to the presence of the phenolic heteropolymer lignin in secondary cell walls, which has a negative effect on forage digestibility, biomass-to-biofuels conversion and chemical pulping. The genus Eucalyptus is the main source of wood for pulp and paper industry. However, when compared to model plants such as Arabidopsis thaliana and poplar, relatively little is known about lignin biosynthesis in Eucalyptus and only a few genes were functionally characterized. An efficient, fast and inexpensive in vitro system was developed to study lignification in Eucalyptus globulus and to evaluate the potential role of candidate genes in this biological process. Seedlings were grown in four different conditions, in the presence or absence of light and with or without sucrose in the growth medium, and several aspects of lignin metabolism were evaluated. Our results showed that light and, to a lesser extent, sucrose induced lignin biosynthesis, which was followed by changes in S/G ratio, lignin oligomers accumulation and gene expression. In addition, higher total peroxidase activity and differential isoperoxidase profile were observed when seedlings were grown in the presence of light and sucrose. Peptide sequencing allowed the identification of differentially expressed peroxidases, which can be considered potential candidate class III peroxidases involved in lignin polymerization in E. globulus. © 2014 Scandinavian Plant Physiology Society.

Upstream H/sub 2/S removal from geothermal steam. Final report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1981-11-01

The purpose of this project was to evaluate a new heat exchanger process as a method for removing hydrogen sulfide (H/sub 2/S) gas from geothermal steam upstream of a power plant turbine. The process utilizes a heat exchanger to condense geothermal steam so that noncondensable gases (including H/sub 2/S) can be removed in the form of a concentrated vent stream. Ultimate disposal of the removed H/sub 2/S gas may then be accomplished by use of other processes such as the commercially available Stretford process. The clean condensate is reevaporated on the other side of the heat exchanger using the heatmore » removed from the condensing geothermal steam. The necessary heat transfer is induced by maintaining a slight pressure difference, and consequently a slight temperature difference, between the two sides of the heat exchanger. Evaluation of this condensing and reboiling process was performed primarily through the testing of a small-scale 14 m/sup 2/ (150 ft/sup 2/) vertical tube evaporator heat exchanger at The Geysers Power Plant in northern California. The field test results demonstrated H/sub 2/S removal rates consistently better than 90 percent, with an average removal rate of 94 percent. In addition, the removal rate for all noncondensable gases is about 98 percent. Heat transfer rates were high enough to indicate acceptable economics for application of the process on a commercial scale. The report also includes an evaluation of the cost and performance of various configurations of the system, and presents design and cost estimates for a 2.5 MWe and a 55 MWe unit.« less

Overexpression of a phospholipase (OsPLDα1) for drought tolerance in upland rice (Oryza sativa L.).

PubMed

Abreu, Fernanda Raquel Martins; Dedicova, Beata; Vianello, Rosana Pereira; Lanna, Anna Cristina; de Oliveira, João Augusto Vieira; Vieira, Ariadna Faria; Morais, Odilon Peixoto; Mendonça, João Antônio; Brondani, Claudio

2018-05-30

This work aimed to evaluate the drought tolerance of transformed plants of the cultivar BRSMG Curinga that overexpress the rice phospholipase D α1 (OsPLDα1) gene. The productivity of independent transformation event plants of the OsPLDα1 gene was evaluated in an experiment where 19 days of water deficit were applied at the reproductive stage, a very strict growing condition for upland rice. The non-genetically modified cultivar (NGM) under drought treatment reduced productivity by 89% compared with that under irrigated treatment, whereas transformed plants (PLDα1_E2) reduced productivity by only 41%. After the drought treatment, the PLDα1_E2 plants productivity was five times greater than that of the NGM plant. Moreover, no adverse effects on growth and development of the transgenic plants were observed. Seven days after the resumption of irrigation, PLDα1_E2 plants had higher stomatal conductance, greater photosynthetic rate, and transpiration rate than did NGM plants, as well as a higher expression level of the OsPLDα1 gene. A delay in the senescence process was observed in these PLDα1_E2 plants, and this was determined for the recovery of photosynthesis, with greater expression of the Rubisco and lower expression of the SOD. This finding was suggestive of decreased oxidative stress, probably due to gas exchange by the partial closure of the stomata of these transformed plants, which prevented the formation of reactive oxygen species. OsPLDα1 gene overexpression resulted in a reduction in production loss under severe water deficit and revealed a possibility for the development of upland rice cultivars that are more tolerant to extreme drought conditions.

Integrated Evaluation Concept to Assess the Efficacy of Advanced Wastewater Treatment Processes for the Elimination of Micropollutants and Pathogens.

PubMed

Ternes, Thomas A; Prasse, Carsten; Eversloh, Christian Lütke; Knopp, Gregor; Cornel, Peter; Schulte-Oehlmann, Ulrike; Schwartz, Thomas; Alexander, Johannes; Seitz, Wolfram; Coors, Anja; Oehlmann, Jörg

2017-01-03

A multidisciplinary concept has been developed to compare advanced wastewater treatment processes for their efficacy of eliminating micropollutants and pathogens. The concept is based on (i) the removal/formation of selected indicator substances and their transformation products (TPs), (ii) the assessment of ecotoxicity via in vitro tests, and (iii) the removal of pathogens and antibiotic resistant bacteria. It includes substances passing biological wastewater treatment plants regulated or proposed to be regulated in the European Water Framework Directive, TPs formed in biological processes or during ozonation, agonistic/antagonistic endocrine activities, mutagenic/genotoxic activities, cytotoxic activities, further activities like neurotoxicity as well as antibiotics resistance genes, and taxonomic gene markers for pathogens. At a pilot plant, ozonation of conventionally treated wastewater resulted in the removal of micropollutants and pathogens and the reduction of estrogenic effects, whereas the in vitro mutagenicity increased. Subsequent post-treatment of the ozonated water by granular activated carbon (GAC) significantly reduced the mutagenic effects as well as the concentrations of remaining micropollutants, whereas this was not the case for biofiltration. The results demonstrate the suitability of the evaluation concept to assess processes of advanced wastewater treatment including ozonation and GAC by considering chemical, ecotoxicological, and microbiological parameters.

Rationale for evaluating a closed food chain for space habitats

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Modell, M.; Spurlock, J. M.

1980-01-01

Closed food cycles for long duration space flight and space habitation are examined. Wash water for a crew of six is economically recyclable after a week, while a total closed loop water system is effective only if the stay exceeds six months' length. The stoichiometry of net plant growth is calculated and it is shown that the return of urine, feces, and inedible plant parts to the food chain, along with the addition of photosynthesis, closes the food chain loop. Scenarios are presented to explore the technical feasibility of achieving a closed loop system. An optimal choice of plants is followed by processing, waste conversion, equipment specifications, and control requirements, and finally, cost-effectiveness.

Response of maize germination and growth to HTC filtrate type and concentration

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) is a thermochemical treatment process that allows for the conversion of biomass slurries into value added products. The option of using HTC filtrate as a liquid based fertilizer for agricultural crop production was evaluated through germination and plant growth studi...

Evaluating impacts of pulp and paper mill process changes on bioactive contaminant loading to St. Louis Bay.

EPA Science Inventory

As a convergence point for human waste streams, wastewater treatment plants are recognized as point sources through which contaminants originating from domestic, industrial, and commercial activities enter surface waters. Effluent from the Western Lake Superior Sanitary District ...

Virtual Environments in Biology Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mikropoulos, Tassos A.; Katsikis, Apostolos; Nikolou, Eugenia; Tsakalis, Panayiotis

2003-01-01

This article reports on the design, development and evaluation of an educational virtual environment for biology teaching. In particular it proposes a highly interactive three-dimensional synthetic environment involving certain learning tasks for the support of teaching plant cell biology and the process of photosynthesis. The environment has been…

Evaluating the Air Quality, Climate & Economic Impacts of Biogas Management Technologies

EPA Science Inventory

Anaerobic digestion is a natural biological process in which microorganisms break down organic materials in the absence of oxygen. When anaerobic microbes metabolize organic waste – i.e., the carbon-based remains of plants, animals and their waste products, e.g. animal manu...

Environmental evaluation of alternatives for long-term management of Defense high-level radioactive wastes at the Idaho Chemical Processing Plant

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1982-09-01

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is considering the selection of a strategy for the long-term management of the defense high-level wastes at the Idaho Chemical Processing Plant (ICPP). This report describes the environmental impacts of alternative strategies. These alternative strategies include leaving the calcine in its present form at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL), or retrieving and modifying the calcine to a more durable waste form and disposing of it either at the INEL or in an offsite repository. This report addresses only the alternatives for a program to manage the high-level waste generated at the ICPP. 24more » figures, 60 tables.« less

The ecological risks of transgenic plants.

PubMed

Giovannetti, Manuela

2003-01-01

Biotechnologies have been utilized "ante litteram" for thousands of years to produce food and drink and genetic engineering techniques have been widely applied to produce many compounds for human use, from insulin to other medicines. The debate on genetically modified (GM) organisms broke out all over the world only when GM crops were released into the field. Plant ecologists, microbiologists and population geneticists carried out experiments aimed at evaluating the environmental impact of GM crops. The most significant findings concern: the spread of transgenes through GM pollen diffusion and its environmental impact after hybridisation with closely related wild species or subspecies; horizontal gene transfer from transgenic plants to soil microbes; the impact of insecticide proteins released into the soil by transformed plants on non-target microbial soil communities. Recent developments in genetic engineering produced a technology, dubbed "Terminator", which protects patented genes introduced in transgenic plants by killing the seeds in the second generation. This genetic construct, which interferes so heavily with fundamental life processes, is considered dangerous and should be ex-ante evaluated taking into account the data on "unexpected events", as here discussed, instead of relying on the "safe until proven otherwise" claim. Awareness that scientists, biotechnologists and genetic engineers cannot answer the fundamental question "how likely is that transgenes will be transferred from cultivated plants into the natural environment?" should foster long-term studies on the ecological risks and benefits of transgenic crops.

Assessing environmental impacts of genetically modified plants on non-target organisms: The relevance of in planta studies.

PubMed

Arpaia, Salvatore; Birch, A Nicholas E; Kiss, Jozsef; van Loon, Joop J A; Messéan, Antoine; Nuti, Marco; Perry, Joe N; Sweet, Jeremy B; Tebbe, Christoph C

2017-04-01

In legal frameworks worldwide, genetically modified plants (GMPs) are subjected to pre-market environmental risk assessment (ERA) with the aim of identifying potential effects on the environment. In the European Union, the EFSA Guidance Document introduces the rationale that GMPs, as well as their newly produced metabolites, represent the potential stressor to be evaluated during ERA. As a consequence, during several phases of ERA for cultivation purposes, it is considered necessary to use whole plants or plant parts in experimental protocols. The importance of in planta studies as a strategy to address impacts of GMPs on non-target organisms is demonstrated, to evaluate both effects due to the intended modification in plant phenotype (e.g. expression of Cry proteins) and effects due to unintended modifications in plant phenotype resulting from the transformation process (e.g. due to somaclonal variations or pleiotropic effects). In planta tests are also necessary for GMPs in which newly expressed metabolites cannot easily be studied in vitro. This paper reviews the scientific literature supporting the choice of in planta studies as a fundamental tool in ERA of GMPs in cultivation dossiers; the evidence indicates they can realistically mimic the ecological relationships occurring in their receiving environments and provide important insights into the biology and sustainable management of GMPs. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Waste heat recovery options in a large gas-turbine combined power plant

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Upathumchard, Ularee

This study focuses on power plant heat loss and how to utilize the waste heat in energy recovery systems in order to increase the overall power plant efficiency. The case study of this research is a 700-MW natural gas combined cycle power plant, located in a suburban area of Thailand. An analysis of the heat loss of the combustion process, power generation process, lubrication system, and cooling system has been conducted to evaluate waste heat recovery options. The design of the waste heat recovery options depends to the amount of heat loss from each system and its temperature. Feasible waste heat sources are combustion turbine (CT) room ventilation air and lubrication oil return from the power plant. The following options are being considered in this research: absorption chillers for cooling with working fluids Ammonia-Water and Water-Lithium Bromide (in comparison) and Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) with working fluids R134a and R245fa. The absorption cycles are modeled in three different stages; single-effect, double-effect and half-effect. ORC models used are simple ORC as a baseline, ORC with internal regenerator, ORC two-phase flash expansion ORC and ORC with multiple heat sources. Thermodynamic models are generated and each system is simulated using Engineering Equation Solver (EES) to define the most suitable waste heat recovery options for the power plant. The result will be synthesized and evaluated with respect to exergy utilization efficiency referred as the Second Law effectiveness and net output capacity. Results of the models give recommendation to install a baseline ORC of R134a and a double-effect water-lithium bromide absorption chiller, driven by ventilation air from combustion turbine compartment. The two technologies yield reasonable economic payback periods of 4.6 years and 0.7 years, respectively. The fact that this selected power plant is in its early stage of operation allows both models to economically and effectively perform waste heat recovery during the power plant's life span. Furthermore, the recommendation from this research will be submitted to the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) for implementation. This study will also be used as an example for other power plants in Thailand to consider waste energy utilization to improve plant efficiency and sustain fuel resources in the future.

Future Energy Benchmark for Desalination: is it Better to have a Power (electricity) Plant with ro or Med/msf?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shahzad, Muhammad Wakil; Ng, Kim Choon; Thu, Kyaw

2016-06-01

Power and desalination cogeneration plants are common in many water scared courtiers. Designers and planners for cogeneration face tough challenges in deciding the options:- Is it better to operate a power plant (PP) with the reverse osmosis (i.e., PP+RO) or the thermally-driven multi-effect distillation/multi-stage flashed (PP+MED/MSF) methods. From literature, the RO methods are known to be energy efficient whilst the MED/MSF are known to have excellent thermodynamic synergies as only low pressure and temperature steam are used. Not with-standing the challenges of severe feed seawater of the Gulf, such as the frequent harmful algae blooms (HABs) and high silt contents, this presentation presents a quantitative analyses using the exergy and energetic approaches in evaluating the performances of a real cogeneration plant that was recently proposed in the eastern part of Saudi Arabia. We demonstrate that the process choice of PP+RO versus PP+MED depends on the inherent efficiencies of individual process method which is closely related to innovative process design. In this connection, a method of primary fuel cost apportionment for a co-generation plant with a MED desalination is presented. We show that an energy approach, that captures the quality of expanding steam, is a better method over the conventional work output (energetic) and the energy method seems to be over-penalizing a thermally-driven MED by as much as 22% in the operating cost of water.

Scientific evaluation of medicinal plants used for the treatment of abnormal uterine bleeding by Avicenna.

PubMed

Mobli, Masumeh; Qaraaty, Marzieh; Amin, Gholamreza; Haririan, Ismaeil; Hajimahmoodi, Mannan; Rahimi, Roja

2015-07-01

Abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB) is one of the prevalent gynecological disorders that cause considerable morbidity and management of that plays an important role in protecting women's health. This review focuses on medicinal plants mentioned by Avicenna, a great Iranian philosopher and physician (A.D. 980-1037), in his book Canon for treatment of AUB. Medicinal plants mentioned in Canon for treatment of AUB were elicited and searched in electronic databases including PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar and Cochrane library to find studies that confirmed their efficacy. Data were collected for the years 1980-2014. The findings included 23 plants belonging to 18 families. Scientific findings have revealed that these plants control AUB through four mechanisms of action including inhibition of inflammatory process, inhibition of prostaglandins production, antiproliferative activity on human cervical cancer cells (HeLa), and estrogenic activity. All of the plants exhibited anti-inflammatory activity in vitro and/or in vivo. Cuscuta chinensis and Portulaca oleracea exhibited estrogenic activity. Boswellia carteri, Lens culinaris, Myrtus communis, Polygonum aviculare, Pistacia lentiscus, and Punica granatum have revealed inhibitory activity on biosynthesis of prostaglandins. Some of the mentioned plants including: Ceratonia siliqua, Cuscuta chinensis, Cuscuta epithymum, Cydonia oblonga, Paeonia sp., Portulaca oleracea, Solanum nigrum, Rumex acetosa and Onopordum acanthium have shown antiproliferative activity on HeLa cells. Investigation of traditional Iranian medicine literatures can lead to the identification of effective natural medicines for the management of AUB; however, conclusive confirmation of the efficacy and safety of these treatments needs more evaluations.

Bench-Scale Development of a Non-Aqueous Solvent (NAS) CO2 Capture Process for Coal-Fired Power Plants

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lail, Marty

The project aimed to advance RTI’s non-aqueous amine solvent technology by improving the solvent to reduce volatility, demonstrating long-term continuous operation at lab- (0.5 liters solvent) and bench-scale (~120 liters solvent), showing low reboiler heat duty measured during bench-scale testing, evaluating degradation products, building a rate-based process model, and evaluating the techno-economic performance of the process. The project team (RTI, SINTEF, Linde Engineering) and the technology performed well in each area of advancement. The modifications incorporated throughout the project enabled the attainment of target absorber and regenerator conditions for the process. Reboiler duties below 2,000 kJt/kg CO2 were observed inmore » a bench-scale test unit operated at RTI.« less

Evaluation of engineered foods for Closed Ecological Life Support System (CELSS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Karel, M.

1981-01-01

A system of conversion of locally regenerated raw materials and of resupplied freeze-dried foods and ingredients into acceptable, safe and nutritious engineered foods is proposed. The first phase of the proposed research has the following objectives: (1) evaluation of feasibility of developing acceptable and reliable engineered foods from a limited selection of plants, supplemented by microbially produced nutrients and a minimum of dehydrated nutrient sources (especially those of animal origin); (2) evaluation of research tasks and specifications of research projects to adapt present technology and food science to expected space conditions (in particular, problems arising from unusual gravity conditions, problems of limited size and the isolation of the food production system, and the opportunities of space conditions are considered); (3) development of scenarios of agricultural production of plant and microbial systems, including the specifications of processing wastes to be recycled.

Hockey-stick steam generator for LMFBR

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hallinan, G.J.; Svedlund, P.E.

1981-01-01

This paper presents the criteria and evaluation leading to the selection of the Hockey Stick Steam Generator Concept and subsequent development of that concept for LMFBR application. The selection process and development of the Modular Steam Generator (MSG) is discussed, including the extensive test programs that culminated in the manufacture and test of a 35 MW(t) Steam Generator. The design of the CRBRP Steam Generator is described, emphasizing the current status and a review of the critical structural areas. CRBRP steam generator development tests are evaluated, with a discussion of test objectives and rating of the usefulness of test resultsmore » to the CRBRP prototype design. Manufacturing experience and status of the CRBRP prototype and plant units is covered. The scaleup of the Hockey Stick concept to large commercial plant application is presented, with an evaluation of scaleup limitations, transient effects, and system design implications.« less

Evaluation of an ethnopharmacologically selected Bhutanese medicinal plants for their major classes of phytochemicals and biological activities.

PubMed

Wangchuk, Phurpa; Keller, Paul A; Pyne, Stephen G; Taweechotipatr, Malai; Tonsomboon, Aunchalee; Rattanajak, Roonglawan; Kamchonwongpaisan, Sumalee

2011-09-01

As many as 229 medicinal plants have been currently used in the Bhutanese Traditional Medicine (BTM) as a chief ingredient of polyherbal formulations and these plants have been individually indicated for treating various types of infections including malaria, tumor, and microbial. We have focused our study only on seven species of these plants. We aim to evaluate the antiplasmodial, antimicrobial, anti-Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense and cytotoxicity activities of the seven medicinal plants of Bhutan selected using an ethno-directed bio-rational approach. This study creates a scientific basis for their use in the BTM and gives foundation for further phytochemical and biological evaluations which can result in the discovery of new drug lead compounds. A three stage process was conducted which consisted of: (1) an assessment of a pharmacopoeia and a formulary book of the BTM for their mode of plant uses; (2) selecting 25 anti-infective medicinal plants based on the five established criteria, collecting them, and screening for their major classes of phytochemicals using appropriate test protocols; and (3) finally analyzing the crude extracts of the seven medicinal plants, using the standard test protocols, for their antiplasmodial, antimicrobial, anti-Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense and cytotoxicity activities as directed by the ethnopharmacological uses of each plant. Out of 25 medicinal plants screened for their major classes of phytochemicals, the majority contained tannins, alkaloids and flavonoids. Out of the seven plant species investigated for their biological activities, all seven of them exhibited mild antimicrobial properties, five plants gave significant in vitro antiplasmodial activities, two plants gave moderate anti-Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense activity, and one plant showed mild cytotoxicity. Meconopsis simplicifolia showed the highest antiplasmodial activity with IC(50) values of 0.40 μg/ml against TM4/8.2 strain (a wild type chloroquine and antifolate sensitive strain) and 6.39 μg/ml against K1CB1 (multidrug resistant strain) strain. Significantly the extracts from this plant did not show any cytotoxicity. These findings provide the scientific basis for the use of seven medicinal plants in the BTM for the treatment of malaria, microbial infections, infectious fevers, and the Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense infection. The results also form a good preliminary basis for the prioritization of candidate plant species for further in-depth phytochemical and pharmacological investigations toward our quest to unearth lead antiparasitic, anticancer and antimicrobial compounds. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Antimicrobial and anti-Quorum Sensing activities of selected medicinal plants of Ethiopia: Implication for development of potent antimicrobial agents.

PubMed

Bacha, Ketema; Tariku, Yinebeb; Gebreyesus, Fisseha; Zerihun, Shibru; Mohammed, Ali; Weiland-Bräuer, Nancy; Schmitz, Ruth A; Mulat, Mulugeta

2016-07-11

Traditional medicinal plants have been used as an alternative medicine in many parts of the world, including Ethiopia. There are many documented scientific reports on antimicrobial activities of the same. To our knowledge, however, there is no report on the anti-Quorum Sensing (Quorum Quenching, QQ) potential of traditional Ethiopian medicinal plants. As many of the opportunistic pathogenic bacteria depend on Quorum Sensing (QS) systems to coordinate their virulence expression, interference with QS could be a novel approach to control bacterial infections. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate selected medicinal plants from Ethiopia for their antimicrobial activities against bacterial and fungal pathogens; and to assess the interference of these plant extracts with QS of bacteria. Antimicrobial activities of plant extracts (oil, resins and crude extracts) were evaluated following standard agar diffusion technique. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of potent extracts were determined using 96 well micro-titer plates and optical densities were measured using an ELISA Microplate reader. Interference with Quorum Sensing activities of extracts was determined using the recently established E. coli based reporter strain AI1-QQ.1 and signaling molecule N-(ß-ketocaproyl)-L-homoserine lactone (3-oxo-C6-HSL). Petroleum ether extract of seed of Nigella sativa exhibited the highest activity against both the laboratory isolated Bacillus cereus [inhibition zone (IZ), 44 ± 0.31 mm] and B. cereus ATCC 10987 (IZ, 40 ± 2.33 mm). Similarly, oil extract from mature ripe fruit husk of Aframomum corrorima and mature unripe fruit of A. corrorima revealed promising activities against Candida albicans ATCC 90028 (IZ, 35 ± 1.52 mm) and Staphylococcus aureus DSM 346 (IZ, 25 ± 1.32 mm), respectively. Antimicrobial activities of oil extract from husk of A. corrorima and petroleum ether extract of seed of N. sativa were significantly higher than that of the control antibiotic [Gentamycin sulfate, (IZ, 25-30 mm)]. The lowest MIC value (12.5 mg/mL) was recorded for oil from husk of A. corrorima against Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Of the total eighteen extracts evaluated, two of the extracts [Methanol extract of root of Albiza schimperiana (ASRM) and petroleum ether extract of seed of Justica schimperiana (JSSP)] interfered with cell-cell communication most likely by interacting with the signaling molecules. Traditional medicinal plants from Ethiopia are potential source of alternative medicine for the local community and scientific research in search for alternative drugs to halt challenges associated with the emerging antimicrobial resistance. Furthermore, the Quorum Quenching activities observed in two of the plant extracts calls for more comprehensive evaluation of medicinal plants for the control of many bacterial processes and phenotypic behaviors such as pathogenicity, swarming, and biofilm formation. Being the first assessment of its kind on the potential application of Ethiopian traditional medicinal plants for interference in microbial cell-cell communication (anti-Quorum Sensing activities), the detailed chemistry of the active compounds and possible mechanism(s) of actions of the bio-molecules responsible for the observed interference were not addressed in the current study. Thus, further evaluation for the nature of those active compounds (bio-molecules) and detailed mechanism(s) of their interaction with microbial processes are recommended.

Evaluation of alternatives for best available technology treatment and retreatment of uranium-contaminated wastewater at the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant C-400 Facility

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Del Cul, G.D.; Osborne, P.E.; Beck, D.E.

1991-01-01

The Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant (PGDP) C-400 Decontamination Facility generates aqueous solutions that originate in drum washing, machine parts and equipment cleaning, and other decontamination processes. The chemical composition of the waste depends on the particular operation involved. In general, the waste contains uranyl, fluoride, carbonate, and nitrate ions, plus soaps, detergents, secondary contaminants, and particulate matter. The uranium content is rather variable ranging between 0.5 and 30 g/l. The main contaminants are fluoride, technetium, uranium, and other heavy metals. The plan included (1) a literature search to support best available technology (BAT) evaluation of treatment alternatives, (2) a qualitymore » assurance/quality control plan, (3) suggestion of alternative treatment options, (4) bench-scale tests studies of the proposed treatment alternatives, and (5) establishment of the final recommendation. The following report records the evaluation of items (1) to (3) of the action plan for the BAT evaluation of alternatives for the treatment and retreatment of uranium-contaminated wastewater at the PGDP C-400 treatment facility. After a thorough literature search, five major technologies were considered: (1) precipitation/coprecipitation, (2) reverse osmosis, (3) ultrafiltration, (4) supported liquid membranes, and (5) ion exchange. Biosorption was also considered, but as it is a fairly new technology with few demonstrations of its capabilities, it is mentioned only briefly in the report. Based on C-400's requirements and facilities, the precipitation/coprecipitation process appears to be the best suited for use at the plant. Four different treatment options using the precipitation/coprecipitation technology are proposed. Bench-scale studies of the four options are suggested. 37 refs.« less

Status on the Component Models Developed in the Modelica Framework: High-Temperature Steam Electrolysis Plant & Gas Turbine Power Plant

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Suk Kim, Jong; McKellar, Michael; Bragg-Sitton, Shannon M.

This report has been prepared as part of an effort to design and build a modeling and simulation (M&S) framework to assess the economic viability of a nuclear-renewable hybrid energy system (N-R HES). In order to facilitate dynamic M&S of such an integrated system, research groups in multiple national laboratories have been developing various subsystems as dynamic physics-based components using the Modelica programming language. In fiscal year (FY) 2015, Idaho National Laboratory (INL) performed a dynamic analysis of two region-specific N-R HES configurations, including the gas-to-liquid (natural gas to Fischer-Tropsch synthetic fuel) and brackish water reverse osmosis desalination plants asmore » industrial processes. In FY 2016, INL has developed two additional subsystems in the Modelica framework: a high-temperature steam electrolysis (HTSE) plant and a gas turbine power plant (GTPP). HTSE has been proposed as a high priority industrial process to be integrated with a light water reactor (LWR) in an N-R HES. This integrated energy system would be capable of dynamically apportioning thermal and electrical energy (1) to provide responsive generation to the power grid and (2) to produce alternative industrial products (i.e., hydrogen and oxygen) without generating any greenhouse gases. A dynamic performance analysis of the LWR/HTSE integration case was carried out to evaluate the technical feasibility (load-following capability) and safety of such a system operating under highly variable conditions requiring flexible output. To support the dynamic analysis, the detailed dynamic model and control design of the HTSE process, which employs solid oxide electrolysis cells, have been developed to predict the process behavior over a large range of operating conditions. As first-generation N-R HES technology will be based on LWRs, which provide thermal energy at a relatively low temperature, complementary temperature-boosting technology was suggested for integration with the HTSE process that requires higher temperature input. Simulation results involving several case studies show that the suggested control scheme could maintain the controlled variables (including the steam utilization factor, cathode stream inlet composition, and temperatures of the process streams at various locations) within desired limits under various plant operating conditions. The results also indicate that the proposed HTSE plant could provide operational flexibility to participate in energy management at the utility scale by dynamically optimizing the use of excess plant capacity within an N-R HES. A natural-gas fired GTPP has been proposed as a secondary energy supply to be included in an N-R HES. This auxiliary generator could be used to cover rapid dynamics in grid demand that cannot be met by the remainder of the N-R HES. To evaluate the operability and controllability of the proposed process during transients between load (demand) levels, the dynamic model and control design were developed. Special attention was given to the design of feedback controllers to regulate the power frequency, and exhaust gas and turbine firing temperatures. Several case studies were performed to investigate the system responses to the major disturbance (power load demand) in such a control system. The simulation results show that the performance of the proposed control strategies was satisfactory under each test when the GTPP experienced high rapid variations in the load.« less

A comprehensive review of plants and their active constituents with wound healing activity in traditional Iranian medicine.

PubMed

Hosein Farzaei, Mohammad; Abbasabadi, Zahra; Reza Shams-Ardekani, Mohammad; Abdollahi, Mohammad; Rahimi, Roja

2014-07-01

Wound healing is a complex cascade of events with various cellular and biochemical processes that result in reconstruction and regeneration of damaged tissue. The objective of the current study was to scientifically evaluate the medicinal plants said to produce wound healing activity in traditional Iranian medicine (TIM). Electronic databases were searched for the names of medicinal plants claimed in TIM literature for having wound healing activity. Articles were evaluated to obtain any in vitro, animal, or clinical evidence of their efficacy and possible mechanisms involved in would healing. Mechanisms of action for some of these plants, including Tamarix spp., Rosa spp., Piper betle, Plantago major, Oxalis spp., Olea europaea, Malva spp., Linum usitatissimum, and Tamarindus indica, have not been yet clarified. In contrast, some herbs such as Vitis vinifera, Quercus spp., Punica granatum, Pinus spp., Polygonum spp., Lilium spp., Gentiana lutea, Arnebia euchroma, Aloe spp., and Caesalpinia spp. have various biological and pharmacological mechanisms that have been verified for wound healing activity. Overall, TIM resources have introduced various medicinal plants for wounds with confirmed effectiveness according to current pharmacological studies. These herbal remedies could be considered as future drugs for healing of wounds. Further pharmacological and clinical investigations are recommended for exploring safety, exact mechanisms, and efficacy of these herbal remedies. .

Remediation of metalliferous mines, revegetation challenges and emerging prospects in semi-arid and arid conditions.

PubMed

Nirola, Ramkrishna; Megharaj, Mallavarapu; Beecham, Simon; Aryal, Rupak; Thavamani, Palanisami; Vankateswarlu, Kadiyala; Saint, Christopher

2016-10-01

Understanding plant behaviour in polluted soils is critical for the sustainable remediation of metal-polluted sites including abandoned mines. Post-operational and abandoned metal mines particularly in semi-arid and arid zones are one of the major sources of pollution by soil erosion or plant hyperaccumulation bringing ecological impacts. We have selected from the literature 157 species belonging to 50 families to present a global overview of 'plants under action' against heavy metal pollution. Generally, all species of plants that are drought, salt and metal tolerant are candidates of interest to deal with harsh environmental conditions, particularly at semi-arid and arid mine sites. Pioneer metallophytes namely Atriplex nummularia, Atriplex semibaccata, Salsola kali, Phragmites australis and Medicago sativa, representing the taxonomic orders Caryophyllales, Poales and Fabales are evaluated in terms of phytoremediation in this review. Phytoremediation processes, microbial and algal bioremediation, the use and implication of tissue culture and biotechnology are critically examined. Overall, an integration of available remediation plant-based technologies, referred to here as 'integrated remediation technology,' is proposed to be one of the possible ways ahead to effectively address problems of toxic heavy metal pollution. Graphical abstract Integrated remediation technology (IRT) in metal-contaminated semi-arid and arid conditions. The hexagonal red line represents an IRT concept based on remediation decisions by combination of plants and microbial processes.

Demographic models reveal the shape of density dependence for a specialist insect herbivore on variable host plants.

PubMed

Miller, Tom E X

2007-07-01

1. It is widely accepted that density-dependent processes play an important role in most natural populations. However, persistent challenges in our understanding of density-dependent population dynamics include evaluating the shape of the relationship between density and demographic rates (linear, concave, convex), and identifying extrinsic factors that can mediate this relationship. 2. I studied the population dynamics of the cactus bug Narnia pallidicornis on host plants (Opuntia imbricata) that varied naturally in relative reproductive effort (RRE, the proportion of meristems allocated to reproduction), an important plant quality trait. I manipulated per-plant cactus bug densities, quantified subsequent dynamics, and fit stage-structured models to the experimental data to ask if and how density influences demographic parameters. 3. In the field experiment, I found that populations with variable starting densities quickly converged upon similar growth trajectories. In the model-fitting analyses, the data strongly supported a model that defined the juvenile cactus bug retention parameter (joint probability of surviving and not dispersing) as a nonlinear decreasing function of density. The estimated shape of this relationship shifted from concave to convex with increasing host-plant RRE. 4. The results demonstrate that host-plant traits are critical sources of variation in the strength and shape of density dependence in insects, and highlight the utility of integrated experimental-theoretical approaches for identifying processes underlying patterns of change in natural populations.

Pilot plant studies of the CO{sub 2} capture performance of aqueous MEA and mixed MEA/MDEA solvents at the University of Regina CO{sub 2} capture technology development plant and the Boundary Dam CO{sub 2} capture demonstration

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Idem, R.; Wilson, M.; Tontiwachwuthikul, P.

2006-04-12

Evaluations of the benefits of using a mixed MEA/MDEA solvent for CO{sub 2} capture in terms of the heat requirement for solvent regeneration, lean and rich loadings, CO{sub 2} production, and solvent stability were performed by comparing the performance of aqueous 5 kmol/m{sup 3} MEA with that of an aqueous 4:1 molar ratio MEA/MDEA blend of 5 kmol/ml total amine concentration as a function of the operating time. The tests were performed using two pilot CO{sub 2} capture plants of the International Test Centre for CO{sub 2} Capture (ITC), which provided two different sources and compositions of flue gas. Themore » University of Regina CO{sub 2} plant (UR unit) processes flue gas from the combustion of natural gas while the Boundary Dam CO{sub 2} plant (BD unit) processes flue gas from a coal-fired electric power station. The results show that a huge heat-duty reduction can be achieved by using a mixed MEA/MDEA solution instead of a single MEA solution in an industrial environment of a CO{sub 2} capture plant. However, this benefit is dependent on whether the chemical stability of the solvent can be maintained.« less

Food safety issues affecting the dairy beef industry.

PubMed

Stefan, G

1997-12-01

The ability of dairy farmers to market cull cows and veal calves may be affected by the final rule on Pathogen Reduction and HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points) Systems, a sweeping reform of USDA food safety regulations that was published on July 25, 1996. Although the regulations apply only to slaughter and processing plants handling meat and poultry, the rule will have an impact on food animal producers, including dairy farmers. Under this regulation, plant operators are required to evaluate potential hazards and to devise and implement controls that are appropriate for each product and plant to prevent or reduce those hazards. Processing plants may need to consider the potential hazards associated with incoming animals, such as illegal drug residues, which may result in marked changes in the relationships among some producers, livestock markets, and slaughter plants. Such information may actually improve the marketability of some animal classes because documentation will help the packer ensure the safety of products for sale to domestic and foreign markets. Dairy scientists are in an excellent position to explain the food safety issues to dairy farmers and to help develop the appropriate strategies that are necessary to guide the changes needed. These scientists can be conduits for information, the research leaders for practical solutions to reduce public health risks, and valuable resources to help farmers adjust to the impact of these new in-plant regulatory systems.

New Approach for Environmental Monitoring and Plant Observation Using a Light-Field Camera

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schima, Robert; Mollenhauer, Hannes; Grenzdörffer, Görres; Merbach, Ines; Lausch, Angela; Dietrich, Peter; Bumberger, Jan

2015-04-01

The aim of gaining a better understanding of ecosystems and the processes in nature accentuates the need for observing exactly these processes with a higher temporal and spatial resolution. In the field of environmental monitoring, an inexpensive and field applicable imaging technique to derive three-dimensional information about plants and vegetation would represent a decisive contribution to the understanding of the interactions and dynamics of ecosystems. This is particularly true for the monitoring of plant growth and the frequently mentioned lack of morphological information about the plants, e.g. plant height, vegetation canopy, leaf position or leaf arrangement. Therefore, an innovative and inexpensive light-field (plenoptic) camera, the Lytro LF, and a stereo vision system, based on two industrial cameras, were tested and evaluated as possible measurement tools for the given monitoring purpose. In this instance, the usage of a light field camera offers the promising opportunity of providing three-dimensional information without any additional requirements during the field measurements based on one single shot, which represents a substantial methodological improvement in the area of environmental research and monitoring. Since the Lytro LF was designed as a daily-life consumer camera, it does not support depth or distance estimation or rather an external triggering by default. Therefore, different technical modifications and a calibration routine had to be figured out during the preliminary study. As a result, the used light-field camera was proven suitable as a depth and distance measurement tool with a measuring range of approximately one meter. Consequently, this confirms the assumption that a light field camera holds the potential of being a promising measurement tool for environmental monitoring purposes, especially with regard to a low methodological effort in field. Within the framework of the Global Change Experimental Facility Project, founded by the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, and its large-scaled field experiments to investigate the influence of the climate change on different forms of land utilization, both techniques were installed and evaluated in a long-term experiment on a pilot-scaled maize field in late 2014. Based on this, it was possible to show the growth of the plants in dependence of time, showing a good accordance to the measurements, which were carried out by hand on a weekly basis. In addition, the experiment has shown that the light-field vision approach is applicable for the monitoring of the crop growth under field conditions, although it is limited to close range applications. Since this work was intended as a proof of concept, further research is recommended, especially with respect to the automation and evaluation of data processing. Altogether, this study is addressed to researchers as an elementary groundwork to improve the usage of the introduced light field imaging technique for the monitoring of plant growth dynamics and the three-dimensional modeling of plants under field conditions.

An overview of challenges in modeling heat and mass transfer for living on Mars.

PubMed

Yamashita, Masamichi; Ishikawa, Yoji; Kitaya, Yoshiaki; Goto, Eiji; Arai, Mayumi; Hashimoto, Hirofumi; Tomita-Yokotani, Kaori; Hirafuji, Masayuki; Omori, Katsunori; Shiraishi, Atsushi; Tani, Akira; Toki, Kyoichiro; Yokota, Hiroki; Fujita, Osamu

2006-09-01

Engineering a life-support system for living on Mars requires the modeling of heat and mass transfer. This report describes the analysis of heat and mass transfer phenomena in a greenhouse dome, which is being designed as a pressurized life-support system for agricultural production on Mars. In this Martian greenhouse, solar energy will be converted into chemical energy in plant biomass. Agricultural products will be harvested for food and plant cultivation, and waste materials will be processed in a composting microbial ecosystem. Transpired water from plants will be condensed and recycled. In our thermal design and analysis for the Martian greenhouse, we addressed the question of whether temperature and pressure would be maintained in the appropriate range for humans as well as plants. Energy flow and material circulation should be controlled to provide an artificial ecological system on Mars. In our analysis, we assumed that the greenhouse would be maintained at a subatmospheric pressure under 1/3-G gravitational force with 1/2 solar light intensity on Earth. Convection of atmospheric gases will be induced inside the greenhouse, primarily by heating from sunlight. Microclimate (thermal and gas species structure) could be generated locally around plant bodies, which would affect gas transport. Potential effects of those environmental factors are discussed on the phenomena including plant growth and plant physiology and focusing on transport processes. Fire safety is a crucial issue and we evaluate its impact on the total gas pressure in the greenhouse dome.

Plant-facilitated effects of exotic earthworm Pontoscolex corethrurus on the soil carbon and nitrogen dynamics and soil microbial community in a subtropical field ecosystem.

PubMed

Wu, Jianping; Zhang, Weixin; Shao, Yuanhu; Fu, Shenglei

2017-11-01

Earthworms and plants greatly affect belowground properties; however, their combined effects are more attractive based on the ecosystem scale in the field condition. To address this point, we manipulated earthworms (exotic endogeic species Pontoscolex corethrurus ) and plants (living plants [native tree species Evodia lepta ] and artificial plants) to investigate their combined effects on soil microorganisms, soil nutrients, and soil respiration in a subtropical forest. The manipulation of artificial plants aimed to simulate the physical effects of plants (e.g., shading and interception of water) such that the biological effects of plants could be evaluated separately. We found that relative to the controls, living plants but not artificial plants significantly increased the ratio of fungal to bacterial phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs) and fungal PLFAs. Furthermore, earthworms plus living plants significantly increased the soil respiration and decreased the soil NH 4 + -N, which indicates that the earthworm effects on the associated carbon, and nitrogen processes were greatly affected by living plants. The permutational multivariate analysis of variance results also indicated that living plants but not earthworms or artificial plants significantly changed the soil microbial community. Our results suggest that the effects of plants on soil microbes and associated soil properties in this study were largely explained by their biological rather than their physical effects.

Bromelain enzyme from pineapple: in vitro activity study under different micropropagation conditions.

PubMed

Vilanova Neta, Jaci Lima; da Silva Lédo, Ana; Lima, Aloisio André Bonfim; Santana, José Carlos Curvelo; Leite, Nadjma Souza; Ruzene, Denise Santos; Silva, Daniel Pereira; de Souza, Roberto Rodrigues

2012-09-01

The aim of this work was to evaluate the activity of bromelain in pineapple plants (Ananas comosus var. Comosus), Pérola cultivar, produced in vitro in different culture conditions. This enzyme, besides its pharmacological effects, is also employed in food industries, such as breweries and meat processing. In this work, the enzymatic activity was evaluated in the tissues of leaves and stems of plants grown in culture medium without plant growth regulator. The most significant levels of bromelain were observed in leaf tissue after 4 months of culture in vitro in medium with a filter paper bridge, followed by medium gelled by the agar. The results of this study, regarding the different structures of the pineapple (leaves and stems) in vitro showed that the activity of bromelain varied depending on the culture conditions, the time and structure of which was quantified, ensuring a viable strategy in the production of seedlings with high levels of bromelain in subsequent phases of micropropagation.

Design, construction, operation, and evaluation of a prototype culm combustion boiler/heater unit

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

D'Aciermo, J.; Richards, H.; Spindler, F.

1983-10-01

A process for utilizing anthracite culm in a fluidized bed combustion system was demonstrated by the design and construction of a prototype steam plant at Shamokin, PA, and operation of the plant for parametric tests and a nine month extended durability test. The parametric tests evaluated turndown capability of the plant and established turndown techniques to be used to achieve best performance. Throughout the test program the fluidized bed boiler durability was excellent, showing very high resistence to corrosion and erosion. A series of 39 parametric tests was performed in order to demonstrate turndown capabilities of the atmospheric fluidized bedmore » boiler burning anthracite culm. Four tests were performed with bituminous coal waste (called gob) which contains 4.8 to 5.5% sulfur. Heating value of both fuels is approximately 3000 Btu/lb and ash content is approximately 70%. Combustion efficiency, boiler efficiency, and emissions of NO/sub x/ and SO/sub 2/ were also determined for the tests.« less

Effects of processed oil shale on the element content of Atriplex cancescens

USGS Publications Warehouse

Anderson, B.M.

1982-01-01

Samples of four-wing saltbush were collected from the Colorado State University Intensive Oil Shale Revegetation Study Site test plots in the Piceance basin, Colorado. The test plots were constructed to evaluate the effects of processed oil shale geochemistry on plant growth using various thicknesses of soil cover over the processed shale and/or over a gravel barrier between the shale and soil. Generally, the thicker the soil cover, the less the influence of the shale geochemistry on the element concentrations in the plants. Concentrations of 20 elements were larger in the ash of four-wing saltbush growing on the plot with the gravel barrier (between the soil and processed shale) when compared to the sample from the control plot. A greater water content in the soil in this plot has been reported, and the interaction between the increased, percolating water and shale may have increased the availability of these elements for plant uptake. Concentrations of boron, copper, fluorine, lithium, molybdenum, selenium, silicon, and zinc were larger in the samples grown over processed shale, compared to those from the control plot, and concentrations for barium, calcium, lanthanum, niobium, phosphorus, and strontium were smaller. Concentrations for arsenic, boron, fluorine, molybdenum, and selenium-- considered to be potential toxic contaminants--were similar to results reported in the literature for vegetation from the test plots. The copper-to-molybdenum ratios in three of the four samples of four-wing saltbush growing over the processed shale were below the ratio of 2:1, which is judged detrimental to ruminants, particularly cattle. Boron concentrations averaged 140 ppm, well above the phytotoxicity level for most plant species. Arsenic, fluorine, and selenium concentrations were below toxic levels, and thus should not present any problem for revegetation or forage use at this time.

Non-composted municipal solid waste byproduct influences soil and plant nutrients five years after soil reclamation

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Concerns for the mounting supply of municipal solid waste being generated combined with decreasing landfill space have compelled military installations to evaluate alternative methods for disposal. One approach to reduce landfilling is the use of a new garbage-processing technology that sterilizes a...

Evaluation of soybean-navy bean emulsions using different processing technologies

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

As health-conscious consumers are increasingly looking for plant-based protein-rich beverages for weight management, cancer prevention, and overall cardiovascular health, a lot of soy and tree nut milk products of all varieties have been brought to the market to meet this need. However, beverages ba...

Evaluation of current state of agricultural land using problem-oriented fuzzy indicators in GIS environment

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Current state of agricultural lands is defined under influence of processes in soil, plants and atmosphere and is described by observation data, complicated models and subjective opinion of experts. Problem-oriented indicators summarize this information in useful form for decision of the same specif...

FULL-SCALE EVALUATION OF RIVERBANK FILTRATION AT THREE MIDWEST WATER TREATMENT PLANTS

EPA Science Inventory

Riverbank filtration (or induced infiltration) is a process in which river water passes through ground prior to its use as a drinking water supply. Alluvial aquifers that are hydraulically connected to rivers may provide an alternate source of water supply for water utilities. Ri...

Evaluation of thermal processing variables for reducing acrylamide in canned black ripe olives

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Acrylamide formed in plant foods at elevated cooking temperatures has been identified as a probable carcinogen. A wide variation and high acrylamide concentration in commercial canned black ripe olives has been reported. The objective of this study was to determine if different safe sterilization co...

Evaluating the Air Quality, Climate and Economic Impacts of Biogas Management Technologies

EPA Science Inventory

Anaerobic digestion is a natural biological process in which microorganisms break down organic materials in the absence of oxygen. When anaerobic microbes metabolize organic waste – i.e., the carbon-based remains of plants, animals and their waste products, e.g. animal manure, se...

The Role of Microbial Processes in the Oxidation and Removal of Ammonia from Drinking Water

EPA Science Inventory

The purpose of this study was two-fold: (1) to monitor and evaluate nitrification in a full-scale iron removal filtration plant with biologically active granular media filters located in Ohio, and (2) to determine how to most efficiently regain nitrification following filter rebe...

Evaluating the impacts of reducing the number of hot mix asphalt plant testing acceptance criteria on mix variability.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-11-01

The acceptance testing of Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA) conducted at the HMA production facility is an : important portion of the overall acceptance process used by the Connecticut Department of : Transportation (ConnDOT) for paving projects. In 2004, ConnDO...

Sediment infilling and wetland formation dynamics in an active crevasse splay of the Mississippi River delta

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cahoon, Donald R.; White, David A.; Lynch, James C.

2011-01-01

Crevasse splay environments provide a mesocosm for evaluating wetland formation and maintenance processes on a decadal time scale. Site elevation, water levels, vertical accretion, elevation change, shallow subsidence, and plant biomass were measured at five habitats along an elevation gradient to evaluate wetland formation and development in Brant Pass Splay; an active crevasse splay of the Balize delta of the Mississippi River. The processes of vertical development (vertical accretion, elevation change, and shallow subsidence) were measured with the surface elevation table–marker horizon method. There were three distinct stages to the accrual of elevation capital and wetland formation in the splay: sediment infilling, vegetative colonization, and development of a mature wetland community. Accretion, elevation gain, and shallow subsidence all decreased by an order of magnitude from the open water (lowest elevation) to the forest (highest elevation) habitats. Vegetative colonization occurred within the first growing season following emergence of the mud surface. An explosively high rate of below-ground production quickly stabilized the loosely consolidated sub-aerial sediments. After emergent vegetation colonization, vertical development slowed and maintenance of marsh elevation was driven both by sediment trapping by the vegetation and accumulation of plant organic matter in the soil. Continued vertical development and survival of the marsh then depended on the health and productivity of the plant community. The process of delta wetland formation is both complex and nonlinear. Determining the dynamics of wetland formation will help in understanding the processes driving the past building of the delta and in developing models for restoring degraded wetlands in the Mississippi River delta and other deltas around the world.

Quantifying the Onset and Progression of Plant Senescence by Color Image Analysis for High Throughput Applications

PubMed Central

Cai, Jinhai; Okamoto, Mamoru; Atieno, Judith; Sutton, Tim; Li, Yongle; Miklavcic, Stanley J.

2016-01-01

Leaf senescence, an indicator of plant age and ill health, is an important phenotypic trait for the assessment of a plant’s response to stress. Manual inspection of senescence, however, is time consuming, inaccurate and subjective. In this paper we propose an objective evaluation of plant senescence by color image analysis for use in a high throughput plant phenotyping pipeline. As high throughput phenotyping platforms are designed to capture whole-of-plant features, camera lenses and camera settings are inappropriate for the capture of fine detail. Specifically, plant colors in images may not represent true plant colors, leading to errors in senescence estimation. Our algorithm features a color distortion correction and image restoration step prior to a senescence analysis. We apply our algorithm to two time series of images of wheat and chickpea plants to quantify the onset and progression of senescence. We compare our results with senescence scores resulting from manual inspection. We demonstrate that our procedure is able to process images in an automated way for an accurate estimation of plant senescence even from color distorted and blurred images obtained under high throughput conditions. PMID:27348807

Effects of nursery preconditioning through mycorrhizal inoculation and drought in Arbutus unedo L. plants.

PubMed

Navarro García, Alejandra; Del Pilar Bañón Árias, Sebastián; Morte, Asunción; Sánchez-Blanco, María Jesús

2011-01-01

The influence of a water deficit treatment and mycorrhizal inoculation with Pisolithus tinctorius (Pers.) Coker and Couch on the water relations, gas exchange, and plant growth in Arbutus unedo L. plants was studied in order to evaluate the hardening process during the nursery period. The ability to withstand the adverse conditions after transplantation was also studied. Mycorrhizal and non-mycorrhizal seedlings of A. unedo were pot-grown for 4 months in a greenhouse (nursery period), during which time two irrigation treatments, well watered (100% water holding capacity, leaching 20% of the applied water) and deficit irrigation (50% of the well watered), were applied. Subsequently, the plants were transplanted to the field and well irrigated (transplanting period), after which and until the end of the experiment they received no water (establishment period). At the end of the nursery period, both water deficit and mycorrhizae were seen to have altered the plant morphology. Mycorrhizal plants had lower leaf area and improved leaf color parameters, while the water deficit increased root dry weight and the root/shoot ratio. Mycorrhizal plants had higher leaf water potential values than non-inoculated plants. Mycorrhizae increased stomatal conductance and photosynthesis values, especially in stressed plants. Drought led to an osmotic adjustment and a decrease in the leaf water potential values at turgor loss point in the mycorrhizal plants. Cell wall rigidity, measured as increased bulk modulus of elasticity, was decreased by the mycorrhizae effect. After transplanting, no differences were found in the water relations or gas exchange values between treatments. During the establishment period, the plants that had been exposed to both drought and mycorrhizae showed a better water status (higher leaf water and turgor potential values) and higher gas exchange values. In conclusion, water deficit and mycorrhizal inoculation of A. unedo plants in nursery produced changes in tissue water relations, gas exchange, and growth, related with the acclimation process in the seedlings, which could provide better resistance to drought and stress conditions following planting.

Protein and energy evaluation of soybean meals processed from genetically modified high-protein soybeans.

PubMed

Edwards, H M; Douglas, M W; Parsons, C M; Baker, D H

2000-04-01

A conventional and two genetically modified soybean samples were processed to dehulled soybean meal (SBM) at a pilot plant and were compared with SBM from a commercial processing plant. Crude protein levels (%) of the experimental SBM samples were M700, 52.5; M702, 53.4; and M703, 62.7. The commercial SBM sample (UI) contained 47.5% protein. Amino acid, gross energy, lipid, and fiber analyses were carried out, and true metabolizable energy and true amino acid digestibility were determined with adult cecectomized cockerels. Digestible Lys, Met, Cys, Thr, and Val, and also TMEn, were higher (P < 0.05) and NDF, fat, and phospholipids were lower in M703 than in the other SBM samples. The results of this study indicate that M703 has considerable advantages over conventional SBM as a feed ingredient for broiler chickens.

Efficiency, costs and benefits of AOPs for removal of pharmaceuticals from the water cycle.

PubMed

Tuerk, J; Sayder, B; Boergers, A; Vitz, H; Kiffmeyer, T K; Kabasci, S

2010-01-01

Different advanced oxidation processes (AOP) were developed for the treatment of highly loaded wastewater streams. Optimisation of removal and improvement of efficiency were carried out on a laboratory, semiworks and pilot plant scale. The persistent cytostatic drug cyclophosphamide was selected as a reference substance regarding elimination and evaluation of the various oxidation processes because of its low degradability rate. The investigated processes are cost-efficient and suitable regarding the treatment of wastewater streams since they lead to efficient elimination of antibiotics and antineoplastics. A total reduction of toxicity was proven by means of the umuC-test. However, in order to reduce pharmaceuticals from the water cycle, it must be considered that the input of more than 80 % of the pharmaceuticals entering wastewater treatment systems results from private households. Therefore, advanced technologies should also be installed at wastewater treatment plants.

The elimination of siloxanes from the biogas of a wastewater treatment plant by means of an adsorption process.

PubMed

Trapote, Arturo; García, Mariano; Prats, Daniel

2016-12-01

Siloxanes present in the biogas produced during anaerobic digestion in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) can damage the mechanism of cogeneration heat engines and obstruct the process of energy valorization. The objective of this research is to detect the presence of siloxanes in the biogas and evaluate a procedure for their elimination. A breakthrough curve of a synthetic decamethylcyclopentasiloxane on an experimental bed of activated carbon was modeled and the theoretical mathematical model of the adsorption process was adjusted. As a result, the constants of the model were obtained: the mass transfer constant, Henry's equilibrium constant, and the Eddy diffusion. The procedure developed allows the adsorption equilibrium of siloxanes on activated carbon to be predicted, and makes it possible to lay the basis for the design of an appropriate activated carbon module for the elimination of siloxanes in a WWTP.

The potential of text mining in data integration and network biology for plant research: a case study on Arabidopsis.

PubMed

Van Landeghem, Sofie; De Bodt, Stefanie; Drebert, Zuzanna J; Inzé, Dirk; Van de Peer, Yves

2013-03-01

Despite the availability of various data repositories for plant research, a wealth of information currently remains hidden within the biomolecular literature. Text mining provides the necessary means to retrieve these data through automated processing of texts. However, only recently has advanced text mining methodology been implemented with sufficient computational power to process texts at a large scale. In this study, we assess the potential of large-scale text mining for plant biology research in general and for network biology in particular using a state-of-the-art text mining system applied to all PubMed abstracts and PubMed Central full texts. We present extensive evaluation of the textual data for Arabidopsis thaliana, assessing the overall accuracy of this new resource for usage in plant network analyses. Furthermore, we combine text mining information with both protein-protein and regulatory interactions from experimental databases. Clusters of tightly connected genes are delineated from the resulting network, illustrating how such an integrative approach is essential to grasp the current knowledge available for Arabidopsis and to uncover gene information through guilt by association. All large-scale data sets, as well as the manually curated textual data, are made publicly available, hereby stimulating the application of text mining data in future plant biology studies.

Advanced Low Temperature Geothermal Power Cycles (The ENTIV Organic Project) Final Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mugerwa, Michael

2015-11-18

Feasibility study of advanced low temperature thermal power cycles for the Entiv Organic Project. Study evaluates amonia-water mixed working fluid energy conversion processes developed and licensed under Kalex in comparison with Kalina cycles. Both cycles are developed using low temperature thermal resource from the Lower Klamath Lake Geothermal Area. An economic feasibility evaluation was conducted for a pilot plant which was deemed unfeasible by the Project Sponsor (Entiv).

Species richness and soil properties in Pinus ponderosa forests: A structural equation modeling analysis

USGS Publications Warehouse

Laughlin, D.C.; Abella, S.R.; Covington, W.W.; Grace, J.B.

2007-01-01

Question: How are the effects of mineral soil properties on understory plant species richness propagated through a network of processes involving the forest overstory, soil organic matter, soil nitrogen, and understory plant abundance? Location: North-central Arizona, USA. Methods: We sampled 75 0.05-ha plots across a broad soil gradient in a Pinus ponderosa (ponderosa pine) forest ecosystem. We evaluated multivariate models of plant species richness using structural equation modeling. Results: Richness was highest at intermediate levels of understory plant cover, suggesting that both colonization success and competitive exclusion can limit richness in this system. We did not detect a reciprocal positive effect of richness on plant cover. Richness was strongly related to soil nitrogen in the model, with evidence for both a direct negative effect and an indirect non-linear relationship mediated through understory plant cover. Soil organic matter appeared to have a positive influence on understory richness that was independent of soil nitrogen. Richness was lowest where the forest overstory was densest, which can be explained through indirect effects on soil organic matter, soil nitrogen and understory cover. Finally, model results suggest a variety of direct and indirect processes whereby mineral soil properties can influence richness. Conclusions: Understory plant species richness and plant cover in P. ponderosa forests appear to be significantly influenced by soil organic matter and nitrogen, which are, in turn, related to overstory density and composition and mineral soil properties. Thus, soil properties can impose direct and indirect constraints on local species diversity in ponderosa pine forests. ?? IAVS; Opulus Press.

Domesticated, Genetically Engineered, and Wild Plant Relatives Exhibit Unintended Phenotypic Differences: A Comparative Meta-Analysis Profiling Rice, Canola, Maize, Sunflower, and Pumpkin

PubMed Central

Hernández-Terán, Alejandra; Wegier, Ana; Benítez, Mariana; Lira, Rafael; Escalante, Ana E.

2017-01-01

Agronomic management of plants is a powerful evolutionary force acting on their populations. The management of cultivated plants is carried out by the traditional process of human selection or plant breeding and, more recently, by the technologies used in genetic engineering (GE). Even though crop modification through GE is aimed at specific traits, it is possible that other non-target traits can be affected by genetic modification due to the complex regulatory processes of plant metabolism and development. In this study, we conducted a meta-analysis profiling the phenotypic consequences of plant breeding and GE, and compared modified cultivars with wild relatives in five crops of global economic and cultural importance: rice, maize, canola, sunflower, and pumpkin. For these five species, we analyzed the literature with documentation of phenotypic traits that are potentially related to fitness for the same species in comparable conditions. The information was analyzed to evaluate whether the different processes of modification had influenced the phenotype in such a way as to cause statistical differences in the state of specific phenotypic traits or grouping of the organisms depending on their genetic origin [wild, domesticated with genetic engineering (domGE), and domesticated without genetic engineering (domNGE)]. In addition, we tested the hypothesis that, given that transgenic plants are a construct designed to impact, in many cases, a single trait of the plant (e.g., lepidopteran resistance), the phenotypic differences between domGE and domNGE would be either less (or inexistent) than between the wild and domesticated relatives (either domGE or domNGE). We conclude that (1) genetic modification (either by selective breeding or GE) can be traced phenotypically when comparing wild relatives with their domesticated relatives (domGE and domNGE) and (2) the existence and the magnitude of the phenotypic differences between domGE and domNGE of the same crop suggest consequences of genetic modification beyond the target trait(s). PMID:29259610

Evaluation of the stability of a nanoremediation strategy using barley plants.

PubMed

Gil-Díaz, M; González, A; Alonso, J; Lobo, M C

2016-01-01

This study evaluated the effectiveness of nZVI in reducing the availability of Cd, Cr or Zn in polluted soils. The influence of this nanoremediation process on the development of barley plants as well as its impact on soil properties and the stability of the metal immobilization afterwards were also evaluated in a greenhouse experiment. The application of nZVI reduced the availability of these metals in the soil, but the effectiveness of the immobilization and its stability depended on the metal chemical characteristics. Cadmium distribution in soil fractions showed an important change after the barley crop, favoring the immobilization of Cd in RS fraction for both nZVI-treated and untreated soils. The Cr immobilization was stable over the time studied and the doses of Cr were lethal for the barley plants. In contrast, the decrease of Cr availability reached after the nZVI treatment induced a reduction of soil phytotoxicity and an improvement in the development of the plants, which were able to complete their growing period. The Zn immobilization with nZVI was stable over time, but its effectiveness was moderate, and the growth of barley plants was poorer than that observed in the cases of Cd and Cr. Thus the best results of metal immobilization with nZVI were obtained for Cr-polluted soils. There was no overall increase of Fe in barley plants from nZVI-treated soils. In relation to the soil, no negative effects on its physico-chemical properties were observed after the time exposure with nZVI. Taking into account these results we can conclude that the use of nZVI is a promising remediation strategy, and its effectiveness would be conditioned to the soil properties and the bioavailable metal concentration. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Safety Criticality Standards Using the French CRISTAL Code Package: Application to the AREVA NP UO{sub 2} Fuel Fabrication Plant

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Doucet, M.; Durant Terrasson, L.; Mouton, J.

2006-07-01

Criticality safety evaluations implement requirements to proof of sufficient sub critical margins outside of the reactor environment for example in fuel fabrication plants. Basic criticality data (i.e., criticality standards) are used in the determination of sub critical margins for all processes involving plutonium or enriched uranium. There are several criticality international standards, e.g., ARH-600, which is one the US nuclear industry relies on. The French Nuclear Safety Authority (DGSNR and its advising body IRSN) has requested AREVA NP to review the criticality standards used for the evaluation of its Low Enriched Uranium fuel fabrication plants with CRISTAL V0, the recentlymore » updated French criticality evaluation package. Criticality safety is a concern for every phase of the fabrication process including UF{sub 6} cylinder storage, UF{sub 6}-UO{sub 2} conversion, powder storage, pelletizing, rod loading, assembly fabrication, and assembly transportation. Until 2003, the accepted criticality standards were based on the French CEA work performed in the late seventies with the APOLLO1 cell/assembly computer code. APOLLO1 is a spectral code, used for evaluating the basic characteristics of fuel assemblies for reactor physics applications, which has been enhanced to perform criticality safety calculations. Throughout the years, CRISTAL, starting with APOLLO1 and MORET 3 (a 3D Monte Carlo code), has been improved to account for the growth of its qualification database and for increasing user requirements. Today, CRISTAL V0 is an up-to-date computational tool incorporating a modern basic microscopic cross section set based on JEF2.2 and the comprehensive APOLLO2 and MORET 4 codes. APOLLO2 is well suited for criticality standards calculations as it includes a sophisticated self shielding approach, a P{sub ij} flux determination, and a 1D transport (S{sub n}) process. CRISTAL V0 is the result of more than five years of development work focusing on theoretical approaches and the implementation of user-friendly graphical interfaces. Due to its comprehensive physical simulation and thanks to its broad qualification database with more than a thousand benchmark/calculation comparisons, CRISTAL V0 provides outstanding and reliable accuracy for criticality evaluations for configurations covering the entire fuel cycle (i.e. from enrichment, pellet/assembly fabrication, transportation, to fuel reprocessing). After a brief description of the calculation scheme and the physics algorithms used in this code package, results for the various fissile media encountered in a UO{sub 2} fuel fabrication plant will be detailed and discussed. (authors)« less

Applying Human Factors Evaluation and Design Guidance to a Nuclear Power Plant Digital Control System

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Thomas Ulrich; Ronald Boring; William Phoenix

2012-08-01

The United States (U.S.) nuclear industry, like similar process control industries, has moved toward upgrading its control rooms. The upgraded control rooms typically feature digital control system (DCS) displays embedded in the panels. These displays gather information from the system and represent that information on a single display surface. In this manner, the DCS combines many previously separate analog indicators and controls into a single digital display, whereby the operators can toggle between multiple windows to monitor and control different aspects of the plant. The design of the DCS depends on the function of the system it monitors, but revolvesmore » around presenting the information most germane to an operator at any point in time. DCSs require a carefully designed human system interface. This report centers on redesigning existing DCS displays for an example chemical volume control system (CVCS) at a U.S. nuclear power plant. The crucial nature of the CVCS, which controls coolant levels and boration in the primary system, requires a thorough human factors evaluation of its supporting DCS. The initial digital controls being developed for the DCSs tend to directly mimic the former analog controls. There are, however, unique operator interactions with a digital vs. analog interface, and the differences have not always been carefully factored in the translation of an analog interface to a replacement DCS. To ensure safety, efficiency, and usability of the emerging DCSs, a human factors usability evaluation was conducted on a CVCS DCS currently being used and refined at an existing U.S. nuclear power plant. Subject matter experts from process control engineering, software development, and human factors evaluated the DCS displays to document potential usability issues and propose design recommendations. The evaluation yielded 167 potential usability issues with the DCS. These issues should not be considered operator performance problems but rather opportunities identified by experts to improve upon the design of the DCS. A set of nine design recommendations was developed to address these potential issues. The design principles addressed the following areas: (1) color, (2) pop-up window structure, (3) navigation, (4) alarms, (5) process control diagram, (6) gestalt grouping, (7) typography, (8) terminology, and (9) data entry. Visuals illustrating the improved DCS displays accompany the design recommendations. These nine design principles serve as the starting point to a planned general DCS style guide that can be used across the U.S. nuclear industry to aid in the future design of effective DCS interfaces.« less

Coal gasification systems engineering and analysis. Appendix E: Cost estimation and economic evaluation methodology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1980-01-01

The cost estimation and economic evaluation methodologies presented are consistent with industry practice for assessing capital investment requirements and operating costs of coal conversion systems. All values stated are based on January, 1980 dollars with appropriate recognition of the time value of money. Evaluation of project economic feasibility can be considered a two step process (subject to considerable refinement). First, the costs of the project must be quantified and second, the price at which the product can be manufacturd must be determined. These two major categories are discussed. The summary of methodology is divided into five parts: (1) systems costs, (2)instant plant costs, (3) annual operating costs, (4) escalation and discounting process, and (5) product pricing.

A lower content of de-methylesterified homogalacturonan improves enzymatic cell separation and isolation of mesophyll protoplasts in Arabidopsis.

PubMed

Lionetti, Vincenzo; Cervone, Felice; De Lorenzo, Giulia

2015-04-01

Cell adhesion occurs primarily at the level of middle lamella which is mainly composed by pectin polysaccharides. These can be degraded by cell wall degrading enzymes (CWDEs) during developmental processes to allow a controlled separation of plant cells. Extensive cell wall degradation by CWDEs with consequent cell separation is performed when protoplasts are isolated from plant tissues by using mixtures of CWDEs. We have evaluated whether modification of pectin affects cell separation and protoplast isolation. Arabidopsis plants overexpressing the pectin methylesterase inhibitors AtPMEI-1 or AtPMEI-2, and Arabidopsis pme3 plants, mutated in the gene encoding pectin methylesterase 3, showed an increased efficiency of isolation of viable mesophyll protoplasts as compared with Wild Type Columbia-0 plants. The release of protoplasts was correlated with the reduced level of long stretches of de-methylesterified homogalacturonan (HGA) present in these plants. Response to elicitation, cell wall regeneration and efficiency of transfection in protoplasts from transgenic plants was comparable to those of wild type protoplasts. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Skin Ageing: Natural Weapons and Strategies

PubMed Central

Binic, Ivana; Lazarevic, Viktor; Ljubenovic, Milanka; Mojsa, Jelena; Sokolovic, Dusan

2013-01-01

The fact that the skin is the most visible organ makes us aware of the ageing process every minute. The use of plant extracts and herbs has its origins in ancient times. Chronological and photo-ageing can be easily distinguished clinically, but they share important molecular features. We tried to gather the most interesting evidence based on facts about plants and plant extracts used in antiaging products. Our main idea was to emphasize action mechanisms of these plant/herbal products, that is, their “strategies” in fighting skin ageing. Some of the plant extracts have the ability to scavenge free radicals, to protect the skin matrix through the inhibition of enzymatic degradation, or to promote collagen synthesis in the skin. There are some plants that can affect skin elasticity and tightness. Certainly, there is a place for herbal principles in antiaging cosmetics. On the other hand, there is a constant need for more evaluation and more clinical studies in vivo with emphasis on the ingredient concentration of the plant/herbal products, its formulation, safety, and duration of the antiaging effect. PMID:23431351

Enhancing Elementary Pre-service Teachers' Plant Processes Conceptions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thompson, Stephen L.; Lotter, Christine; Fann, Xumei; Taylor, Laurie

2016-06-01

Researchers examined how an inquiry-based instructional treatment emphasizing interrelated plant processes influenced 210 elementary pre-service teachers' (PTs) conceptions of three plant processes, photosynthesis, cellular respiration, and transpiration, and the interrelated nature of these processes. The instructional treatment required PTs to predict the fate of a healthy plant in a sealed terrarium (Plant-in-a-Jar), justify their predictions, observe the plant over a 5-week period, and complete guided inquiry activities centered on one of the targeted plant processes each week. Data sources included PTs' pre- and post-predictions with accompanying justifications, course artifacts such as weekly terrarium observations and science journal entries, and group models of the interrelated plant processes occurring within the sealed terraria. A subset of 33 volunteer PTs also completed interviews the week the Plant-in-a-Jar scenario was introduced and approximately 4 months after the instructional intervention ended. Pre- and post-predictions from all PTs as well as interview responses from the subgroup of PTs, were coded into categories based on key plant processes emphasized in the Next Generation Science Standards. Study findings revealed that PTs developed more accurate conceptions of plant processes and their interrelated nature as a result of the instructional intervention. Primary patterns of change in PTs' plant process conceptions included development of more accurate conceptions of how water is used by plants, more accurate conceptions of photosynthesis features, and more accurate conceptions of photosynthesis and cellular respiration as transformative processes.

Complete physico-chemical treatment for coke plant effluents.

PubMed

Ghose, M K

2002-03-01

Naturally found coal is converted to coke which is suitable for metallurgical industries. Large quantities of liquid effluents produced contain a large amount of suspended solids, high COD, BOD, phenols, ammonia and other toxic substances which are causing serious pollution problem in the receiving water to which they are discharged. There are a large number of coke plants in the vicinity of Jharia Coal Field (JCF). Characteristics of the effluents have been evaluated. The present effluent treatment systems were found to be inadequate. Physico-chemical treatment has been considered as a suitable option for the treatment of coke plant effluents. Ammonia removal by synthetic zeolite, activated carbon for the removal of bacteria, viruses, refractory organics, etc. were utilized and the results are discussed. A scheme has been proposed for the complete physico-chemical treatment, which can be suitably adopted for the recycling, reuse and safe disposal of the treated effluent. Various unit process and unit operations involved in the treatment system have been discussed. The process may be useful on industrial scale at various sites.

Producing fired bricks using coal slag from a gasification plant in indiana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Chen, L.-M.; Chou, I.-Ming; Chou, S.-F.J.; Stucki, J.W.

2009-01-01

Integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) is a promising power generation technology which increases the efficiency of coal-to-power conversion and enhances carbon dioxide concentration in exhaust emissions for better greenhouse gas capture. Two major byproducts from IGCC plants are bottom slag and sulfur. The sulfur can be processed into commercially viable products, but high value applications need to be developed for the slag material in order to improve economics of the process. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the technical feasibility of incorporating coal slag generated by the Wabash River IGCC plant in Indiana as a raw material for the production of fired bricks. Full-size bricks containing up to 20 wt% of the coal slag were successfully produced at a bench-scale facility. These bricks have color and texture similar to those of regular fired bricks and their water absorption properties met the ASTM specifications for a severe weathering grade. Other engineering properties tests, including compressive strength tests, are in progress.

The potential indirect effects among plants via shared hummingbird pollinators are structured by phenotypic similarity.

PubMed

Bergamo, Pedro Joaquim; Wolowski, Marina; Maruyama, Pietro Kiyoshi; Vizentin-Bugoni, Jeferson; Carvalheiro, Luísa G; Sazima, Marlies

2017-07-01

Plant species within communities may overlap in pollinators' use and influence visitation patterns of shared pollinators, potentially engaging in indirect interactions (e.g., facilitation or competition). While several studies have explored the mechanisms regulating insect-pollination networks, there is a lack of studies on bird-pollination systems, particularly in species-rich tropical areas. Here, we evaluated if phenotypic similarity, resource availability (floral abundance), evolutionary relatedness and flowering phenology affect the potential for indirect effects via shared pollinators in hummingbird-pollinated plant species within four communities in the Brazilian Atlantic forest. Among the evaluated factors, phenotypic similarity (corolla length and anther height) was the most important variable, while resource availability (floral abundance) had a secondary importance. On the other hand, evolutionary relatedness and flowering phenology were less important, which altogether highlights the relevance of convergent evolution and that the contribution of a plant to the diet of the pollinators of another plant is independent of the level of temporal overlap in flowering in this tropical system. Interestingly, our findings contrast with results from multiple insect-pollinated plant communities, mostly from temperate regions, in which floral abundance was the most important driver, followed by evolutionary relatedness and phenotypic similarity. We propose that these contrasting results are due to high level of specialization inherent to tropical hummingbird-pollination systems. Moreover, our results demonstrated that factors defining linkage rules of plant-hummingbird networks also determinate plant-plant potential indirect effects. Future studies are needed to test if these findings can be generalized to other highly specialized systems. Overall, our results have important implications for the understanding of ecological processes due resource sharing in mutualistic systems. © 2017 by the Ecological Society of America.

Stillwater Hybrid Geo-Solar Power Plant Optimization Analyses

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wendt, Daniel S.; Mines, Gregory L.; Turchi, Craig S.

2015-09-02

The Stillwater Power Plant is the first hybrid plant in the world able to bring together a medium-enthalpy geothermal unit with solar thermal and solar photovoltaic systems. Solar field and power plant models have been developed to predict the performance of the Stillwater geothermal / solar-thermal hybrid power plant. The models have been validated using operational data from the Stillwater plant. A preliminary effort to optimize performance of the Stillwater hybrid plant using optical characterization of the solar field has been completed. The Stillwater solar field optical characterization involved measurement of mirror reflectance, mirror slope error, and receiver position error.more » The measurements indicate that the solar field may generate 9% less energy than the design value if an appropriate tracking offset is not employed. A perfect tracking offset algorithm may be able to boost the solar field performance by about 15%. The validated Stillwater hybrid plant models were used to evaluate hybrid plant operating strategies including turbine IGV position optimization, ACC fan speed and turbine IGV position optimization, turbine inlet entropy control using optimization of multiple process variables, and mixed working fluid substitution. The hybrid plant models predict that each of these operating strategies could increase net power generation relative to the baseline Stillwater hybrid plant operations.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yang, Kyoung Mo; Jee, Kye Kwang; Pyo, Chang Ryul

The basis of the leak before break (LBB) concept is to demonstrate that piping will leak significantly before a double ended guillotine break (DEGB) occurs. This is demonstrated by quantifying and evaluating the leak process and prescribing safe shutdown of the plant on the basis of the monitored leak rate. The application of LBB for power plant design has reduced plant cost while improving plant integrity. Several evaluations employing LBB analysis on system piping based on DEGB design have been completed. However, the application of LBB on main steam (MS) piping, which is LBB applicable piping, has not been performedmore » due to several uncertainties associated with occurrence of steam hammer and dynamic strain aging (DSA). The objective of this paper is to demonstrate the applicability of the LBB design concept to main steam lines manufactured with SA106 Gr.C carbon steel. Based on the material properties, including fracture toughness and tensile properties obtained from the comprehensive material tests for base and weld metals, a parametric study was performed as described in this paper. The PICEP code was used to determine leak size crack (LSC) and the FLET code was used to perform the stability assessment of MS piping. The effects of material properties obtained from tests were evaluated to determine the LBB applicability for the MS piping. It can be shown from this parametric study that the MS piping has a high possibility of design using LBB analysis.« less

Energy saving and consumption reducing evaluation of thermal power plant

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tan, Xiu; Han, Miaomiao

2018-03-01

At present, energy saving and consumption reduction require energy saving and consumption reduction measures for thermal power plant, establishing an evaluation system for energy conservation and consumption reduction is instructive for the whole energy saving work of thermal power plant. By analysing the existing evaluation system of energy conservation and consumption reduction, this paper points out that in addition to the technical indicators of power plant, market activities should also be introduced in the evaluation of energy saving and consumption reduction in power plant. Ttherefore, a new evaluation index of energy saving and consumption reduction is set up and the example power plant is calculated in this paper. Rresults show that after introducing the new evaluation index of energy saving and consumption reduction, the energy saving effect of the power plant can be judged more comprehensively, so as to better guide the work of energy saving and consumption reduction in power plant.

Assessment of the GHG Reduction Potential from Energy Crops Using a Combined LCA and Biogeochemical Process Models: A Review

PubMed Central

Jiang, Dong; Hao, Mengmeng; Wang, Qiao; Huang, Yaohuan; Fu, Xinyu

2014-01-01

The main purpose for developing biofuel is to reduce GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions, but the comprehensive environmental impact of such fuels is not clear. Life cycle analysis (LCA), as a complete comprehensive analysis method, has been widely used in bioenergy assessment studies. Great efforts have been directed toward establishing an efficient method for comprehensively estimating the greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction potential from the large-scale cultivation of energy plants by combining LCA with ecosystem/biogeochemical process models. LCA presents a general framework for evaluating the energy consumption and GHG emission from energy crop planting, yield acquisition, production, product use, and postprocessing. Meanwhile, ecosystem/biogeochemical process models are adopted to simulate the fluxes and storage of energy, water, carbon, and nitrogen in the soil-plant (energy crops) soil continuum. Although clear progress has been made in recent years, some problems still exist in current studies and should be addressed. This paper reviews the state-of-the-art method for estimating GHG emission reduction through developing energy crops and introduces in detail a new approach for assessing GHG emission reduction by combining LCA with biogeochemical process models. The main achievements of this study along with the problems in current studies are described and discussed. PMID:25045736

[Microbiological assessment of the Gouda-type cheese-making process in a Venezuelan industry].

PubMed

Dáivila, Jacqueline; Reyes, Genara; Corzo, Otoniel

2006-03-01

The adoption of the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) system is necessary to assure the safety of the product in the cheese-making industry. The compliment of pre-requisite programs as Good Manufacture Practices (GMPs) and Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures (SSOPs) are required before the implementation of the HACCP plan. GMPs are the standards related to equipments, tools, personnel, etc. SSOPs are the procedures related to hygiene and sanitation of the plant and workers. The aim of this study was to assess the compliment of the pre-requisite programs and the microbiological conditions of the Gouda type cheese-making process in a Venezuelan processing plant before designing a HACCP plan. Samples were: (a) raw milk, pasteurized milk, curd and ripened cheese, (b) water, (c) environment of the production areas and ripening premises, (d) equipments before and after sanitation, (e) food handlers. Microbiological analyses were done according to COVENIN standards. This study showed that even though pasteurization process was effective to kill pathogen bacteria of the raw milk and the water was safe, however there are deficient manufacture practices in the hygiene as well as in sanitation of the plant and food handlers. Prerequisite programs (GMP-SSOP) of this industry need to be well established, controlled and evaluated.

Breckinridge Project, initial effort. Report VII, Volume II. Environmental baseline report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

Ashland Synthetic Fuels, Inc. (ASFI) and Airco Energy Company, Inc. (AECI) have recently formed the Breckinridge Project and are currently conducting a process and economic feasibility study of a commercial scale facility to produce synthetic liquid fuels from coal. The coal conversion process to be used is the H-COAL process, which is in the pilot plant testing stage under the auspices of the US Department of Energy at the H-COAL Pilot Plant Project near Catlettsburg, Kentucky. The preliminary plans for the commercial plant are for a 18,140 metric ton/day (24,000 ton/day) nominal coal assumption capacity utilizing the abundant high sulfurmore » Western Kentucky coals. The Western Kentucky area offers a source of the coal along with adequate water, power, labor, transportation and other factors critical to the successful siting of a plant. Various studies by federal and state governments, as well as private industry, have reached similar conclusions regarding the suitability of such plant sites in western Kentucky. Of the many individual sites evaluated, a site in Breckinridge County, Kentucky, approximately 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) west of the town of Stephensport, has been identified as the plant location. Actions have been taken to obtain options to insure that this site will be available when needed. This report contains an overview of the regional setting and results of the baseline environmental studies. These studies include collection of data on ambient air and water quality, sound, aquatic and terrestrial biology and geology. This report contains the following chapters; introduction, review of significant findings, ambient air quality monitoring, sound, aquatic ecology, vegetation, wildlife, geology, soils, surface water, and ground water.« less

Are Local Filters Blind to Provenance? Ant Seed Predation Suppresses Exotic Plants More than Natives

PubMed Central

Pearson, Dean E.; Icasatti, Nadia S.; Hierro, Jose L.; Bird, Benjamin J.

2014-01-01

The question of whether species’ origins influence invasion outcomes has been a point of substantial debate in invasion ecology. Theoretically, colonization outcomes can be predicted based on how species’ traits interact with community filters, a process presumably blind to species’ origins. Yet, exotic plant introductions commonly result in monospecific plant densities not commonly seen in native assemblages, suggesting that exotic species may respond to community filters differently than natives. Here, we tested whether exotic and native species differed in their responses to a local community filter by examining how ant seed predation affected recruitment of eighteen native and exotic plant species in central Argentina. Ant seed predation proved to be an important local filter that strongly suppressed plant recruitment, but ants suppressed exotic recruitment far more than natives (89% of exotic species vs. 22% of natives). Seed size predicted ant impacts on recruitment independent of origins, with ant preference for smaller seeds resulting in smaller seeded plant species being heavily suppressed. The disproportionate effects of provenance arose because exotics had generally smaller seeds than natives. Exotics also exhibited greater emergence and earlier peak emergence than natives in the absence of ants. However, when ants had access to seeds, these potential advantages of exotics were negated due to the filtering bias against exotics. The differences in traits we observed between exotics and natives suggest that higher-order introduction filters or regional processes preselected for certain exotic traits that then interacted with the local seed predation filter. Our results suggest that the interactions between local filters and species traits can predict invasion outcomes, but understanding the role of provenance will require quantifying filtering processes at multiple hierarchical scales and evaluating interactions between filters. PMID:25099535

Implementation of the effects of physicochemical properties on the foliar penetration of pesticides and its potential for estimating pesticide volatilization from plants.

PubMed

Lichiheb, Nebila; Personne, Erwan; Bedos, Carole; Van den Berg, Frederik; Barriuso, Enrique

2016-04-15

Volatilization from plant foliage is known to have a great contribution to pesticide emission to the atmosphere. However, its estimation is still difficult because of our poor understanding of processes occurring at the leaf surface. A compartmental approach for dissipation processes of pesticides applied on the leaf surface was developed on the base of experimental study performed under controlled conditions using laboratory volatilization chamber. This approach was combined with physicochemical properties of pesticides and was implemented in SURFATM-Pesticides model in order to predict pesticide volatilization from plants in a more mechanistic way. The new version of SURFATM-Pesticide model takes into account the effect of formulation on volatilization and leaf penetration. The model was evaluated in terms of 3 pesticides applied on plants at the field scale (chlorothalonil, fenpropidin and parathion) which display a wide range of volatilization rates. The comparison of modeled volatilization fluxes with measured ones shows an overall good agreement for the three tested compounds. Furthermore the model confirms the considerable effect of the formulation on the rate of the decline in volatilization fluxes especially for systemic products. However, due to the lack of published information on the substances in the formulations, factors accounting for the effect of formulation are described empirically. A sensitivity analysis shows that in addition to vapor pressure, the octanol-water partition coefficient represents important physicochemical properties of pesticides affecting pesticide volatilization from plants. Finally the new version of SURFATM-Pesticides is a prospecting tool for key processes involved in the description of pesticide volatilization from plants. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Sludge reduction in a small wastewater treatment plant by electro-kinetic disintegration.

PubMed

Chiavola, Agostina; Ridolfi, Alessandra; D'Amato, Emilio; Bongirolami, Simona; Cima, Ennio; Sirini, Piero; Gavasci, Renato

2015-01-01

Sludge reduction in a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) has recently become a key issue for the managing companies, due to the increasing constraints on the disposal alternatives. Therefore, all the solutions proposed with the aim of minimizing sludge production are receiving increasing attention and are tested either at laboratory or full-scale to evaluate their real effectiveness. In the present paper, electro-kinetic disintegration has been applied at full-scale in the recycle loop of the sludge drawn from the secondary settlement tank of a small WWTP for domestic sewage. After the disintegration stage, the treated sludge was returned to the biological reactor. Three different percentages (50, 75 and 100%) of the return sludge flow rate were subjected to disintegration and the effects on the sludge production and the WWTP operation efficiency evaluated. The long-term observations showed that the electro-kinetic disintegration was able to drastically reduce the amount of biological sludge produced by the plant, without affecting its treatment efficiency. The highest reduction was achieved when 100% return sludge flow rate was subjected to the disintegration process. The reduced sludge production gave rise to a considerable net cost saving for the company which manages the plant.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Anastasia M. Gribik; Ronald E. Mizia; Harry Gatley

This project addresses both the technical and economic feasibility of replacing industrial gas in lime kilns with synthesis gas from the gasification of hog fuel. The technical assessment includes a materials evaluation, processing equipment needs, and suitability of the heat content of the synthesis gas as a replacement for industrial gas. The economic assessment includes estimations for capital, construction, operating, maintenance, and management costs for the reference plant. To perform these assessments, detailed models of the gasification and lime kiln processes were developed using Aspen Plus. The material and energy balance outputs from the Aspen Plus model were used asmore » inputs to both the material and economic evaluations.« less

TREATMENT PLANT EVALUATION FOR PARTICULATE CONTAMINANT REMOVAL

EPA Science Inventory

A general procedure is suggested for evaluating performance of water filtration plants. Plant operating records should be reviewed. Plant hydraulics should be evaluated. Chemical feed pumps, measuring, and additional points, plus control of chemical doses, are discussed. Rapid mi...

The Evolution of Land Plants and the Silicate Weathering Feedback

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ibarra, D. E.; Caves Rugenstein, J. K.; Bachan, A.; Baresch, A.; Lau, K. V.; Thomas, D.; Lee, J. E.; Boyce, C. K.; Chamberlain, C. P.

2017-12-01

It has long been recognized that the advent of vascular plants in the Paleozoic must have changed silicate weathering and fundamentally altered the long-term carbon cycle. Efforts to quantify these effects have been formulated in carbon cycle models that are, in part, calibrated by weathering studies of modern plant communities. In models of the long-term carbon cycle, plants play a key role in controlling atmospheric CO2, particularly in the late Paleozoic. We test the impact of some established and recent theories regarding plant-enhanced weathering by coupling a one-dimensional vapor transport model to a reactive transport model of silicate weathering. In this coupled model, we evaluate consequences of plant evolutionary innovation that have not been mechanistically incorporated into most existing models: 1) the role of evolutionary shifts in plant transpiration in enhancing silicate weathering by increasing downwind transport and recycling of water vapor to continental interiors; 2) the importance of deeply-rooted plants and their associated microbial communities in increasing soil CO2 and weathering zone length scales; and, 3) the cumulative effect of these processes. Our modeling approach is framed by energy/supply constraints calibrated for minimally vegetated-, vascular plant forested-, and angiosperm-worlds. We find that the emergence of widespread transpiration and associated inland vapor recycling approximately doubles weathering solute concentrations when deep-rooted vascular plants (Devonian-Carboniferous) fully replace a minimally vegetated (pre-Devonian) world. The later evolution of angiosperms (Cretaceous and Cenozoic) and subsequent increase in transpiration fluxes increase weathering solute concentrations by approximately an additional 20%. Our estimates of the changes in weatherability caused by land plant evolution are of a similar magnitude, but explained with new process-based mechanisms, than those used in existing carbon cycle models. We suggest a feedback where the increase in solute concentrations is compensated by a decrease in runoff and temperature, permitting lower steady-state atmospheric pCO2. Consequently, plants have increased the strength of the climatic feedback on silicate weathering since the late Paleozoic.

Preliminary Modelling of Mass Flux at the Surface of Plant Leaves within the MELiSSA Higher Plant Compartments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Holmberg, Madeleine; Paille, Christel; Lasseur, Christophe

The ESA project Micro Ecological Life Support System Alternative (MELiSSA) is an ecosystem of micro-organisms and higher plants, constructed with the objective of being operated as a tool to understand artificial ecosystems to be used for a long-term or permanent manned planetary base (e.g. Moon or Mars). The purpose of such a system is to provide for generation of food, water recycling, atmospheric regeneration and waste management within defined standards of quality and reliability. As MELiSSA consists of individual compartments which are connected to each other, the robustness of the system is fully dependent on the control of each compartment, as well as the flow management between them. Quality of consumables and reliability of the ecosystem rely on the knowledge, understanding and control of each of the components. This includes the full understanding of all processes related to the higher plants. To progress in that direction, this paper focuses on the mechanical processes driving the gas and liquid exchanges between the plant leaf and its environment. The process responsible for the mass transfer on the surface of plant leaves is diffusion. The diffusion flux is dependent on the behaviour of the stoma of the leaf and also on the leaf boundary layer (BL). In this paper, the physiology of the leaf is briefly examined in order to relate parameters such as light quality, light quantity, CO2 concentration, temperature, leaf water potential, humidity, vapour pressure deficit (VPD) gradients and pollutants to the opening or closing of stomata. The diffusion process is described theoretically and the description is compared to empirical approaches. The variables of the BL are examined and the effect airflow in the compartment has on the BL is investigated. Also presented is the impact changes in different environmental parameters may have on the fluid exchanges. Finally, some tests, to evaluate the accuracy of the concluded model, are suggested.

Analysis of umbu (Spondias tuberosa Arruda (Anacardiaceae)) in different landscape management regimes: a process of incipient domestication?

PubMed

Lins Neto, Ernani Machado de Freitas; Peroni, Nivaldo; Maranhão, Christine Maria Carneiro; Maciel, Maria Inês Sucupira; de Albuquerque, Ulysses Paulino

2012-07-01

Plant domestication is an evolutionary process guided by human groups who modify the landscape for their needs. The objective of this study was to evaluate the phenotypic variations between populations of Spondias tuberosa Arruda (umbuzeiro) when subjected to different local landscape management strategies. The influence of the landscape management system on these populations was evaluated in five identified regional units (mountains, base of mountains, pastures, cultivated areas and home gardens). Ten individuals were randomly selected from each region and subjected to morphological and chemical fruit analysis. The diversity index, based on Simpson's index, was determined for the different populations. We then evaluated the morphological differences between the individual fruits from the distinct landscape areas. We observed no significant differences in morphological diversity between the areas studied. Our data suggest that the umbuzeiro specimens in this region may be in the process of incipient domestication.

Rangeland health attributes and indicators for qualitative assessment

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pyke, David A.; Herrick, J.E.; Pellant, Mike

2002-01-01

Panels of experts from the Society for Range Management and the National Research Council proposed that status of rangeland ecosystems could be ascertained by evaluating an ecological site's potential to conserve soil resources and by a series of indicators for ecosystem processes and site stability. Using these recommendations as a starting point, we developed a rapid, qualitative method for assessing a moment-in-time status of rangelands. Evaluators rate 17 indicators to assess 3 ecosystem attributes (soil and site stability, hydrologic function, and biotic integrity) for a given location. Indicators include rills, water flow patterns, pedestals and terracettes, bare ground, gullies, wind scour and depositional areas, litter movement, soil resistance to erosion, soil surface loss or degradation, plant composition relative to infiltration, soil compaction, plant functional/structural groups, plant mortality, litter amount, annual production, invasive plants, and reproductive capability. In this paper, we detail the development and evolution of the technique and introduce a modified ecological reference worksheet that documents the expected presence and amount of each indicator on the ecological site. In addition, we review the intended applications for this technique and clarify the differences between assessment and monitoring that lead us to recommend this technique be used for moment-in-time assessments and not be used for temporal monitoring of rangeland status. Lastly, we propose a mechanism for adapting and modifying this technique to reflect improvements in understanding of ecosystem processes. We support the need for quantitative measures for monitoring rangeland health and propose some measures that we believe may address some of the 17 indicators.

Process identification of the SCR system of coal-fired power plant for de-NOx based on historical operation data.

PubMed

Li, Jian; Shi, Raoqiao; Xu, Chuanlong; Wang, Shimin

2018-05-08

The selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system, as one principal flue gas treatment method employed for the NO x emission control of the coal-fired power plant, is nonlinear and time-varying with great inertia and large time delay. It is difficult for the present SCR control system to achieve satisfactory performance with the traditional feedback and feedforward control strategies. Although some improved control strategies, such as the Smith predictor control and the model predictive control, have been proposed for this issue, a well-matched identification model is essentially required to realize a superior control of the SCR system. Industrial field experiment is an alternative way to identify the SCR system model in the coal-fired power plant. But it undesirably disturbs the operation system and is costly in time and manpower. In this paper, a process identification model of the SCR system is proposed and developed by applying the asymptotic method to the sufficiently excited data, selected from the original historical operation database of a 350 MW coal-fired power plant according to the condition number of the Fisher information matrix. Numerical simulations are carried out based on the practical historical operation data to evaluate the performance of the proposed model. Results show that the proposed model can efficiently achieve the process identification of the SCR system.

Effectiveness of Rice Agricultural Waste, Microbes and Wetland Plants in the Removal of Reactive Black-5 Azo Dye in Microcosm Constructed Wetlands.

PubMed

Saba, Beenish; Jabeen, Madeeha; Khalid, Azeem; Aziz, Irfan; Christy, Ann D

2015-01-01

Azo dyes are commonly generated as effluent pollutants by dye using industries, causing contamination of surface and ground water. Various strategies are employed to treat such wastewater; however, a multi-faceted treatment strategy could be more effective for complete removal of azo dyes from industrial effluent than any single treatment. In the present study, rice husk material was used as a substratum in two constructed wetlands (CWs) and augmented with microorganisms in the presence of wetland plants to effectively treat dye-polluted water. To evaluate the efficiency of each process the study was divided into three levels, i.e., adsorption of dye onto the substratum, phytoremediation within the CW and then bioremediation along with the previous two processes in the augmented CW. The adsorption process was helpful in removing 50% dye in presence of rice husk while 80% in presence of rice husk biocahr. Augmentation of microorganisms in CW systems has improved dye removal efficiency to 90%. Similarly presence of microorganisms enhanced removal of total nitrogen (68% 0 and Total phosphorus (75%). A significant improvement in plant growth was also observed by measuring plant height, number of leaves and leave area. These findings suggest the use of agricultural waste as part of a CW substratum can provide enhanced removal of textile dyes.

Evaluation of alternatives for best available technology treatment and retreatment of uranium-contaminated solutions at the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant C-400 Facility

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Del Cul, G.D.

1991-02-01

The Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant C-400 Decontamination Facility generators aqueous solutions that originate in drum washing, machine parts and equipment cleaning, and other decontamination processes. In general, the waste contains uranyl, fluoride, carbonate, and nitrate ions, in addition to soaps, detergents, secondary contaminants, and particulate matter. The main contaminants are fluoride, technetium, uranium, and other heavy metals. In accordance with Department of Energy (DOE) Order 5400.5, the releases of radioactive materials must be as low as reasonably achievable and be below the derived concentration guide limits. To comply with the DOE order, an action plan was formulated. The action planmore » included a literature search to support best available technology evaluation of treatment alternatives, a quality assurance/quality control plan, suggestion of alternative treatment options, bench-scale test studies of the proposed treatment alternatives, and establishment of the final recommendation. Five major technologies were considered: precipitation/coprecipitation, reverse osmosis, ultrafiltration, supported liquid membranes, and ion exchange. Biosorption was also briefly considered. Based on C-400's requirements and facilities, the precipitation/coprecipitation process appears to be the best suited for use at the plant. Four different treatment options using the precipitation/coprecipitation technology were proposed. Bench-scale studies of all four options were suggested. Options 1 and 2 represent a combination of lime-softening and iron coprecipitation. Laboratory test evaluations were initiated and the results involving Options 1 and 2 reported here. 29 refs., 1 fig., 2 tabs.« less

ESA hardware for plant research on the International Space Station

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brinckmann, E.

The long awaited launch of the European Modular Cultivation System (EMCS) will provide a platform on which long-term and shorter experiments with plants will be performed on the International Space Station (ISS). EMCS is equipped with two centrifuge rotors (600 mm diameter), which can be used for in-flight 1 g controls and for studies with acceleration levels from 0.001 g to 2.0 g. Several experiments are in preparation investigating gravity relating to gene expression, gravisensing and phototropism of Arabidopsis thaliana and lentil roots. The experiment-specific hardware provides growth chambers for seedlings and whole A. thaliana plants and is connected to the EMCS Life Support System. Besides in-flight video observation, the experiments will be evaluated post-flight by means of fixed or frozen material. EMCS will have for the first time the possibility to fix samples on the rotating centrifuge, allowing a detailed analysis of the process of gravisensing. About two years after the EMCS launch, ESA's Biolab will be launched in the European "Columbus" Module. In a similar way as in EMCS, Biolab will accommodate experiments with plant seedlings and automatic fixation processes on the centrifuge. The hardware concepts for these experiments are presented in this communication.

New Developments in Spaceflight Hardware for Plant Research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brinckmann, E.

The long awaited launch of the European Modular Cultivation System (EMCS) will provide a platform to perform long term and shorter experiments with plants on the International Space Station (ISS). EMCS is equipped with two centrifuge rotors (600 mm diameter), which can be used for flight 1xg controls and for studies with accelerations from 0.001xg to 2.0xg. Several experiments are in preparation, investigating gravity related gene expressions, gravisensing and phototropism of Arabidopsis thaliana, fern spores and lentil rots. The experiment specific hardware provides growth chambers for seedlings and whole A. thaliana plants, connected to the EMCS Life Support System. Besides video observation, the experiments will be evaluated on ground by means of fixed or frozen material. EMCS will have for the first time the possibility to fix samples on the rotating centrifuge, allowing a detailed analysis of the process of gravisensing. Two years after EMCS, ESA's BIOLAB will be launched in the European "Columbus" Module. In a similar way as in EMCS, BIOLAB accommodates experiments with plant seedlings and automatic fixation processes on the centrifuge. The hardware concepts for these experiments will be presented in this communication.

Evaluation of microbial loads, physical characteristics, chemical constituents and biological properties of radiation processed Fagonia arabica

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khattak, Khanzadi Fatima

2012-06-01

Whole plant of Fagonia arabica with 3 different particle sizes (30, 50 and 70 mesh) were exposed to gamma radiation doses of 1-10 kGy from a Cobalt 60 source. A series of tests was performed in order to check the feasibility of irradiation processing of the plant. The applied radiation doses did not affect (P<0.05) pH and antimicrobial activities of the plant. The total weight of the dry extracts in methanol as well as water was found increased with irradiation. The irradiated samples showed significant increase in phenolic content and free radical scavenging activity using DPPH. Shortly after irradiation (on the day of radiation treatment) high amounts of free radicals were detected in the irradiated plant samples and the chemiluminescence measurements were generally found to be dose dependent. Maximum luminescence intensity was observed in case of samples with mesh size of 30 for all the radiation doses applied. After a period of one month the chemiluminescence signals of the irradiated samples approximated those of the controls. The study suggests that gamma irradiation treatment is effective for quality improvement and enhances certain beneficial biological properties of the treated materials.

Colloidal Nanomolybdenum Influence upon the Antioxidative Reaction of Chickpea Plants ( Cicer arietinum L.)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taran, Nataliya; Batsmanova, Ludmila; Kosyk, Oksana; Smirnov, Oleksandr; Kovalenko, Mariia; Honchar, Liubov; Okanenko, Alexander

2016-10-01

The use of colloidal solutions of metals as micronutrients enhances plant resistance to unfavorable environmental conditions and ensures high yields of food crops. The purpose of the study was a comparative evaluation of presowing treatment with nanomolybdenum and microbiological preparation impact upon the development of adaptive responses in chickpea plants. Oxidative processes did not develop in all variants of the experiment but in variants treated with microbial preparation, and joint action of microbial and nanopreparations even declined, as evidenced by the reduction of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances in photosynthetic tissues by 15 %. The activity of superoxide dismutase increased (by 15 %) in variant "nanomolybdenum" and joint action "microbial + nanomolybdenum," but it decreased by 20 % in variants with microbial preparation treatment. The same dependence was observed in changes of catalase activity. Antioxidant status factor, which takes into account the ratio of antioxidant to pro-oxidant, was the highest in variants with joint action of microbial preparation and nanomolybdenum (0.7), the lowest in variants with microbial treatment only (0.1). Thus, the results show that the action of nanoparticles of molybdenum activated antioxidant enzymes and decreased oxidative processes, thus promoting adaptation of plants.

Medicinal Plants from Northeastern Brazil against Alzheimer's Disease

PubMed Central

Ribeiro, Alan Bezerra; Alves, Daniela Ribeiro; Rodrigues, Ana Livya Moreira; dos Santos, Leonardo Hunaldo; de Menezes, Jane Eire Silva Alencar

2017-01-01

Alzheimer's disease (AD) has been linked with oxidative stress, acetylcholine deficiency in the brain, and inflammatory processes. In the northeast region of Brazil, various plants are used to treat several diseases associated with these processes; then an antioxidant test was performed with those plants in a previous work and twelve species with higher antioxidant activity were selected for AChE inhibition evaluation. The phenolic compounds content was determined by Folin–Ciocalteu test and flavonoid content with AlCl3 reagent using UV-visible spectrophotometry. The antioxidant activity was assessed analyzing the inhibitory activity against 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2-azinobis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonate (ABTS) and by the β-carotene/linoleic acid system and acetylcholinesterase inhibition using qualitative and quantitative tests. The combination of better acetylcholinesterase inhibitory and antioxidant activities pointed out six species, in descending order, as the best potential sources of therapeutic agents against AD: Hancornia speciosa > Myracrodruon urundeuva > Copaifera langsdorffii > Stryphnodendron coriaceum > Psidium guajava > Mangifera indica. Besides, the phenolic compounds in the species probably contribute to these activities. However, further pharmacological studies to assess the specific applications of these plants against AD are required to confirm these results. PMID:28316633

Labeled Azospirillum brasilense wild type and excretion-ammonium strains in association with barley roots.

PubMed

Santos, Adrian Richard Schenberger; Etto, Rafael Mazer; Furmam, Rafaela Wiegand; Freitas, Denis Leandro de; Santos, Karina Freire d'Eça Nogueira; Souza, Emanuel Maltempi de; Pedrosa, Fábio de Oliveira; Ayub, Ricardo Antônio; Steffens, Maria Berenice Reynaud; Galvão, Carolina Weigert

2017-09-01

Soil bacteria colonization in plants is a complex process, which involves interaction between many bacterial characters and plant responses. In this work, we labeled Azospirillum brasilense FP2 (wild type) and HM053 (excretion-ammonium) strains by insertion of the reporter gene gusA-kanamycin into the dinitrogenase reductase coding gene, nifH, and evaluated bacteria colonization in barley (Hordeum vulgare). In addition, we determined inoculation effect based on growth promotion parameters. We report an uncommon endophytic behavior of A. brasilense Sp7 derivative inside the root hair cells of barley and highlight the promising use of A. brasilense HM053 as plant growth-promoting bacterium. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Effect of gamma irradiation on the vitamins, phytochemicals, antimicrobial and antioxidant properties of Ziziphus mauritiana Lam. leaves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khattak, Khanzadi Fatima; Rahman, Taj Ur

2016-10-01

Plant based food products and medicines are given more consideration for their efficacy, safety and synergistic effects. Radiation processing has been valuably used for microbial decontamination and value addition of the plant materials. The current study is about the effect of gamma irradiation on the quality attributes of Ziziphus mauritiana Lam. leaves. The leaves of the plant were irradiated at the dose levels of 2.5, 5.0, 7.5, 10.0 and 12.5 kGy. The irradiated and control samples were evaluated for vitamin, phytochemicals, antibacterial and DPPH scavenging activities. The results showed that gamma irradiation doses up to 12.5 kGy enhanced the levels of certain phytochemicals and augmented the biological activities.

Relationship between Listeria monocytogenes and Listeria spp. in seafood processing plants.

PubMed

Alali, Walid Q; Schaffner, Donald W

2013-07-01

The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationship between prevalence of Listeria monocytogenes as an outcome and Listeria spp. as an explanatory variable by food products, food contact surfaces, and nonfood contact surfaces in seafood processing plants by using peer-reviewed published data. Nine sets of prevalence data of L. monocytogenes and Listeria spp. were collected from published studies and used for the analyses. Based on our analysis, the relationship between L. monocytogenes prevalence and Listeria spp. prevalence in food products (incoming raw materials and finish products) was significant (P = 0.04) with (low) R² = 0.36. Furthermore, Listeria spp. were not a good indicator for L. monocytogenes when testing food contact surfaces (R² = 0.10). Listeria spp. were a good indicator for L. monocytogenes only on nonfood contact surfaces (R² = 0.90). On the other hand, the presence of Listeria spp. on food contact surfaces (R² = 0.002) and nonfood contact surfaces (R² = 0.03) was not a good indicator for L. monocytogenes presence in food products. In general, prevalence of Listeria spp. does not seem to be a good indicator for L. monocytogenes prevalence in seafood processing plants.

Anaerobic digestion of agricultural and other substrates--implications for greenhouse gas emissions.

PubMed

Pucker, J; Jungmeier, G; Siegl, S; Pötsch, E M

2013-06-01

The greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, expressed in carbon dioxide equivalents (CO2-eq), of different Austrian biogas systems were analyzed and evaluated using life-cycle assessment (LCA) as part of a national project. Six commercial biogas plants were investigated and the analysis included the complete process chain: viz., the production and collection of substrates, the fermentation of the substrates in the biogas plant, the upgrading of biogas to biomethane (if applicable) and the use of the biogas or biomethane for heat and electricity or as transportation fuel. Furthermore, the LCA included the GHG emissions of construction, operation and dismantling of the major components involved in the process chain, as well as the use of by-products (e.g. fermentation residues used as fertilizers). All of the biogas systems reduced GHG emissions (in CO2-eq) compared with fossil reference systems. The potential for GHG reduction of the individual biogas systems varied between 60% and 100%. Type of feedstock and its reference use, agricultural practices, coverage of storage tanks for fermentation residues, methane leakage at the combined heat and power plant unit and the proportion of energy used as heat were identified as key factors influencing the GHG emissions of anaerobic digestion processes.

Energetic and Environmental Impacts Related to Transport and Assembling Processes in ABiogas Production Plant from Marine Macroalgae (FP7 Project BioWALK4Biofuels)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cappelli, Andrea; Gigli, Emanuele; Muzi, Luca; Renda, Roberto; Simoni, Silvano

2010-01-01

GHG emissions, eutrophication and energy dependence are problems that the EU has to face in the near future. The BioWALK4Biofuels project aims to find a common response to these challenges, taking advantage of spontaneous biological processes: the growth of algae and anaerobic digestion of biomass. This project is being built thanks to European funding under the 7th Framework Programme. To evaluate the results obtained, a first LCA study was carried out that, as regards the data on infrastructure and on the assembly of the plant, refers to data supplied by manufacturers, while the study of algal growth was made on the basis of a model of cultivation that takes account of the aspects that most affect this key process among all the ones that cooperate in the whole plant. The electricity and heat produced through a co-generator fueled by biogas produced from algal biomass, according to this study, are responsible for GHG emissions reduced by 52% compared to traditional technologies. The biogas produced during the 4 years of the project allows the substitution of 85 tonnes of oil equivalent (toe).

Measuring Leaf Area in Soy Plants by HSI Color Model Filtering and Mathematical Morphology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Benalcázar, M.; Padín, J.; Brun, M.; Pastore, J.; Ballarin, V.; Peirone, L.; Pereyra, G.

2011-12-01

There has been lately a significant progress in automating tasks for the agricultural sector. One of the advances is the development of robots, based on computer vision, applied to care and management of soy crops. In this task, digital image processing plays an important role, but must solve some important problems, like the ones associated to the variations in lighting conditions during image acquisition. Such variations influence directly on the brightness level of the images to be processed. In this paper we propose an algorithm to segment and measure automatically the leaf area of soy plants. This information is used by the specialists to evaluate and compare the growth of different soy genotypes. This algorithm, based on color filtering using the HSI model, detects green objects from the image background. The segmentation of leaves (foliage) was made applying Mathematical Morphology. The foliage area was estimated counting the pixels that belong to the segmented leaves. From several experiments, consisting in applying the algorithm to measure the foliage of about fifty plants of various genotypes of soy, at different growth stages, we obtained successful results, despite the high brightness variations and shadows in the processed images.

Sources and potential application of waste heat utilization at a gas processing facility

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alshehhi, Alyas Ali

Waste heat recovery (WHR) has the potential to significantly improve the efficiency of oil and gas plants, chemical and other processing facilities, and reduce their environmental impact. In this Thesis a comprehensive energy audit at Abu Dhabi Gas Industries Ltd. (GASCO) ASAB gas processing facilities is undertaken to identify sources of waste heat and evaluate their potential for on-site recovery. Two plants are considered, namely ASAB0 and ASAB1. Waste heat evaluation criteria include waste heat grade (i.e., temperature), rate, accessibility (i.e., proximity) to potential on-site waste heat recovery applications, and potential impact of recovery on installation performance and safety. The operating parameters of key waste heat source producing equipment are compiled, as well as characteristics of the waste heat streams. In addition, potential waste heat recovery applications and strategies are proposed, focusing on utilities, i.e., enhancement of process cooling/heating, electrical/mechanical power generation, and steam production. The sources of waste heat identified at ASAB facilities consist of gas turbine and gas generator exhaust gases, flared gases, excess propane cooling capacity, excess process steam, process gas air-cooler heat dissipation, furnace exhaust gases and steam turbine outlet steam. Of the above waste heat sources, exhaust gases from five gas turbines and one gas generator at ASAB0 plant, as well as from four gas turbines at ASAB1 plant, were found to meet the rate (i.e., > 1 MW), grade (i.e., > 180°C), accessibility (i.e., < 50 m from potential on-site WHR applications) and minimal impact criteria on the performance and safety of existing installations, for potential waste heat recovery. The total amount of waste heat meeting these criteria were estimated at 256 MW and 289 MW at ASAB0 and ASAB1 plants, respectively, both of which are substantial. Of the 289 MW waste generated at ASAB1, approximately 173 MW are recovered by waste heat recovery steam generators (WHRSGs), leaving 116 MW unutilized. The following strategies were developed to recover the above waste heat. At ASAB0, it is proposed that exhaust gases from all five gas turbines be used to power a WHRSG. The steam generated by the WHRSG would both i) drive an absorption refrigeration unit for gas turbine inlet air cooling, which would result in additional electric or mechanical power generation, and pre-cooling of process gas, which could reduce the need for or eliminate air coolers, as well as reduce propane chiller load, and ii) serve for heating of lean gas, which would reduce furnace load. At ASAB1, it is proposed that exhaust gases from all four gas turbines be used to generate steam in WHRSG that would drive an absorption refrigeration unit for either gas turbine inlet air cooling for additional electric or mechanical power generation, or pre-cooling of process gas to eliminate air-coolers and reduce propane chiller cooling load. Considering the smaller amount of waste heat available at ASAB1 (116 MW) relative to ASAB0 (237 MW), these above two recovery options could not be implemented simultaneously at ASAB0. To permit the detailed design and techno-economic feasibility evaluation of the proposed waste heat recovery strategies in a subsequent study, the cooling loads and associated electric power consumption of ASAB0 process gas air-coolers were estimated at 21 MW and 1.9 MW, respectively, and 67 MW and 2.2 MW, respectively for ASAB1 plant. In addition, the heating loads and fuel consumption of ASAB0 furnaces used for lean gas re-generation were estimated at 24 MW and 0.0653 MMSCMD, respectively. In modeling work undertaken in parallel with this study at the Petroleum Institute, the waste heat recovery strategies proposed here were found to be thermodynamically and economically feasible, and to lead to substantial energy and cost savings, hence environmental benefits.

Environmental assessment of farm-scaled anaerobic co-digestion for bioenergy production

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lijó, Lucía, E-mail: lucia.lijo@usc.es; González-García, Sara; Bacenetti, Jacopo

Highlights: • Anaerobic monodigestion and codigestion were compared. • The environmental advantages of suitable waste management were proved. • The use of cereal crops as feedstock improves biogas yield. • Cultivation step implies the most important environmental hotspot. • Digestate management options were evaluated. - Abstract: The aim of this study was to assess the environmental profile of a bioenergy system based on a co-digestion plant using maize silage and pig slurry as substrates. All the processes involved in the production of bioenergy as well as the avoided processes accrued from the biogas production system were evaluated. The results evidencedmore » the environmental importance of the cultivation step and the environmental credits associated to the avoided processes. In addition, this plant was compared with two different plants that digest both substrates separately. The results revealed the environmental benefits of the utilisation of pig slurry due to the absence of environmental burdens associated with its production as well as credits provided when avoiding its conventional management. The results also presented the environmental drawbacks of the utilisation of maize silage due to the environmental burdens related with its production. Accordingly, the anaerobic mono-digestion of maize silage achieved the worst results. The co-digestion of both substrates was ranked in an intermediate position. Additionally, three possible digestate management options were assessed. The results showed the beneficial effect of digestate application as an organic fertiliser, principally on account of environmental credits due to avoided mineral fertilisation. However, digestate application involves important acidifying and eutrophicating emissions.« less

Monte Carlo Based Calibration and Uncertainty Analysis of a Coupled Plant Growth and Hydrological Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Houska, Tobias; Multsch, Sebastian; Kraft, Philipp; Frede, Hans-Georg; Breuer, Lutz

2014-05-01

Computer simulations are widely used to support decision making and planning in the agriculture sector. On the one hand, many plant growth models use simplified hydrological processes and structures, e.g. by the use of a small number of soil layers or by the application of simple water flow approaches. On the other hand, in many hydrological models plant growth processes are poorly represented. Hence, fully coupled models with a high degree of process representation would allow a more detailed analysis of the dynamic behaviour of the soil-plant interface. We used the Python programming language to couple two of such high process oriented independent models and to calibrate both models simultaneously. The Catchment Modelling Framework (CMF) simulated soil hydrology based on the Richards equation and the Van-Genuchten-Mualem retention curve. CMF was coupled with the Plant growth Modelling Framework (PMF), which predicts plant growth on the basis of radiation use efficiency, degree days, water shortage and dynamic root biomass allocation. The Monte Carlo based Generalised Likelihood Uncertainty Estimation (GLUE) method was applied to parameterize the coupled model and to investigate the related uncertainty of model predictions to it. Overall, 19 model parameters (4 for CMF and 15 for PMF) were analysed through 2 x 106 model runs randomly drawn from an equally distributed parameter space. Three objective functions were used to evaluate the model performance, i.e. coefficient of determination (R2), bias and model efficiency according to Nash Sutcliffe (NSE). The model was applied to three sites with different management in Muencheberg (Germany) for the simulation of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in a cross-validation experiment. Field observations for model evaluation included soil water content and the dry matters of roots, storages, stems and leaves. Best parameter sets resulted in NSE of 0.57 for the simulation of soil moisture across all three sites. The shape parameter of the retention curve n was highly constrained whilst other parameters of the retention curve showed a large equifinality. The root and storage dry matter observations were predicted with a NSE of 0.94, a low bias of 58.2 kg ha-1 and a high R2 of 0.98. Dry matters of stem and leaves were predicted with less, but still high accuracy (NSE=0.79, bias=221.7 kg ha-1, R2=0.87). We attribute this slightly poorer model performance to missing leaf senescence which is currently not implemented in PMF. The most constrained parameters for the plant growth model were the radiation-use-efficiency and the base temperature. Cross validation helped to identify deficits in the model structure, pointing out the need of including agricultural management options in the coupled model.

Monte Carlo based calibration and uncertainty analysis of a coupled plant growth and hydrological model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Houska, T.; Multsch, S.; Kraft, P.; Frede, H.-G.; Breuer, L.

2013-12-01

Computer simulations are widely used to support decision making and planning in the agriculture sector. On the one hand, many plant growth models use simplified hydrological processes and structures, e.g. by the use of a small number of soil layers or by the application of simple water flow approaches. On the other hand, in many hydrological models plant growth processes are poorly represented. Hence, fully coupled models with a high degree of process representation would allow a more detailed analysis of the dynamic behaviour of the soil-plant interface. We used the Python programming language to couple two of such high process oriented independent models and to calibrate both models simultaneously. The Catchment Modelling Framework (CMF) simulated soil hydrology based on the Richards equation and the van-Genuchten-Mualem retention curve. CMF was coupled with the Plant growth Modelling Framework (PMF), which predicts plant growth on the basis of radiation use efficiency, degree days, water shortage and dynamic root biomass allocation. The Monte Carlo based Generalised Likelihood Uncertainty Estimation (GLUE) method was applied to parameterize the coupled model and to investigate the related uncertainty of model predictions to it. Overall, 19 model parameters (4 for CMF and 15 for PMF) were analysed through 2 × 106 model runs randomly drawn from an equally distributed parameter space. Three objective functions were used to evaluate the model performance, i.e. coefficient of determination (R2), bias and model efficiency according to Nash Sutcliffe (NSE). The model was applied to three sites with different management in Muencheberg (Germany) for the simulation of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in a cross-validation experiment. Field observations for model evaluation included soil water content and the dry matters of roots, storages, stems and leaves. Best parameter sets resulted in NSE of 0.57 for the simulation of soil moisture across all three sites. The shape parameter of the retention curve n was highly constrained whilst other parameters of the retention curve showed a large equifinality. The root and storage dry matter observations were predicted with a NSE of 0.94, a low bias of -58.2 kg ha-1 and a high R2 of 0.98. Dry matters of stem and leaves were predicted with less, but still high accuracy (NSE = 0.79, bias = 221.7 kg ha-1, R2 = 0.87). We attribute this slightly poorer model performance to missing leaf senescence which is currently not implemented in PMF. The most constrained parameters for the plant growth model were the radiation-use-efficiency and the base temperature. Cross validation helped to identify deficits in the model structure, pointing out the need of including agricultural management options in the coupled model.

Occupational Exposure to Bioaerosols in Norwegian Crab Processing Plants.

PubMed

Thomassen, Marte R; Kamath, Sandip D; Lopata, Andreas L; Madsen, Anne Mette; Eduard, Wijnand; Bang, Berit E; Aasmoe, Lisbeth

2016-08-01

Aerosolization of components when processing king crab (Paralithodes camtschaticus) and edible crab (Cancer pagurus) may cause occupational health problems when inhaled by workers. A cross-sectional study was carried out in three king crab plants and one edible crab plant. Personal exposure measurements were performed throughout work shifts. Air was collected for measurement of tropomyosin, total protein, endotoxin, trypsin, and N-acetyl-β-d-glucosaminidase (NAGase). T-tests and ANOVAs were used to compare the levels of exposure in the different plants and areas in the plants. Total protein and tropomyosin levels were highest in the edible crab plant, endotoxin levels were highest in king crab plants. King crab exposure levels were highest during raw processing. Tropomyosin levels were highest during raw king crab processing with geometric mean (GM) 9.6 versus 2.5ng m(-3) during cooked processing. Conversely, edible crab tropomyosin levels were highest during cooked processing with GM 45.4 versus 8.7ng m(-3) during raw processing. Endotoxin levels were higher in king crab plants than in the edible crab plant with GM = 6285.5 endotoxin units (EU) m(-3) versus 72 EU m(-3). In the edible crab plant, NAGase levels were highest during raw processing with GM = 853 pmol4-methylumbelliferone (MU) m(-3) versus 422 pmol4-MU m(-3) during cooked processing. Trypsin activity was found in both king crab and edible crab plants and levels were higher in raw than cooked processing. Differences in exposure levels between plants and worker groups (raw and cooked processing) were identified. Norwegian crab processing workers are exposed to airborne proteins, tropomyosin, endotoxins, trypsin, and NAGase in their breathing zone. Levels vary between worker groups and factories. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Occupational Hygiene Society.

Very large scale monoclonal antibody purification: the case for conventional unit operations.

PubMed

Kelley, Brian

2007-01-01

Technology development initiatives targeted for monoclonal antibody purification may be motivated by manufacturing limitations and are often aimed at solving current and future process bottlenecks. A subject under debate in many biotechnology companies is whether conventional unit operations such as chromatography will eventually become limiting for the production of recombinant protein therapeutics. An evaluation of the potential limitations of process chromatography and filtration using today's commercially available resins and membranes was conducted for a conceptual process scaled to produce 10 tons of monoclonal antibody per year from a single manufacturing plant, a scale representing one of the world's largest single-plant capacities for cGMP protein production. The process employs a simple, efficient purification train using only two chromatographic and two ultrafiltration steps, modeled after a platform antibody purification train that has generated 10 kg batches in clinical production. Based on analyses of cost of goods and the production capacity of this very large scale purification process, it is unlikely that non-conventional downstream unit operations would be needed to replace conventional chromatographic and filtration separation steps, at least for recombinant antibodies.

Silicon production process evaluations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1982-01-01

Chemical engineering analysis was continued for the HSC process (Hemlock Semiconductor Corporation) in which solar cell silicon is produced in a 1,000 MT/yr plant. Progress and status are reported for the primary engineering activities involved in the preliminary process engineering design of the plant base case conditions (96%), reaction chemistry (96%), process flow diagram (85%), material balance (85%), energy balance (60%), property data (60%), equipment design (40%), major equipment list (30%) and labor requirements (10%). Engineering design of the second distillation column (D-02, TCS column) in the process was completed. The design is based on a 97% recovery of the light key (TCS, trichlorosilane) in the distillate and a 97% recovery of the heavy key (TET, silicon tetrachloride) in the bottoms. At a reflux ratio of 2, the specified recovery of TCS and TET is achieved with 20 trays (equilibrium stages, N=20). Respective feed tray locations are 9, 12 and 15 (NF sub 1 = 9, NF sub 2 = 12,, and NF sub 3 = 15). A total condenser is used for the distillation which is conducted at a pressure of 90 psia.

Salmonellae Associated with Further-processed Turkey Products1

PubMed Central

Bryan, Frank L.; Ayres, John C.; Kraft, Allen A.

1968-01-01

“Further-processed” turkey products, prepared from chilled, eviscerated, and thawed carcasses at two commercial turkey-processing plants, were evaluated, for the presence of salmonellae. These organisms were isolated from swab samples from 12% of chilled, eviscerated turkey carcasses, 27% of finished products, and 24% of processing equipment. The same serotypes as those found throughout a plant on any one visit were recovered from 31% of rinse-samples taken from hands and gloves of processing personnel. Salmonellae were found in samples taken on 37 of 48 visits; a greater number of recoveries were made on days when freshly killed turkeys were processed (87%) than when frozen-defrosted carcasses were processed (59%). The predominant serotype isolated from meat and environment usually changed from visit to visit. Salmonella sandiego and Salmonella anatum were the most frequent among 23 serotypes recovered. Most of the isolated serotypes are commonly associated with turkeys and have been incriminated as causative agents of human salmonellosis. The implication is that further-processed turkey products, if inadequately cooked by the consumer and if improperly refrigerated between the time of manufacture and consumption, could directly transmit salmonellae. These same products might also contaminate other foods by introducing salmonellae into food-preparation areas. PMID:5688832

Initial Soil Organic Matter Content Influences the Storage and Turnover of Litter-, Root- and Soil Carbon in Grasslands

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, L.; Xu, S.; Li, P.; Sayer, E. J.

2017-12-01

Grassland degradation is a worldwide problem that often leads to substantial loss of soil organic matter (SOM). Understanding how SOM content influences the stabilization of plant carbon (C) to form soil C is important to evaluate the potential of degraded grasslands to sequester additional C. We conducted a greenhouse experiment using C3 soils with six levels of SOM content and planted the C4 grass Cleistogenes squarrosa and/or added its litter to investigate how SOM content regulates the storage of new soil C derived from litter and roots, the decomposition of extant soil C, and the formation of soil aggregates. We found that microbial biomass carbon (MBC) increased with SOM content, and increased the mineralization of litter C. Both litter addition and planted treatments increased the amount of new C inputs to soil. However, litter addition had no significant impacts on the mineralization of extant soil C, but the presence of living roots significantly accelerated it. Thus, by the end of the experiment, soil C content was significantly higher in the litter addition treatments, but was not affected by planted treatments. The soil macroaggregate fraction increased with SOM content and was positively related to MBC. Overall, our study suggests that as SOM content increases, plant growth and soil microbes become more active, which allows microbes to process more plant-derived C and increases new soil C formation. The interactions between SOM content and plant C inputs should be considered when evaluating soil C turnover in degraded grasslands.

10 CFR Appendix C to Part 52 - Design Certification Rule for the AP600 Design

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

..., Manager, Passive Plant Engineering, Westinghouse Electric Company, P.O. Box 355, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania... Web site, http://www.nrc.gov, and/or at the NRC Public Document Room, is insufficient; c. The...) Fuel criteria evaluation process. (4) Fire areas. (5) Human factors engineering. c. A licensee who...

10 CFR Appendix C to Part 52 - Design Certification Rule for the AP600 Design

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

..., Manager, Passive Plant Engineering, Westinghouse Electric Company, P.O. Box 355, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania... Web site, http://www.nrc.gov, and/or at the NRC Public Document Room, is insufficient; c. The...) Fuel criteria evaluation process. (4) Fire areas. (5) Human factors engineering. c. A licensee who...

76 FR 34105 - Carolina Power & Light Company, Brunswick Steam Electric Plant Units 1 and 2; Exemption

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-10

... two 12-hour shifts of workers consisting of personnel from operations, maintenance, health physics...-informed evaluation process has shown to be significant to public health and safety; (2) performing health physics or chemistry duties required as a member of the onsite emergency response organization's minimum...

76 FR 12137 - Entergy Operations, Inc. Waterford Steam Electric Station, Unit 3 Exemption

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-04

... of the plant and personnel safety, would maintain protection of health and safety of the public...-informed evaluation process has shown to be significant to public health and safety; (2) performing health physics or chemistry duties required as a member of the onsite emergency response organization's minimum...

Stochastic and deterministic processes regulate spatio-temporal variation in seed bank diversity

Treesearch

Alejandro A. Royo; Todd E. Ristau

2013-01-01

Seed banks often serve as reservoirs of taxonomic and genetic diversity that buffer plant populations and influence post-disturbance vegetation trajectories; yet evaluating their importance requires understanding how their composition varies within and across spatial and temporal scales (α- and β-diversity). Shifts in seed bank diversity are strongly...

Evaluating theories of drought-induced vegetation mortality using a multimodel-experiment framework

Treesearch

Nate G. McDowell; Rosie A. Fisher; Chonggang Xu; J. C. Domec; Teemu Holtta; D. Scott Mackay; John S. Sperry; Amanda Boutz; Lee Dickman; Nathan Gehres; Jean Marc Limousin; Alison Macalady; Jordi Martinez-Vilalta; Maurizio Mencuccini; Jennifer A. Plaut; Jerome Ogee; Robert E. Pangle; Daniel P. Rasse; Michael G. Ryan; Sanna Sevanto; Richard H. Waring; A. Park Williams; Enrico A. Yepez; William T. Pockman

2013-01-01

Model-data comparisons of plant physiological processes provide an understanding of mechanisms underlying vegetation responses to climate. We simulated the physiology of a pinon pine-juniper woodland (Pinus edulis-Juniperus monosperma) that experienced mortality during a 5 yr precipitation-reduction experiment, allowing a framework with which to examine our knowledge...

Comparative Biogeochemical Cycles of Bioenergy Crops Reveal Nitrogen-Fixation and Low GHG Emissions in a Miscanthus x giganteus Agro-ecosystem

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

We evaluated the relative greenhouse gas mitigation potential of plant species considered as biofuel feedstock crops by simulating the biogeochemical processes associated with Miscanthus x giganteus, Panicum virgatum, Zea mays, and a mixed prairie community. DayCent model simulations for Miscanthus ...

Texture properties of raw and cooked broiler breast fillets with the wooden breast condition

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

This study evaluated the effects of the wooden breast condition (WBC) on the texture properties of raw and cooked broiler breast fillets (Pectoralis major). Breast fillets (deboned at 3 h postmortem) were collected from a commercial broiler processing plant based on the wooden breast condition (norm...

Adaptive divergence at the margin of an invaded range

Treesearch

Francis F. Kilkenny; Laura F. Galloway

2012-01-01

Invasive plant species threaten biological communities globally. However, relatively little is known about how evolutionary processes vary over the course of an invasion. To evaluate the importance of historical and adaptive drivers of range expansion, we compare the performance of North American populations of invasive Lonicera japonica from areas established 100-150...

Economic and environmental evaluation of coal-and-biomass-to-liquids-and-electricity plants equipped with carbon capture and storage

EPA Science Inventory

Among various clean energy technologies, one innovative option for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions involves pairing carbon capture and storage (CCS) with the production of synthetic fuels and electricity from co-processed coal and biomass. With a relatively pure CO2 strea...

Demonstration tests of infrared peeling system with electrical emitters for tomatoes

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Infrared (IR) dry-peeling is an emerging technology that could avoid the drawbacks of steam and lye peeling of tomatoes. The objectives of this research was to evaluate the performance of an IR peeling system at two tomato processing plants located in California and to compare product quality, peela...

Sensor for measuring hydrogen partial pressure in parabolic trough power plant expansion tanks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Glatzmaier, Greg C.; Cooney, Daniel A.

2017-06-01

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory and Acciona Energy North America are working together to design and implement a process system that provides a permanent solution to the issue of hydrogen buildup at parabolic trough power plants. We are pursuing a method that selectively removes hydrogen from the expansion tanks that serve as reservoirs for the heat transfer fluid (HTF) that circulates in the collector field and power block components. Our modeling shows that removing hydrogen from the expansion tanks at a design rate reduces and maintains dissolved hydrogen in the circulating HTF to a selected target level. Our collaborative work consists of several tasks that are needed to advance this process concept to a development stage, where it is ready for implementation at a commercial power plant. Our main effort is to design and evaluate likely process-unit operations that remove hydrogen from the expansion tanks at a specified rate. Additionally, we designed and demonstrated a method and instrumentation to measure hydrogen partial pressure and concentration in the expansion-tank headspace gas. We measured hydrogen partial pressure in the headspace gas mixture using a palladium-alloy membrane, which is permeable exclusively to hydrogen. The membrane establishes a pure hydrogen gas phase that is in equilibrium with the hydrogen in the gas mixture. We designed and fabricated instrumentation, and demonstrated its effectiveness in measuring hydrogen partial pressures over a range of three orders of magnitude. Our goal is to install this instrument at the Nevada Solar One power plant and to demonstrate its effectiveness in measuring hydrogen levels in the expansion tanks under normal plant operating conditions.

BIIDXI, the At4g32460 DUF642 gene, is involved in pectin methyl esterase regulation during Arabidopsis thaliana seed germination and plant development.

PubMed

Zúñiga-Sánchez, Esther; Soriano, Diana; Martínez-Barajas, Eleazar; Orozco-Segovia, Alma; Gamboa-deBuen, Alicia

2014-12-02

DUF642 proteins constitute a highly conserved family of proteins that are associated with the cell wall and are specific to spermatophytes. Transcriptome studies have suggested that members of this family are involved in seed development and germination processes. Previous in vitro studies have revealed that At4g32460- and At5g11420-encoded proteins interact with the catalytic domain of pectin methyl esterase 3 (AtPME3, which is encoded by At3g14310). PMEs play an important role in plant development, including seed germination. The aim of this study was to evaluate the function of the DUF642 gene At4g32460 during seed germination and plant development and to determine its relation to PME activity regulation. Our results indicated that the DUF642 proteins encoded by At4g32460 and At5g11420 could be positive regulators of PME activity during several developmental processes. Transgenic lines overexpressing these proteins showed increased PME activity during seed germination, and improved seed germination performance. In plants expressing At4g32460 antisense RNA, PME activity was decreased in the leaves, and the siliques were very short and contained no seeds. This phenotype was also present in the SALK_142260 and SALK_054867 lines for At4g32460. Our results suggested that the DUF642 family contributes to the complexity of the methylesterification process by participating in the fine regulation of pectin status during plant development.

Using a plant hormone and a thioligand to improve phytoremediation of Hg-contaminated soil from a petrochemical plant.

PubMed

Cassina, L; Tassi, E; Pedron, F; Petruzzelli, G; Ambrosini, P; Barbafieri, M

2012-09-15

Mercury-contaminated soils from a petrochemical plant in southern Italy were investigated to assess the phytoextraction efficiency of crop plants treated with the phytohormone, cytokinine (CK foliar treatment), and with the thioligand, ammonium thiosulfate (TS, soil application). Plant biomass, evapotranspiration, Hg uptake and distribution in plant tissues following treatment were compared. Results indicate the effectiveness of CK in increasing plant biomass and the evapotranspiration rate while TS treatment promoted soil Hg solubility and availability. The simultaneous addition of CK and TS treatments increased Hg uptake and translocation in both tested plants with up to 248 and 232% in Brassica juncea (Indian mustard) and Helianthus annuus (sunflower) respectively. B. juncea was more effective in Hg uptake, whereas H. annuus gave better response regarding plant biomass production. The effectiveness of the treatments was confirmed by the calculation of Hg phytoextraction and evaluation of labile-Hg residue in the soil after plant growth. In one growing cycle the plants subject to simultaneous CK and TS treatment significantly reduced labile-Hg pools that were characterized by the soil sequential extraction, but did not significantly affect the pseudototal metal content in the soil. Results support the use of plant growth regulators in the assisted phytoextraction process for Hg-contaminated soils. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Online biochemical oxygen demand monitoring for wastewater process control--full-scale studies at Los Angeles Glendale wastewater plant, California.

PubMed

Iranpour, Reza; Zermeno, Miguel

2008-04-01

The main objective of this investigation is to determine whether or not it would be feasible to use the measured values of biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) of wastewater obtained by an online instrument at the Los Angeles/Glendale Water Reclamation Plant (California) for controlling its activated sludge process. This investigation is part of a project to develop online BOD monitoring for process control in the City of Los Angeles wastewater treatment plants. Tests studied the Siepmann und Teutscher GmbH (ISCO-STIP Inc., Lincoln, Nebraska) BIOX-1010, which uses a bioreactor containing a culture of microbes from the wastewater to measure soluble BOD in 2 minutes. This rapid approximation to the operation of secondary treatment allows anticipation of system response. Calibration measurements allow the operators to find a conversion factor for the instrument's microprocessor to compute values of BOD that agree well with the standard 5-day BOD (BOD5) measurement, despite the differences in the details of the two testing methods. This instrument has recently been used at other wastewater treatment plants, at a number of airports in Europe and the United States to monitor runway runoff, and is also being used on waste streams at an increasing number of food processing plants. A comparison was made between the plant influent BOD values obtained by the BIOX-1010 online monitor from the end of August, 2000, to late January, 2001, and the individual and average values obtained for the same period using the standard BOD5, 20 degrees C test, to determine the effectiveness of the Biox-1010 to identify shock loads and their duration. Individual BOD estimates and averages over periods of overly high biological loads (shock loads) were compared, and the instrument readings were evaluated for their effectiveness in detecting shock loads. The results were highly satisfactory, so the instrument was used to trigger a shock-load warning alarm since late September, 2000. This allowed flow diversion and temporary storage to prevent process upsets.

Medicinal potential from in vivo and acclimatized plants of Cleome rosea.

PubMed

Simões, Claudia; De Mattos, José Carlos P; Sabino, Kátia C C; Caldeira-de-Araújo, Adriano; Coelho, Marsen G P; Albarello, Norma; Figueiredo, Solange F L

2006-02-01

Methanolic extracts obtained from different organs of Cleome rosea, collected from its natural habitat and from in vitro-propagated plants, were submitted to in vitro biological assays. Inhibition of nitric oxide (NO) production by J774 macrophages and antioxidant effects by protecting the plasmid DNA from the SnCl(2)-induced damage were evaluated. Extracts from the stem of both origins and leaf of natural plants inhibited NO production. The plasmid DNA strand breaks induced by SnCl(2) were reduced by extracts from either leaf or stem of both sources. On the other hand, root extracts did not show any kind of effects on plasmid DNA, and presented significant toxic effects to J774 cells. The results showed that C. rosea presents medicinal potential and that the acclimatization process reduces the plant toxicity both to plasmid DNA and to J774 cells, suggesting the use of biotechnology tools to obtain elite plants as source of botanical material for pharmacological and phytochemical studies.

Efflux of hydraulically lifted water from mycorrhizal fungal hyphae during imposed drought

PubMed Central

Querejeta, José Ignacio; Allen, Michael F

2008-01-01

Apart from improving plant and soil water status during drought, it has been suggested that hydraulic lift (HL) could enhance plant nutrient capture through the flow of mineral nutrients directly from the soil to plant roots, or by maintaining the functioning of mycorrhizal fungi. We evaluated the extent to which the diel cycle of water availability created by HL covaries with the efflux of HL water from the tips of extramatrical (external) mycorrhizal hyphae, and the possible effects on biogeochemical processes. Phenotypic mycorrhizal fungal variables, such as total and live hyphal lengths, were positively correlated with HL efflux from hyphae, soil water potential (dawn), and plant response variables (foliar 15N). The efflux of HL water from hyphae was also correlated with bacterial abundance and soil enzyme activity (P), and the moistening of soil organic matter. Such findings indicate that the efflux of HL water from the external mycorrhizal mycelia may be a complementary explanation for plant nutrient acquisition and survival during drought. PMID:19704776

Data-Based Performance Assessments for the DOE Hydropower Advancement Project

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

March, Patrick; Wolff, Dr. Paul; Smith, Brennan T

2012-01-01

The U. S. Department of Energy s Hydropower Advancement Project (HAP) was initiated to characterize and trend hydropower asset conditions across the U.S.A. s existing hydropower fleet and to identify and evaluate the upgrading opportunities. Although HAP includes both detailed performance assessments and condition assessments of existing hydropower plants, this paper focuses on the performance assessments. Plant performance assessments provide a set of statistics and indices that characterize the historical extent to which each plant has converted the potential energy at a site into electrical energy for the power system. The performance metrics enable benchmarking and trending of performance acrossmore » many projects in a variety contexts (e.g., river systems, power systems, and water availability). During FY2011 and FY2012, assessments will be performed on ten plants, with an additional fifty plants scheduled for FY2013. This paper focuses on the performance assessments completed to date, details the performance assessment process, and describes results from the performance assessments.« less

Ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants used by nomadic peoples in the Algerian steppe.

PubMed

Miara, Mohamed Djamel; Bendif, Hamdi; Ait Hammou, Mohammed; Teixidor-Toneu, Irene

2018-06-12

This study is the first ethnobotanical survey focusing on the herbal medicines traditionally used by the nomadic community of the Algerian steppe, identifying new medicinal plants and uses from one of the most characteristic indigenous populations in Algeria. Moreover, the study contributes to the understanding of transmission of medicinal plant knowledge in the Mediterranean basin. This work aims to document the phytotherapeutical knowledge and practice of the nomadic community of the Algerian steppe, and compare it with neighbouring sedentary populations and Mediterranean historical texts. Through this, the study strives to evaluate processes of transmission of knowledge among this population, for whom written sources have been largely unavailable. Ethnobotanical surveys were carried out during two years (2015-2017). In total, 73 informants from nomadic populations were interviewed in several steppe regions including areas in the administrative departments of Tiaret, Saida, Naama, Djelfa and M'sila. Structured interviews about medicinal plant knowledge were combined with guided tours with the informants. Prior informed consent was always obtained. The surveys allowed for the collection of sociodemographic data and traditional knowledge about medicinal plants and their uses. Informant Consensus Factor (F IC ) was calculated to evaluate agreement among informants. Results were compared to existing literature to evaluate similarities between this nomadic medicinal flora, that of neighbouring communities and historical texts and identify new plant citations and uses. Among Algerian nomadic communities, herbal remedies are used mostly by women and elders, who are often illiterate. We identified 97 taxa of medicinal plants belonging to 42 botanical families, importantly Lamiaceae, Asteraceae and Apiaceae, like in neighbouring communities. The most common plant parts and method of preparation are also shared with neighbouring populations. New uses are described for 25 known medicinal taxa, and nine species with undocumented medicinal uses in recent literature have been reported. However, some of these have been reported in Mediterranean materia medica. In total, 60% of the medicinal plant diversity used by Algerian nomads are well-known plants of the Mediterranean ethnopharmacological heritage. This study highlights the importance of traditional medicine for Algerian nomad communities. This indigenous population has specific knowledge about plants from their steppe environment, but also shares a pool of knowledge with sedentary Algerian populations and Mediterranean people as a whole. Our research shows that a common North African and Mediterranean ethnobotanical heritage exists. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Molecular and biochemical characterization in Rauvolfia tetraphylla plantlets grown from synthetic seeds following in vitro cold storage.

PubMed

Faisal, Mohammad; Alatar, Abdularhaman A; Hegazy, Ahmad K

2013-01-01

Synseed technology is one of the most important applications of plant biotechnology for in vitro conservation and regeneration of medicinal and aromatic plants. In the present investigation, synseeds of Rauvolfia tetraphylla were produced using in vitro-proliferated shoots upon complexation of 3 % sodium alginate and 100 mM CaCl(2). The encapsulated buds were stored at 4, 8, 12, and 16 °C and high conversion was observed in synseeds stored at 4 °C for 4 weeks. The effect of different medium strength on in vitro conversion response of synseed was evaluated and the maximum conversion (80.6 %) into plantlets was recorded on half-strength woody plant medium supplemented with 7.5 μM 6-benzyladenine and 2.5 μM α-naphthalene acetic acid after 8 weeks of culture. Plantlets with well-developed shoot and roots were hardened and successfully transplanted in field condition. After 4 weeks of transfer to ex vitro conditions, the performance of synseed-derived plantlets was evaluated on the basis of some physiological and biochemical parameters and compared with the in vivo-grown plants. Short-term storage of synthetic seeds at low temperature had no negative impact on physiological and biochemical profile of the plants that survived the storage process. Furthermore, clonal fidelity of synseed-derived plantlets was also assessed and compared with mother plant using rapid amplified polymorphic DNA and inter-simple sequence repeats analysis. No changes in molecular profiles were found among the regenerated plantlets and comparable to mother plant, which confirm the genetic stability among clones. This synseed protocol could be useful for in vitro clonal multiplication, conservation, and short-term storage and exchange of germplasm of this antihypertensive drug-producing plant.

Analysis of fractionation in corn-to-ethanol plants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nelson, Camille

As the dry grind ethanol industry has grown, the research and technology surrounding ethanol production and co-product value has increased. Including use of back-end oil extraction and front-end fractionation. Front-end fractionation is pre-fermentation separation of the corn kernel into 3 fractions: endosperm, bran, and germ. The endosperm fraction enters the existing ethanol plant, and a high protein DDGS product remains after fermentation. High value oil is extracted out of the germ fraction. This leaves corn germ meal and bran as co-products from the other two streams. These 3 co-products have a very different composition than traditional corn DDGS. Installing this technology allows ethanol plants to increase profitability by tapping into more diverse markets, and ultimately could allow for an increase in profitability. An ethanol plant model was developed to evaluate both back-end oil extraction and front-end fractionation technology and predict the change in co-products based on technology installed. The model runs in Microsoft Excel and requires inputs of whole corn composition (proximate analysis), amino acid content, and weight to predict the co-product quantity and quality. User inputs include saccharification and fermentation efficiencies, plant capacity, and plant process specifications including front-end fractionation and backend oil extraction, if applicable. This model provides plants a way to assess and monitor variability in co-product composition due to the variation in whole corn composition. Additionally the co-products predicted in this model are entered into the US Pork Center of Excellence, National Swine Nutrition Guide feed formulation software. This allows the plant user and animal nutritionists to evaluate the value of new co-products in existing animal diets.

137Cs soil-to-plant transfer for individual species in a semi-natural grassland. Influence of potassium soil content.

PubMed

Ciuffo, Liliana; Velasco, Hugo; Belli, Mar; Sansone, Umberto

2003-09-01

In the present study we assessed the radiocaesium uptake by plants in order to piece together information on factors affecting the uptake processes, particularly K supply and plant species differences. Vegetation uptake from soil contaminated by the Chernobyl accident was compared at two semi-natural grasslands. The Cs/K discrimination factor (DF), which is often used to evaluate a plant's efficiency in absorbing nutrients from soil, was estimated. The obtained DF values (0.01 to 0.8) vary with K soil concentrations and plant species, indicating that the (40)K is more efficiently absorbed than (137)Cs. The soil-to-plant relationship was evaluated by means of the transfer factor (TF). The (137)Cs TF(sp) values obtained from separated plant species varied within the range of 0.016 to 0.400 (site 1) and 0.017 to 0.171 (site 2). When mixed grass samples were considered a large variation was observed, mainly for site 1. The (137)Cs TF(mix) ranges were: 0.018 to 0.250 for site 1 and 0.017 to 0.167 for site 2. These values fall within the range of TFs commonly reported (0.0001-1). Our present data suggest that these pastures are apt for forage use. Different plant species presented different individual behavior regarding their (137)Cs TF(sp) when the (40)K soil activity concentration was taken in account. For most of the species analyzed, we observed a gradual decrease in the individual (137)Cs TF(sp) when the (40)K soil activity concentration was increased, with the exception of Taraxacum officinale at one of the sampling sites.

Improving the biological nitrogen removal process in pharmaceutical wastewater treatment plants: a case study.

PubMed

Torrijos, M; Carrera, J; Lafuente, J

2004-04-01

The Biological Nitrogen Removal (BNR) process of some pharmaceutical wastewater treatment plants has important operational problems. This study shows that, in order to solve these problems, the design of industrial BNR processes should start by analysing three key parameters: the characteristics of the wastewater load, the determination of the maximum TKN removal rate and the detection of toxic or inhibitory compounds in the wastewater. A case study of this analysis in pharmaceutical wastewater is presented here. In this case, the conventional TKN analytical method does not make an accurate characterisation of the wastewater load because it measures a concentration of 100 mg TKN l(-1) whereas the real concentration, determined with a modified TKN analytical method, is 150-500 mg TKN l(-1). Also, the TKN removal of the treatment system is insufficient in some periods because it falls below legal requirements. This problem might be a consequence of the wrong characterisation of wastewater during the design process. The maximum TKN removal at 27 degrees C (24 mg N g VSS(-1) d(-1) or 197 mg N l(-1) d(-1)) was evaluated in a pilot-scale plant. This value is six times greater than the average NLR applied in the full-scale plant. Finally, some of the components of the wastewater, such as p-phenylenediamine, might have inhibitory or toxic effects on the biological process. P-phenylenediamine causes a large decrease in the nitrification rate. This effect was determined by respirometry. This methodology shows that the effect is mainly inhibitory with a contact time of 30 min and if the contact time is longer, 14 hours, a toxic effect is observed.

Big Data Analysis of Manufacturing Processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Windmann, Stefan; Maier, Alexander; Niggemann, Oliver; Frey, Christian; Bernardi, Ansgar; Gu, Ying; Pfrommer, Holger; Steckel, Thilo; Krüger, Michael; Kraus, Robert

2015-11-01

The high complexity of manufacturing processes and the continuously growing amount of data lead to excessive demands on the users with respect to process monitoring, data analysis and fault detection. For these reasons, problems and faults are often detected too late, maintenance intervals are chosen too short and optimization potential for higher output and increased energy efficiency is not sufficiently used. A possibility to cope with these challenges is the development of self-learning assistance systems, which identify relevant relationships by observation of complex manufacturing processes so that failures, anomalies and need for optimization are automatically detected. The assistance system developed in the present work accomplishes data acquisition, process monitoring and anomaly detection in industrial and agricultural processes. The assistance system is evaluated in three application cases: Large distillation columns, agricultural harvesting processes and large-scale sorting plants. In this paper, the developed infrastructures for data acquisition in these application cases are described as well as the developed algorithms and initial evaluation results.

Carbon Capture and Water Emissions Treatment System (CCWESTRS) at Fossil-Fueled Electric Generating Plants

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

P. Alan Mays; Bert R. Bock; Gregory A. Brodie

The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), and the Department of Energy-National Energy Technologies Laboratory (DOE-NETL) are evaluating and demonstrating integration of terrestrial carbon sequestration techniques at a coal-fired electric power plant through the use of Flue Gas Desulfurization (FGD) system gypsum as a soil amendment and mulch, and coal fly ash pond process water for periodic irrigation. From January to March 2002, the Project Team initiated the construction of a 40 ha Carbon Capture and Water Emissions Treatment System (CCWESTRS) near TVA's Paradise Fossil Plant on marginally reclaimed surface coal mine lands in Kentucky. Themore » CCWESTRS is growing commercial grade trees and cover crops and is expected to sequester 1.5-2.0 MT/ha carbon per year over a 20-year period. The concept could be used to meet a portion of the timber industry's needs while simultaneously sequestering carbon in lands which would otherwise remain non-productive. The CCWESTRS includes a constructed wetland to enhance the ability to sequester carbon and to remove any nutrients and metals present in the coal fly ash process water runoff. The CCWESTRS project is a cooperative effort between TVA, EPRI, and DOE-NETL, with a total budget of $1,574,000. The proposed demonstration project began in October 2000 and has continued through December 2005. Additional funding is being sought in order to extend the project. The primary goal of the project is to determine if integrating power plant processes with carbon sequestration techniques will enhance carbon sequestration cost-effectively. This goal is consistent with DOE objectives to provide economically competitive and environmentally safe options to offset projected growth in U.S. baseline emissions of greenhouse gases after 2010, achieve the long-term goal of $10/ton of avoided net costs for carbon sequestration, and provide half of the required reductions in global greenhouse gases by 2025. Other potential benefits of the demonstration include developing a passive technology for water treatment for trace metal and nutrient release reductions, using power plant by-products to improve coal mine land reclamation and carbon sequestration, developing wildlife habitat and green-space around production facilities, generating Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) credits for the use of process water, and producing wood products for use by the lumber and pulp and paper industry. Project activities conducted during the five year project period include: Assessing tree cultivation and other techniques used to sequester carbon; Project site assessment; Greenhouse studies to determine optimum plant species and by-product application; Designing, constructing, operating, monitoring, and evaluating the CCWESTRS system; and Reporting (ongoing). The ability of the system to sequester carbon will be the primary measure of effectiveness, measured by accessing survival and growth response of plants within the CCWESTRS. In addition, costs associated with design, construction, and monitoring will be evaluated and compared to projected benefits of other carbon sequestration technologies. The test plan involves the application of three levels each of two types of power plant by-products--three levels of FGD gypsum mulch, and three levels of ash pond irrigation water. This design produces nine treatment levels which are being tested with two species of hardwood trees (sweet gum and sycamore). The project is examining the effectiveness of applications of 0, 8-cm, and 15-cm thick gypsum mulch layers and 0, 13 cm, and 25 cm of coal fly ash water for irrigation. Each treatment combination is being replicated three times, resulting in a total of 54 treatment plots (3 FGD gypsum levels X 3 irrigation water levels x 2 tree species x 3 replicates). Survival and growth response of plant species in terms of sequestering carbon in plant material and soil will be the primary measure of effectiveness of each treatment. Additionally, the ability of the site soils and unsaturated zone subsurface materials will be evaluated for their effectiveness at treating the irrigation water for various pollutants.« less

Antibacterial Activity of Mother Tinctures of Cholistan Desert Plants in Pakistan

PubMed Central

Ahmad, M.; Ghafoor, Nazia; Aamir, M. N.

2012-01-01

The mother tinctures of desert were screened for antibacterial activity against bacterial strains of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Mother tinctures were prepared by maceration process and antibacterial activity of different plants was evaluated and compared by measuring their zones of inhibition. The results indicated that Boerrhavia diffusa mother tincture had excellent activity only against Escherichia coli. Mother tincture of Chorozophora plicata showed highly effective results against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa whereas Echinops echinatus mother tincture showed highly effectiveness only against Salmonella typhi. Heliotropium europaeum mother tincture exhibited highly effective results against Bacillus subtilis in all concentrations. Tamrix aphylla presented maximum activity only against Bacillus subtilis in all three concentrations. Among the selected species Heliotropium europaeum, Chorozophora plicata and Tamrix aphylla were more effective plants against many microorganisms. However, Boerrhavia diffusa and Echinops echinatus were less effective plants against tested pathogenic bacteria. PMID:23716878

Detection of hepatitis E virus (HEV) through the different stages of pig manure composting plants

PubMed Central

García, M; Fernández-Barredo, S; Pérez-Gracia, M T

2014-01-01

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is an increasing cause of acute hepatitis in industrialized countries. The aim of this study was to evaluate the presence of HEV in pig manure composting plants located in Spain. For this purpose, a total of 594 samples were taken in 54 sampling sessions from the different stages of composting treatment in these plants as follows: slurry reception ponds, anaerobic ponds, aerobic ponds, fermentation zone and composting final products. HEV was detected by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-nested PCR) in four (80%) of five plants studied, mainly in the first stages of the process. HEV was not detected in any final product (compost) sample, destined to be commercialized as a soil fertilizer, suggesting that composting is a suitable method to eliminate HEV and thus, to reduce the transmission of HEV from pigs to humans. PMID:24206540

Breeding crops for improved mineral nutrition under climate change conditions.

PubMed

Pilbeam, David J

2015-06-01

Improvements in understanding how climate change may influence chemical and physical processes in soils, how this may affect nutrient availability, and how plants may respond to changed availability of nutrients will influence crop breeding programmes. The effects of increased atmospheric CO2 and warmer temperatures, both individually and combined, on soil microbial activity, including mycorrhizas and N-fixing organisms, are evaluated, together with their implications for nutrient availability. Potential changes to plant growth, and the combined effects of soil and plant changes on nutrient uptake, are discussed. The organization of research on the efficient use of macro- and micronutrients by crops under climate change conditions is outlined, including analysis of QTLs for nutrient efficiency. Suggestions for how the information gained can be used in plant breeding programmes are given. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Experimental Biology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Allelopatic Potential of Dittrichia viscosa (L.) W. Greuter Mediated by VOCs: A Physiological and Metabolomic Approach.

PubMed

Araniti, Fabrizio; Lupini, Antonio; Sunseri, Francesco; Abenavoli, Maria Rosa

2017-01-01

Dittrichia viscosa (L.) W. Greuter is a pioneer species belonging to the Compositae family. It is widespread in the Mediterranean basin, where it is considered invasive. It is a source of secondary metabolites, playing an important ecological role. D. viscosa plant extracts showed a phytotoxic activity on several physiological processes of different species. In the current study, the allelopathic potential of D. viscosa VOCs, released by its foliage, was evaluated on seed germination and root growth of lettuce. The VOCs effect was also studied on lettuce adult plants in microcosm systems, which better mimicked the open field conditions. D. viscosa VOCs inhibited both seed germination and root growth of lettuce. The VOCs composition revealed a large presence of terpenoids, responsible of the effects observed. Moreover, D. viscosa VOCs caused an alteration on plant water status accompanied by oxidative damages and photoinhibition on lettuce adult plants.

Allelopatic Potential of Dittrichia viscosa (L.) W. Greuter Mediated by VOCs: A Physiological and Metabolomic Approach

PubMed Central

Lupini, Antonio; Sunseri, Francesco; Abenavoli, Maria Rosa

2017-01-01

Dittrichia viscosa (L.) W. Greuter is a pioneer species belonging to the Compositae family. It is widespread in the Mediterranean basin, where it is considered invasive. It is a source of secondary metabolites, playing an important ecological role. D. viscosa plant extracts showed a phytotoxic activity on several physiological processes of different species. In the current study, the allelopathic potential of D. viscosa VOCs, released by its foliage, was evaluated on seed germination and root growth of lettuce. The VOCs effect was also studied on lettuce adult plants in microcosm systems, which better mimicked the open field conditions. D. viscosa VOCs inhibited both seed germination and root growth of lettuce. The VOCs composition revealed a large presence of terpenoids, responsible of the effects observed. Moreover, D. viscosa VOCs caused an alteration on plant water status accompanied by oxidative damages and photoinhibition on lettuce adult plants. PMID:28085959

Dynamic model of Italy`s Progetto Energia cogeneration plants aims to better predict plant performance, cut start-up costs

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1996-12-31

Over the next four years, the Progetto Energia project will be building several cogeneration plants to help satisfy the increasing demands of Italy`s industrial users and the country`s demand for electrical power. Located at six different sites within Italy, these combined-cycle cogeneration plants will supply a total of 500 MW of electricity and 100 tons/hr of process steam to Italian industries and residences. To ensure project success, a dynamic model of the 50-MW base unit was developed. The goal established for the model was to predict the dynamic behavior of the complex thermodynamic system in order to assess equipment performancemore » and control system effectiveness for normal operation and, more importantly, abrupt load changes. In addition to fulfilling its goals, the dynamic study guided modifications to controller logic that significantly improved steam drum pressure control and bypassed steam desuperheating performance simulations of normal and abrupt transient events allowed engineers to define optimum controller gain coefficients. The dynamic study will undoubtedly reduce the associated plant start-up costs and contribute to a smooth commercial plant acceptance. As a result of the work, the control system has already been through its check-out and performance evaluation, usually performed during the plant start-up phase. Field engineers will directly benefit from this effort to identify and resolve control system {open_quotes}bugs{close_quotes} before the equipment reaches the field. High thermal efficiency, rapid dispatch and high plant availability were key reasons why the natural gas combined-cycle plant was chosen. Other favorable attributes of the combined-cycle plant contributing to the decision were: Minimal environmental impact; a simple and effective process and control philosophy to result in safe and easy plant operation; a choice of technologies and equipment proven in a large number of applications.« less

BIO-MONITORING FOR URANIUM USING STREAM-SIDE TERRESTRIAL PLANTS AND MACROPHYTES

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Caldwell, E.; Duff, M.; Hicks, T.

2012-01-12

This study evaluated the abilities of various plant species to act as bio-monitors for environmental uranium (U) contamination. Vegetation and soil samples were collected from a U processing facility. The water-way fed from facility storm and processing effluents was the focal sample site as it represented a primary U transport mechanism. Soils and sediments from areas exposed to contamination possessed U concentrations that averaged 630 mg U kg{sup -1}. Aquatic mosses proved to be exceptional accumulators of U with dry weight (dw) concentrations measuring as high as 12500 mg U kg{sup -1} (approximately 1% of the dw mass was attributablemore » to U). The macrophytes (Phragmites communis, Scripus fontinalis and Sagittaria latifolia) were also effective accumulators of U. In general, plant roots possessed higher concentrations of U than associated upper portions of plants. For terrestrial plants, the roots of Impatiens capensis had the highest observed levels of U accumulation (1030 mg kg{sup -1}), followed by the roots of Cyperus esculentus and Solidago speciosa. The concentration ratio (CR) characterized dry weight (dw) vegetative U levels relative to that in associated dw soil. The plant species that accumulated U at levels in excess of that found in the soil were: P. communis root (CR, 17.4), I. capensis root (CR, 3.1) and S. fontinalis whole plant (CR, 1.4). Seven of the highest ten CR values were found in the roots. Correlations with concentrations of other metals with U were performed, which revealed that U concentrations in the plant were strongly correlated with nickel (Ni) concentrations (correlation: 0.992; r-squared: 0.984). Uranium in plant tissue was also strongly correlated with strontium (Sr) (correlation: 0.948; r-squared: 0.899). Strontium is chemically and physically similar to calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg), which were also positively-correlated with U. The correlation with U and these plant nutrient minerals, including iron (Fe), suggests that active uptake mechanisms may influence plant U accumulation.« less

Monte Carlo-based calibration and uncertainty analysis of a coupled plant growth and hydrological model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Houska, T.; Multsch, S.; Kraft, P.; Frede, H.-G.; Breuer, L.

2014-04-01

Computer simulations are widely used to support decision making and planning in the agriculture sector. On the one hand, many plant growth models use simplified hydrological processes and structures - for example, by the use of a small number of soil layers or by the application of simple water flow approaches. On the other hand, in many hydrological models plant growth processes are poorly represented. Hence, fully coupled models with a high degree of process representation would allow for a more detailed analysis of the dynamic behaviour of the soil-plant interface. We coupled two of such high-process-oriented independent models and calibrated both models simultaneously. The catchment modelling framework (CMF) simulated soil hydrology based on the Richards equation and the van Genuchten-Mualem model of the soil hydraulic properties. CMF was coupled with the plant growth modelling framework (PMF), which predicts plant growth on the basis of radiation use efficiency, degree days, water shortage and dynamic root biomass allocation. The Monte Carlo-based generalized likelihood uncertainty estimation (GLUE) method was applied to parameterize the coupled model and to investigate the related uncertainty of model predictions. Overall, 19 model parameters (4 for CMF and 15 for PMF) were analysed through 2 × 106 model runs randomly drawn from a uniform distribution. The model was applied to three sites with different management in Müncheberg (Germany) for the simulation of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in a cross-validation experiment. Field observations for model evaluation included soil water content and the dry matter of roots, storages, stems and leaves. The shape parameter of the retention curve n was highly constrained, whereas other parameters of the retention curve showed a large equifinality. We attribute this slightly poorer model performance to missing leaf senescence, which is currently not implemented in PMF. The most constrained parameters for the plant growth model were the radiation-use efficiency and the base temperature. Cross validation helped to identify deficits in the model structure, pointing out the need for including agricultural management options in the coupled model.

Hydroponic system for the treatment of anaerobic liquid.

PubMed

Krishnasamy, K; Nair, J; Bäuml, B

2012-01-01

The effluent from anaerobic digestion process has high concentrations of nutrients, particularly nitrogen, essential for plant growth but is not suitable for direct disposal or application due to high chemical oxygen demand (COD), low dissolved oxygen (DO), odour issues and is potentially phytotoxic. This research explored the optimum conditions of anaerobic effluent for application and dilutions of the effluent required to obtain better plant growth. A small-scale hydroponic system was constructed in a glasshouse to test different concentrations of anaerobic effluent against a commercial hydroponic medium as the control for the growth of silverbeet. It was found that the survival of silverbeet was negatively affected at 50% concentration due to low DO and NH(4) toxicity. The concentration of 20% anaerobic liquid was found to be the most efficient with highest foliage yield and plant growth. The hydroponic system with 20% concentrated effluent had better utilisation of nutrients for plant growth and a COD reduction of 95% was achieved during the 50-day growth period. This preliminary evaluation revealed that the growth and development of silverbeet was significantly lower in anaerobic effluent compared with a commercial hydroponic plant growth solution. The nutrient quality of anaerobic effluent could be highly variable with the process and the waste material used and dilution may depend on the nutrient content of the effluent. It is recommended that, a pre-treatment of the effluent to increase DO and reduce ammonium content is required before plant application, and simple dilution by itself is not suitable for optimum plant growth in a hydroponic system.

Transient analysis of a molten salt central receiver (MSCR) in a solar power plant

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Joshi, A.; Wang, C.; Akinjiola, O.; Lou, X.; Neuschaefer, C.; Quinn, J.

2016-05-01

Alstom is developing solar power tower plants utilizing molten salt as the working fluid. In solar power tower, the molten salt central receiver (MSCR) atop of the tower is constructed of banks of tubes arranged in panels creating a heat transfer surface exposed to the solar irradiation from the heliostat field. The molten salt heat transfer fluid (HTF), in this case 60/40%wt NaNO3-KNO3, flows in serpentine flow through the surface collecting sensible heat thus raising the HTF temperature from 290°C to 565°C. The hot molten salt is stored and dispatched to produce superheated steam in a steam generator, which in turn produces electricity in the steam turbine generator. The MSCR based power plant with a thermal energy storage system (TESS) is a fully dispatchable renewable power plant with a number of opportunities for operational and economic optimization. This paper presents operation and controls challenges to the MSCR and the overall power plant, and the use of dynamic model computer simulation based transient analyses applied to molten salt based solar thermal power plant. This study presents the evaluation of the current MSCR design, using a dynamic model, with emphasis on severe events affecting critical process response, such as MS temperature deviations, and recommend MSCR control design improvements based on the results. Cloud events are the scope of the transient analysis presented in this paper. The paper presents results from a comparative study to examine impacts or effects on key process variables related to controls and operation of the MSCR plant.

The Stability of Medicinal Plant microRNAs in the Herb Preparation Process.

PubMed

Xie, Wenyan; Melzig, Matthias F

2018-04-16

Herbal medicine is now globally accepted as a valid alternative system of pharmaceutical therapies. Various studies around the world have been initiated to develop scientific evidence-based herbal therapies. Recently, the therapeutic potential of medicinal plant derived miRNAs has attracted great attraction. MicroRNAs have been indicated as new bioactive ingredients in medicinal plants. However, the stability of miRNAs during the herbal preparation process and their bioavailability in humans remain unclear. Viscum album L. (European mistletoe) has been widely used in folk medicine for the treatment of cancer and cardiovascular diseases. Our previous study has indicated the therapeutic potential of mistletoe miRNAs by using bioinformatics tools. To evaluate the stability of these miRNAs, various mistletoe extracts that mimic the clinical medicinal use as well as traditional folk medicinal use were prepared. The mistletoe miRNAs including miR166a-3p, miR159a, miR831-5p, val-miR218 and val-miR11 were quantified by stem-loop qRT-PCR. As a result, miRNAs were detectable in the majority of the extracts, indicating that consumption of medicinal plant preparations might introduce miRNAs into mammals. The factors that might cause miRNA degradation include ultrasonic treatment, extreme heat, especially RNase treatment, while to be associated with plant molecules (e.g., proteins, exosomes) might be an efficient way to protect miRNAs against degradation. Our study confirmed the stability of plant derived miRNAs during herb preparations, suggesting the possibility of functionally intact medicinal plant miRNAs in mammals.

Nitrogen limitation on land: how can it occur in Earth system models?

PubMed

Thomas, R Quinn; Brookshire, E N Jack; Gerber, Stefan

2015-05-01

The representation of the nitrogen (N) cycle in Earth system models (ESMs) is strongly motivated by the constraint N poses on the sequestration of anthropogenic carbon (C). Models typically implement a stoichiometric relationship between C and N in which external supply and assimilation by organisms are adjusted to maintain their internal stoichiometry. N limitation of primary productivity thus occurs if the N supply from uptake and fixation cannot keep up with the construction of tissues allowed by C assimilation. This basic approach, however, presents considerable challenges in how to faithfully represent N limitation. Here, we review how N limitation is currently implemented and evaluated in ESMs and highlight challenges and opportunities in their future development. At or near steady state, N limitation is governed by the magnitude of losses from the plant-unavailable pool vs. N fixation and there are considerable differences in how models treat both processes. In nonsteady-state systems, the accumulation of N in pools with slow turnover rates reduces N available for plant uptake and can be challenging to represent when initializing ESM simulations. Transactional N limitation occurs when N is incorporated into various vegetation and soil pools and becomes available to plants only after it is mineralized, the dynamics of which depends on how ESMs represent decomposition processes in soils. Other challenges for ESMs emerge when considering seasonal to interannual climatic oscillations as they create asynchronies between C and N demand, leading to transient alternations between N surplus and deficit. Proper evaluation of N dynamics in ESMs requires conceptual understanding of the main levers that trigger N limitation, and we highlight key measurements and observations that can help constrain these levers. Two of the biggest challenges are the mechanistic representation of plant controls on N availability and turnover, including N fixation and organic matter decomposition processes. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Environmental analysis for pipeline gas demonstration plants

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Stinton, L.H.

1978-09-01

The Department of Energy (DOE) has implemented programs for encouraging the development and commercialization of coal-related technologies, which include coal gasification demonstration-scale activities. In support of commercialization activities the Environmental Analysis for Pipeline Gas Demonstration Plants has been prepared as a reference document to be used in evaluating potential environmental and socioeconomic effects from construction and operation of site- and process-specific projects. Effluents and associated impacts are identified for six coal gasification processes at three contrasting settings. In general, impacts from construction of a high-Btu gas demonstration plant are similar to those caused by the construction of any chemical plantmore » of similar size. The operation of a high-Btu gas demonstration plant, however, has several unique aspects that differentiate it from other chemical plants. Offsite development (surface mining) and disposal of large quantities of waste solids constitute important sources of potential impact. In addition, air emissions require monitoring for trace metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, phenols, and other emissions. Potential biological impacts from long-term exposure to these emissions are unknown, and additional research and data analysis may be necessary to determine such effects. Possible effects of pollutants on vegetation and human populations are discussed. The occurrence of chemical contaminants in liquid effluents and the bioaccumulation of these contaminants in aquatic organisms may lead to adverse ecological impact. Socioeconomic impacts are similar to those from a chemical plant of equivalent size and are summarized and contrasted for the three surrogate sites.« less

Effects of Secondary Plant Metabolites on Microbial Populations: Changes in Community Structure and Metabolic Activity in Contaminated Environments.

PubMed

Musilova, Lucie; Ridl, Jakub; Polivkova, Marketa; Macek, Tomas; Uhlik, Ondrej

2016-07-29

Secondary plant metabolites (SPMEs) play an important role in plant survival in the environment and serve to establish ecological relationships between plants and other organisms. Communication between plants and microorganisms via SPMEs contained in root exudates or derived from litter decomposition is an example of this phenomenon. In this review, the general aspects of rhizodeposition together with the significance of terpenes and phenolic compounds are discussed in detail. We focus specifically on the effect of SPMEs on microbial community structure and metabolic activity in environments contaminated by polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Furthermore, a section is devoted to a complex effect of plants and/or their metabolites contained in litter on bioremediation of contaminated sites. New insights are introduced from a study evaluating the effects of SPMEs derived during decomposition of grapefruit peel, lemon peel, and pears on bacterial communities and their ability to degrade PCBs in a long-term contaminated soil. The presented review supports the "secondary compound hypothesis" and demonstrates the potential of SPMEs for increasing the effectiveness of bioremediation processes.

Effects of Secondary Plant Metabolites on Microbial Populations: Changes in Community Structure and Metabolic Activity in Contaminated Environments

PubMed Central

Musilova, Lucie; Ridl, Jakub; Polivkova, Marketa; Macek, Tomas; Uhlik, Ondrej

2016-01-01

Secondary plant metabolites (SPMEs) play an important role in plant survival in the environment and serve to establish ecological relationships between plants and other organisms. Communication between plants and microorganisms via SPMEs contained in root exudates or derived from litter decomposition is an example of this phenomenon. In this review, the general aspects of rhizodeposition together with the significance of terpenes and phenolic compounds are discussed in detail. We focus specifically on the effect of SPMEs on microbial community structure and metabolic activity in environments contaminated by polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Furthermore, a section is devoted to a complex effect of plants and/or their metabolites contained in litter on bioremediation of contaminated sites. New insights are introduced from a study evaluating the effects of SPMEs derived during decomposition of grapefruit peel, lemon peel, and pears on bacterial communities and their ability to degrade PCBs in a long-term contaminated soil. The presented review supports the “secondary compound hypothesis” and demonstrates the potential of SPMEs for increasing the effectiveness of bioremediation processes. PMID:27483244

Resilience in Plant-Herbivore Networks during Secondary Succession

PubMed Central

Villa-Galaviz, Edith; Boege, Karina; del-Val, Ek

2012-01-01

Extensive land-use change in the tropics has produced a mosaic of successional forests within an agricultural and cattle-pasture matrix. Post-disturbance biodiversity assessments have found that regeneration speed depends upon propagule availability and the intensity and duration of disturbance. However, reestablishment of species interactions is still poorly understood and this limits our understanding of the anthropogenic impacts upon ecosystem resilience. This is the first investigation that evaluates plant-herbivore interaction networks during secondary succession. In particular we investigated succession in a Mexican tropical dry forest using data of caterpillar associations with plants during 2007–2010. Plant-herbivore networks showed high resilience. We found no differences in most network descriptors between secondary and mature forest and only recently abandoned fields were found to be different. No significant nestedness or modularity network structure was found. Plant-herbivore network properties appear to quickly reestablish after perturbation, despite differences in species richness and composition. This study provides some valuable guidelines for the implement of restoration efforts that can enhance ecological processes such as the interaction between plants and their herbivores. PMID:23300846