Solid waste management of a chemical-looping combustion plant using Cu-based oxygen carriers.

PubMed

García-Labiano, Francisco; Gayán, Pilar; Adánez, Juan; De Diego, Luis F; Forero, Carmen R

2007-08-15

Waste management generated from a Chemical-Looping Combustion (CLC) plant using copper-based materials is analyzed by two ways: the recovery and recycling of the used material and the disposal of the waste. A copper recovery process coupled to the CLC plant is proposed to avoid the loss of active material generated by elutriation from the system. Solid residues obtained from a 10 kWth CLC prototype operated during 100 h with a CuO-Al2O3 oxygen carrier prepared by impregnation were used as raw material in the recovery process. Recovering efficiencies of approximately 80% were obtained in the process, where the final products were an eluate of Cu(NO3)2 and a solid. The eluate was used for preparation of new oxygen carriers by impregnation, which exhibited high reactivity for reduction and oxidation reactions as well as adequate physical and chemical properties to be used in a CLC plant. The proposed recovery process largely decreases the amount of natural resources (Cu and Al203) employed in a CLC power plant as well as the waste generated in the process. To determine the stability of the different solid streams during deposition in a landfill, these were characterized with respect to their leaching behavior according to the European Union normative. The solid residue finally obtained in the CLC plant coupled to the recovery process (composed by Al2O3 and CuAl2O4) can be classified as a stable nonreactive hazardous waste acceptable at landfills for nonhazardous wastes.

40 CFR 261.35 - Deletion of certain hazardous waste codes following equipment cleaning and replacement.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... cleaning and replacement. (a) Wastes from wood preserving processes at plants that do not resume or... parts per trillion (ppt), sample weight of 1000 g, IS spiking level of 1 ppt, final extraction volume of... previously used and the date on which their use ceased in each process at the plant; (3) Formulations...

40 CFR 261.35 - Deletion of certain hazardous waste codes following equipment cleaning and replacement.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... cleaning and replacement. (a) Wastes from wood preserving processes at plants that do not resume or... parts per trillion (ppt), sample weight of 1000 g, IS spiking level of 1 ppt, final extraction volume of... previously used and the date on which their use ceased in each process at the plant; (3) Formulations...

Sources of Listeria monocytogenes Contamination in a Cold-Smoked Rainbow Trout Processing Plant Detected by Pulsed-Field Gel Electrophoresis Typing

PubMed Central

Autio, Tiina; Hielm, Sebastian; Miettinen, Maria; Sjöberg, Anna-Maija; Aarnisalo, Kaarina; Björkroth, Johanna; Mattila-Sandholm, Tiina; Korkeala, Hannu

1999-01-01

Sites of Listeria monocytogenes contamination in a cold-smoked rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) processing plant were detected by sampling the production line, environment, and fish at different production stages. Two lots were monitored. The frequency of raw fish samples containing L. monocytogenes was low. During processing, the frequency of fish contaminated with L. monocytogenes clearly rose after brining, and the most contaminated sites of the processing plant were the brining and postbrining areas. A total of 303 isolates from the raw fish, product, and the environment were characterized by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). PFGE yielded nine pulsotypes, which formed four clusters. The predominating L. monocytogenes pulsotypes of the final product were associated with brining and slicing, whereas contaminants of raw fish were not detected in the final product. Air-mediated contamination in the plant could not be proved. In accordance with these results, an L. monocytogenes eradication program was planned. The use of hot steam, hot air, and hot water seemed to be useful in eliminating L. monocytogenes. None of the control samples taken in the 5 months after the eradication program was implemented contained L. monocytogenes. PMID:9872773

Prevalence, Enumeration, Serotypes, and Antimicrobial Resistance Phenotypes of Salmonella enterica Isolates from Carcasses at Two Large United States Pork Processing Plants

PubMed Central

Brichta-Harhay, Dayna M.; Kalchayanand, Norasak; Bosilevac, Joseph M.; Shackelford, Steven D.; Wheeler, Tommy L.; Koohmaraie, Mohammad

2012-01-01

The objective of this study was to characterize Salmonella enterica contamination on carcasses in two large U.S. commercial pork processing plants. The carcasses were sampled at three points, before scalding (prescald), after dehairing/polishing but before evisceration (preevisceration), and after chilling (chilled final). The overall prevalences of Salmonella on carcasses at these three sampling points, prescald, preevisceration, and after chilling, were 91.2%, 19.1%, and 3.7%, respectively. At one of the two plants, the prevalence of Salmonella was significantly higher (P < 0.01) for each of the carcass sampling points. The prevalences of carcasses with enumerable Salmonella at prescald, preevisceration, and after chilling were 37.7%, 4.8%, and 0.6%, respectively. A total of 294 prescald carcasses had Salmonella loads of >1.9 log CFU/100 cm2, but these carcasses were not equally distributed between the two plants, as 234 occurred at the plant with higher Salmonella prevalences. Forty-one serotypes were identified on prescald carcasses with Salmonella enterica serotypes Derby, Typhimurium, and Anatum predominating. S. enterica serotypes Typhimurium and London were the most common of the 24 serotypes isolated from preevisceration carcasses. The Salmonella serotypes Johannesburg and Typhimurium were the most frequently isolated serotypes of the 9 serotypes identified from chilled final carcasses. Antimicrobial susceptibility was determined for selected isolates from each carcass sampling point. Multiple drug resistance (MDR), defined as resistance to three or more classes of antimicrobial agents, was identified for 71.2%, 47.8%, and 77.5% of the tested isolates from prescald, preevisceration, and chilled final carcasses, respectively. The results of this study indicate that the interventions used by pork processing plants greatly reduce the prevalence of Salmonella on carcasses, but MDR Salmonella was isolated from 3.2% of the final carcasses sampled. PMID:22327585

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.

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

Risk Informed Assessment of Regulatory and Design Requirements for Future Nuclear Power Plants - Final Technical Report

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

Ritterbusch, Stanley; Golay, Michael; Duran, Felicia

2003-01-29

OAK B188 Summary of methods proposed for risk informing the design and regulation of future nuclear power plants. All elements of the historical design and regulation process are preserved, but the methods proposed for new plants use probabilistic risk assessment methods as the primary decision making tool.

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

Geminiviruses and Plant Hosts: A Closer Examination of the Molecular Arms Race.

PubMed

Ramesh, Shunmugiah V; Sahu, Pranav P; Prasad, Manoj; Praveen, Shelly; Pappu, Hanu R

2017-09-15

Geminiviruses are plant-infecting viruses characterized by a single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) genome. Geminivirus-derived proteins are multifunctional and effective regulators in modulating the host cellular processes resulting in successful infection. Virus-host interactions result in changes in host gene expression patterns, reprogram plant signaling controls, disrupt central cellular metabolic pathways, impair plant's defense system, and effectively evade RNA silencing response leading to host susceptibility. This review summarizes what is known about the cellular processes in the continuing tug of war between geminiviruses and their plant hosts at the molecular level. In addition, implications for engineered resistance to geminivirus infection in the context of a greater understanding of the molecular processes are also discussed. Finally, the prospect of employing geminivirus-based vectors in plant genome engineering and the emergence of powerful genome editing tools to confer geminivirus resistance are highlighted to complete the perspective on geminivirus-plant molecular interactions.

Occurrence and fate of perfluorinated acids in two wastewater treatment plants in Shanghai, China.

PubMed

Zhang, Chaojie; Yan, Hong; Li, Fei; Zhou, Qi

2015-02-01

Perfluorinated acids (PFAs) have drawn much attention due to their environmental persistence, ubiquitous existence, and bioaccumulation potential. The discharge of wastewater effluent from municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) is a significant source of PFAs to the environment. In this study, wastewater and sludge samples were collected from two WWTPs in Shanghai, China, to investigate the contamination level and fate of PFAs in different stages of processing. The total concentrations of PFAs (∑PFAs) in influent from plants A and B were 2,452 and 292 ng L(-1), respectively. Perfluoropentanoic acid (1,520 ± 80 ng L(-1) in plant A and 89.2 ± 12.1 ng L(-1) in plant B) was the predominant PFA in influent waters, followed by perfluorooctanoic acid. The concentration of ∑PFAs ranged from 75.0 to 126.0 ng g(-1) dry weight in sludge samples from plant B, with perfluorooctanesulfonic acid as the predominant contaminant. The concentrations and fate of PFAs in different WWTPs vary. The ∑PFAs entering plant A decreased significantly in the final effluent of activated sludge process, while that in plant B increased significantly in the final effluent of sequencing batch reactor system. The concentration changes could be due to the sorption onto sludge, or the degradation of PFAs precursors.

PROPULSE 980: A Hydrogen Peroxide Enrichment System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Boxwell, Robert; Bromley, G.; Wanger, Robert; Pauls, Dan; Maynard, Bryon; McNeal, Curtis; Dumbacher, D. L. (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

The PROPULSE 980 unit is a transportable processing plant that enriches aerospace grade hydrogen peroxide from 90% to 98% final concentration. The unit was developed by Degussa-H Is, in cooperation with Orbital, NASA Marshall Space Center, and NASA Stennis Space Center. The system is a self-contained unit that houses all of the process equipment, instrumentation and controls to perform the concentration operation nearly autonomously. It is designed to produce non-bulk quantities of 98% hydrogen peroxide. The enrichment unit design also maintains system, personnel and environmental safety during all aspects of the enrichment process and final product storage. As part of the Propulse 980 checkout and final buyoff, it will be disassembled at the Degussa-H Is Corporation plant in Theodore, AL, transported to the Stennis Space Center, reassembled and subjected to a series of checkout tests to verify design objectives have been met. This paper will summarize the basic project elements and provide an update on the present status of the project.

Cascade process modeling with mechanism-based hierarchical neural networks.

PubMed

Cong, Qiumei; Yu, Wen; Chai, Tianyou

2010-02-01

Cascade process, such as wastewater treatment plant, includes many nonlinear sub-systems and many variables. When the number of sub-systems is big, the input-output relation in the first block and the last block cannot represent the whole process. In this paper we use two techniques to overcome the above problem. Firstly we propose a new neural model: hierarchical neural networks to identify the cascade process; then we use serial structural mechanism model based on the physical equations to connect with neural model. A stable learning algorithm and theoretical analysis are given. Finally, this method is used to model a wastewater treatment plant. Real operational data of wastewater treatment plant is applied to illustrate the modeling approach.

Geminiviruses and Plant Hosts: A Closer Examination of the Molecular Arms Race

PubMed Central

Ramesh, Shunmugiah V.; Sahu, Pranav P.; Prasad, Manoj; Praveen, Shelly; Pappu, Hanu R.

2017-01-01

Geminiviruses are plant-infecting viruses characterized by a single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) genome. Geminivirus-derived proteins are multifunctional and effective regulators in modulating the host cellular processes resulting in successful infection. Virus-host interactions result in changes in host gene expression patterns, reprogram plant signaling controls, disrupt central cellular metabolic pathways, impair plant’s defense system, and effectively evade RNA silencing response leading to host susceptibility. This review summarizes what is known about the cellular processes in the continuing tug of war between geminiviruses and their plant hosts at the molecular level. In addition, implications for engineered resistance to geminivirus infection in the context of a greater understanding of the molecular processes are also discussed. Finally, the prospect of employing geminivirus-based vectors in plant genome engineering and the emergence of powerful genome editing tools to confer geminivirus resistance are highlighted to complete the perspective on geminivirus-plant molecular interactions. PMID:28914771

Transport and fate of microplastic particles in wastewater treatment plants.

PubMed

Carr, Steve A; Liu, Jin; Tesoro, Arnold G

2016-03-15

Municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are frequently suspected as significant point sources or conduits of microplastics to the environment. To directly investigate these suspicions, effluent discharges from seven tertiary plants and one secondary plant in Southern California were studied. The study also looked at influent loads, particle size/type, conveyance, and removal at these wastewater treatment facilities. Over 0.189 million liters of effluent at each of the seven tertiary plants were filtered using an assembled stack of sieves with mesh sizes between 400 and 45 μm. Additionally, the surface of 28.4 million liters of final effluent at three tertiary plants was skimmed using a 125 μm filtering assembly. The results suggest that tertiary effluent is not a significant source of microplastics and that these plastic pollutants are effectively removed during the skimming and settling treatment processes. However, at a downstream secondary plant, an average of one micro-particle in every 1.14 thousand liters of final effluent was counted. The majority of microplastics identified in this study had a profile (color, shape, and size) similar to the blue polyethylene particles present in toothpaste formulations. Existing treatment processes were determined to be very effective for removal of microplastic contaminants entering typical municipal WWTPs. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

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.

Final Report for Regulation of Embryonic Development in Higher Plants

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

Harada, John J.

2013-10-22

The overall goal of the project was to define the cellular processes that underlie embryo development in plants at a mechanistic level. Our studies focused on a critical transcriptional regulator, Arabidopsis LEAFY COTYLEDON (LEC1), that is necessary and sufficient to induce processes required for embryo development. Because LEC1 regulates lipid accumulation during the maturation phase of embryo development, information about LEC1 may be useful in designing approaches to enhance biofuel production in plants. During the tenure of this project, we determined the molecular mechanisms by which LEC1 acts as a transcription factor in embryos. We also identified genes directly regulatedmore » by LEC1 and showed that many of these genes are involved in maturation processes. This information has been useful in dissecting the gene regulatory networks controlling embryo development. Finally, LEC1 is a novel isoform of a transcription factor that is conserved among eukaryotes, and LEC1 is active primarily in seeds. Therefore, we determined that the LEC1-type transcription factors first appeared in lycophytes during land plant evolution. Together, this study provides basic information that has implications for biofuel production.« less

Development and Validation of a Two-Tier Instrument to Examine Understanding of Internal Transport in Plants and the Human Circulatory System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Jing-Ru

2004-01-01

This study is intended to develop an assessment instrument to investigate students' understandings about internal transport in plants and human circulatory system. A refined process of a two-tier diagnostic test was used to develop the instrument. Finally, three versions of the Internal Transport in Plants and the Human Circulatory System test…

Radium removal for a small community water-supply system. Research report, 1 October 1985-30 September 1987

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

Mangelson, K.A.

1988-07-01

In 1984, a radium-removal treatment plant was constructed for the small community of Redhill Forest located in the central mountains of Colorado. The treatment plant consists of a process for removing iron and manganese ahead of an ion-exchange process for the removal of radium. The raw water comes from deep wells and has naturally occurring radium and iron concentrations of about 30-40 pCi/L and 7-10 mg/L, respectively. Before the raw water enters the main treatment plant, the raw water is aerated to remove radon gas and carbon dioxide. The unique features of the Redhill Forest Treatment Plant are related tomore » the ways in which the radium removed from the raw water is further treated and eventually disposed of as treatment plant waste. A separate system removes only radium from the backwash/regeneration water of the ion exchange process and the radium is permanently complexed on a Radium Selective Complexer (RSC) resin made by Dow Chemical. The RSC resin containing radium is replaced with virgin resin as needed and the resin waste transported to a permanent final disposal site in Beatty, NV. This report presents a detailed description of the Redhill Forest treatment system and the results of in-depth monitoring of the processes and other factors relating to the overall operation of the radium-removal system. Included are descriptions of modifications made in the plant operation to improve the overall system operation and of the procedures for final disposal of the RSC resin-containing radium.« less

From in situ coal to the final coal product: A case study of the Danville Coal Member (Indiana)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mastalerz, Maria; Padgett, P.L.

1999-01-01

A surface coal mine operation and preparation plant in southwestern Indiana was sampled to examine variations in coal quality and coal petrography parameters for the Danville Coal Member of the Dugger Formation (Pennsylvanian-Desmoinesian, Westphalian D). Representative samples from in situ coal, preparation plant feeds, and a final coal product were collected in order to compare coal quality, coal petrography, trace element concentrations, and ash chemistry of the coal to those of the product. Coal quality parameters of the in situ samples and various feeds, coarse refuse, and final product were variable. The quality of the final coal product was best predicted by the coal quality of the clean coal feed (from the middle portions of the seam). Some trace element contents, especially lead and arsenic, varied between the coal feeds and the product. Lead contents increased in the feeds and product compared to the channel sample of the raw coal, possibly due to contamination in the handling process.A surface coal mine operation and preparation plant in southwestern Indiana was sampled to examine variations in coal quality and coal petrography parameters for the Danville Coal Member of the Dugger Formation (Pennsylvanian-Desmoinesian, Westphalian D). Representative samples from in situ coal, preparation plant feeds, and a final coal product were collected in order to compare coal quality, coal petrography, trace element concentrations, and ash chemistry of the coal to those of the product. Coal quality parameters of the in situ samples and various feeds, coarse refuse, and final product were variable. The quality of the final coal product was best predicted by the coal quality of the clean coal feed (from the middle portions of the seam). Some trace element contents, especially lead and arsenic, varied between the coal feeds and the product. Lead contents increased in the feeds and product compared to the channel sample of the raw coal, possibly due to contamination in the handling process.

Finding and defining the natural automata acting in living plants: Toward the synthetic biology for robotics and informatics in vivo.

PubMed

Kawano, Tomonori; Bouteau, François; Mancuso, Stefano

2012-11-01

The automata theory is the mathematical study of abstract machines commonly studied in the theoretical computer science and highly interdisciplinary fields that combine the natural sciences and the theoretical computer science. In the present review article, as the chemical and biological basis for natural computing or informatics, some plants, plant cells or plant-derived molecules involved in signaling are listed and classified as natural sequential machines (namely, the Mealy machines or Moore machines) or finite state automata. By defining the actions (states and transition functions) of these natural automata, the similarity between the computational data processing and plant decision-making processes became obvious. Finally, their putative roles as the parts for plant-based computing or robotic systems are discussed.

Finding and defining the natural automata acting in living plants: Toward the synthetic biology for robotics and informatics in vivo

PubMed Central

Kawano, Tomonori; Bouteau, François; Mancuso, Stefano

2012-01-01

The automata theory is the mathematical study of abstract machines commonly studied in the theoretical computer science and highly interdisciplinary fields that combine the natural sciences and the theoretical computer science. In the present review article, as the chemical and biological basis for natural computing or informatics, some plants, plant cells or plant-derived molecules involved in signaling are listed and classified as natural sequential machines (namely, the Mealy machines or Moore machines) or finite state automata. By defining the actions (states and transition functions) of these natural automata, the similarity between the computational data processing and plant decision-making processes became obvious. Finally, their putative roles as the parts for plant-based computing or robotic systems are discussed. PMID:23336016

Installation-Restoration Program environmental-technology development. Task order 3. Use of activated carbon for treatment of explosives-contaminated ground water at the Badger Army Ammunition Plant (BAAP). Final report Jun 88-Aug 89

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

Wujcik, W.J.; Lowe, W.L.; Marks, P.J.

1989-08-01

The United States Army operates explosives manufacturing plants to produce various forms of explosives used in military ordnance. Manufacturing activities at such plants result in the production of organic wastewaters that contain both explosive residues and other organic chemicals. Several treatment technologies have been developed to treat these wastewaters for final discharge. Past waste handling practices at explosives manufacturing plants commonly included the use of the unlined lagoons or pits for containing process wastewaters. As a result of these past practices, some explosives residues may leach through the soil and contaminated groundwater. Therefore, the treatment of contaminated groundwater may bemore » required.« less

Secondary aluminum industry final emissions test report: Culp Aluminum Alloys, Steele, Alabama. Final report

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

NONE

The purpose of this testing program was to obtain emissions data for uncontrolled and controlled hydrochloric acid (HCl), particulate matter (PM) and speciated hydrocarbon Hazardous Air Pollutants (HAPs) from a secondary aluminum processing plant to support a national emission standard for hazardous air pollutants (NESHAP).

St. Louis demonstration final report: refuse processing plant equipment, facilities, and environmental evaluations

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

Fiscus, D.E.; Gorman, P.G.; Schrag, M.P.

1977-09-01

The results are presented of processing plant evaluations of the St. Louis-Union Electric Refuse Fuel Project, including equipment and facilities as well as assessment of environmental emissions at both the processing and the power plants. Data on plant material flows and operating parameters, plant operating costs, characteristics of plant material flows, and emissions from various processing operations were obtained during a testing program encompassing 53 calendar weeks. Refuse derived fuel (RDF) is the major product (80.6% by weight) of the refuse processing plant, the other being ferrous metal scrap, a marketable by-product. Average operating costs for the entire evaluation periodmore » were $8.26/Mg ($7.49/ton). The average overall processing rate for the period was 168 Mg/8-h day (185.5 tons/8-h day) at 31.0 Mg/h (34.2 tons/h). Future plants using an air classification system of the type used at the St. Louis demonstration plant will need an emissions control device for particulates from the large de-entrainment cyclone. Also in the air exhaust from the cyclone were total counts of bacteria and viruses several times higher than those of suburban ambient air. No water effluent or noise exposure problems were encountered, although landfill leachate mixed with ground water could result in contamination, given low dilution rates.« less

Sustainable Range Management of RDX and TNT by Phytoremediation with Engineered Plants

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-04-01

FINAL REPORT Sustainable Range Management of RDX and TNT by Phytoremediation with Engineered Plants SERDP Project ER-1498 APRIL 2016...specific commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise, does not necessarily constitute or imply its...by Phyoremediation with Engineered Plants 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S) 5d. PROJECT NUMBER ER-1498 Neil C

Enzymatic degradation of cell wall and related plant polysaccharides.

PubMed

Ward, O P; Moo-Young, M

1989-01-01

Polysaccharides such as starch, cellulose and other glucans, pectins, xylans, mannans, and fructans are present as major structural and storage materials in plants. These constituents may be degraded and modified by endogenous enzymes during plant growth and development. In plant pathogenesis by microorganisms, extracellular enzymes secreted by infected strains play a major role in plant tissue degradation and invasion of the host. Many of these polysaccharide-degrading enzymes are also produced by microorganisms widely used in industrial enzyme production. Most commerical enzyme preparations contain an array of secondary activities in addition to the one or two principal components which have standardized activities. In the processing of unpurified carbohydrate materials such as cereals, fruits, and tubers, these secondary enzyme activities offer major potential for improving process efficiency. Use of more defined combinations of industrial polysaccharases should allow final control of existing enzyme processes and should also lead to the development of novel enzymatic applications.

Process for producing ethanol from plant biomass using the fungus paecilomyces sp.

DOEpatents

Wu, Jung Fu

1989-01-01

A process for producing ethanol from plant biomass is disclosed. The process in cludes forming a substrate from the biomass with the substrate including hydrolysates of cellulose and hemicellulose. A species of the fungus Paecilomyces, which has the ability to ferment both cellobiose and xylose to ethanol, is then selected and isolated. The substrate is inoculated with this fungus, and the inoculated substrate is then fermented under conditions favorable for cell viability and conversion of hydrolysates to ethanol. Finally, ethanol is recovered from the fermented substrate.

Process for producing ethanol from plant biomass using the fungus Paecilomyces sp

DOEpatents

Wu, J.F.

1985-08-08

A process for producing ethanol from plant biomass is disclosed. The process includes forming a substrate from the biomass with the substrate including hydrolysates of cellulose and hemicellulose. A species of the fungus Paecilomyces which has the ability to ferment both cellobiose and xylose to ethanol is then selected and isolated. The substrate is inoculated with this fungus, and the inoculated substrate is then fermented under conditions favorable for cell viability and conversion of hydrolysates to ethanol. Finally, ethanol is recovered from the fermented substrate. 5 figs., 3 tabs.

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

Development of process control capability through the Browns Ferry Integrated Computer System using Reactor Water Clanup System as an example. Final report

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

Smith, J.; Mowrey, J.

1995-12-01

This report describes the design, development and testing of process controls for selected system operations in the Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant (BFNP) Reactor Water Cleanup System (RWCU) using a Computer Simulation Platform which simulates the RWCU System and the BFNP Integrated Computer System (ICS). This system was designed to demonstrate the feasibility of the soft control (video touch screen) of nuclear plant systems through an operator console. The BFNP Integrated Computer System, which has recently. been installed at BFNP Unit 2, was simulated to allow for operator control functions of the modeled RWCU system. The BFNP Unit 2 RWCU systemmore » was simulated using the RELAP5 Thermal/Hydraulic Simulation Model, which provided the steady-state and transient RWCU process variables and simulated the response of the system to control system inputs. Descriptions of the hardware and software developed are also included in this report. The testing and acceptance program and results are also detailed in this report. A discussion of potential installation of an actual RWCU process control system in BFNP Unit 2 is included. Finally, this report contains a section on industry issues associated with installation of process control systems in nuclear power plants.« less

Higher Plants in life support systems: design of a model and plant experimental compartment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hezard, Pauline; Farges, Berangere; Sasidharan L, Swathy; Dussap, Claude-Gilles

The development of closed ecological life support systems (CELSS) requires full control and efficient engineering for fulfilling the common objectives of water and oxygen regeneration, CO2 elimination and food production. Most of the proposed CELSS contain higher plants, for which a growth chamber and a control system are needed. Inside the compartment the development of higher plants must be understood and modeled in order to be able to design and control the compartment as a function of operating variables. The plant behavior must be analyzed at different sub-process scales : (i) architecture and morphology describe the plant shape and lead to calculate the morphological parameters (leaf area, stem length, number of meristems. . . ) characteristic of life cycle stages; (ii) physiology and metabolism of the different organs permit to assess the plant composition depending on the plant input and output rates (oxygen, carbon dioxide, water and nutrients); (iii) finally, the physical processes are light interception, gas exchange, sap conduction and root uptake: they control the available energy from photosynthesis and the input and output rates. These three different sub-processes are modeled as a system of equations using environmental and plant parameters such as light intensity, temperature, pressure, humidity, CO2 and oxygen partial pressures, nutrient solution composition, total leaf surface and leaf area index, chlorophyll content, stomatal conductance, water potential, organ biomass distribution and composition, etc. The most challenging issue is to develop a comprehensive and operative mathematical model that assembles these different sub-processes in a unique framework. In order to assess the parameters for testing a model, a polyvalent growth chamber is necessary. It should permit a controlled environment in order to test and understand the physiological response and determine the control strategy. The final aim of this model is to have an envi-ronmental control of plant behavior: this requires an extended knowledge of plant response to environment variations. This needs a large number of experiments, which would be easier to perform in a high-throughput system.

9 CFR 112.2 - Final container label, carton label, and enclosure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... carton; (10) In the case of a product which contains an antibiotic added during the production process... 9 Animals and Animal Products 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Final container label, carton label, and enclosure. 112.2 Section 112.2 Animals and Animal Products ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION...

Development of Nested PCR-Based Specific Markers for Detection of Peach Rosette Mosaic Virus in Plant Quarantine.

PubMed

Lee, S; Kim, C S; Shin, Y G; Kim, J H; Kim, Y S; Jheong, W H

2016-03-01

The Peach rosette mosaic virus (PRMV) is a plant pathogen of the genus Nepovirus, and has been designated as a controlled quarantine virus in Korea. In this study, a specific reverse transcription (RT)-PCR marker set, nested PCR marker set, and modified-plasmid positive control were developed to promptly and accurately diagnose PRMV at plant-quarantine sites. The final selected PRMV-specific RT-PCR marker was PRMV-N10/C70 (967 bp), and the nested PCR product of 419 bp was finally amplified. The modified-plasmid positive control, in which the SalI restriction-enzyme region (GTCGAC) was inserted, verified PRMV contamination in a comparison with the control, enabling a more accurate diagnosis. It is expected that the developed method will continuously contribute to the plant-quarantine process in Korea.

77 FR 53236 - Proposed International Isotopes Fluorine Extraction Process and Depleted Uranium Deconversion...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-08-31

... NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION [NRC-2010-0143] Proposed International Isotopes Fluorine Extraction Process and Depleted Uranium Deconversion Plant in Lea County, New Mexico AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory... U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC or the Commission) has published the Final Environmental...

H-Coal Pilot Plant Phase II construction, Catlettsburg, Kentucky. Final construction management report, December 1976-February 1980. [February, 1977 to approximately January, 1980

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

Not Available

1983-03-01

This report covers the H-Coal Pilot Plant facility located in Catlettsburg, Kentucky. The authorization for this project was under DOE contract No. DE-AC05-78ET11052, formally ET-78-C-01-3224. Badger Plants, Inc. carried out the construction management of this facility. The estimated total cost is $147,265,013. A brief process/technical description of the Pilot Plant covers subjects such as objectives, capacity, expected life, etc. A brief technical description of each processing unit, including its purpose in the overall operations of the plant is given. A general description of the organizational history of the project is given. Current overall organization and a description of the responsibilitiesmore » of each participant are included. Badger Plant's organization at manager level is shown.« less

Auxin-BR Interaction Regulates Plant Growth and Development

PubMed Central

Tian, Huiyu; Lv, Bingsheng; Ding, Tingting; Bai, Mingyi; Ding, Zhaojun

2018-01-01

Plants develop a high flexibility to alter growth, development, and metabolism to adapt to the ever-changing environments. Multiple signaling pathways are involved in these processes and the molecular pathways to transduce various developmental signals are not linear but are interconnected by a complex network and even feedback mutually to achieve the final outcome. This review will focus on two important plant hormones, auxin and brassinosteroid (BR), based on the most recent progresses about these two hormone regulated plant growth and development in Arabidopsis, and highlight the cross-talks between these two phytohormones. PMID:29403511

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

High-pressure processing as emergent technology for the extraction of bioactive ingredients from plant materials.

PubMed

Jun, Xi

2013-01-01

High-pressure processing is a food processing technique that has shown great potentials in the food industry. Recently, it was developed to extract bioactive ingredients from plant materials, known as ultrahigh pressure extraction (UPE), taking advantages of time saving, higher extraction yields, fewer impurities in the extraction solution, minimal heat and can avoid thermal degradation on the activity and structure of bioactive components, and so on. This review provides an overview of the developments in the UPE of bioactive ingredients from plant material. Apart from a brief presentation of the theories of UPE and extraction equipment systems, the principal parameters that influence the extraction efficiency to be optimized in the UPE (e.g., solvent, pressure, temperature, extraction time, and the number of cycle) were discussed in detail, and finally the more recent applications of UPE for the extraction of active compounds from plant materials were summarized.

Use of Excel ion exchange equilibrium solver with WinGEMS to model and predict NPE distribution in the Mead/Westvaco Evandale, TX, hardwood bleach plant

Treesearch

Christopher Litvay; Alan Rudie; Peter Hart

2003-01-01

An Excel spreadsheet developed to solve the ion-exchange equilibrium in wood pulps has been linked by dynamic data exchange to WinGEMS and used to model the non-process elements in the hardwood bleach plant of the Mead/Westvaco Evandale mill. Pulp and filtrate samples were collected from the diffusion washers and final wash press of the bleach plant. A WinGEMS model of...

Incidence and properties of Staphylococcus aureus associated with turkeys during processing and further-processing operations.

PubMed

Adams, B W; Mead, G C

1983-12-01

The incidence of Staphylococcus aureus on turkeys sampled at various stages of processing and further-processing was determined on four occasions at each of three different processing plants. For freshly-slaughtered birds, counts from neck skin varied from plant to plant over the range less than 10(2) to greater than 10(5)/g but in all cases the corresponding counts obtained from carcasses sampled after chilling rarely exceeded 10(3)/g and the same was true for samples of mechanically recovered meat (MRM), the final raw product examined. Despite the limited susceptibility of isolates from the different factories to typing by means of either standard human or poultry bacteriophages (55-94% untypable), evidence was obtained with the aid of biotyping for the presence of both human and animal-derived strains. However, some biotypes isolated from MRM were not detected at earlier stages of processing. At one processing plant, an "indigenous' type of S. aureus was clearly demonstrated. It occurred in high numbers in the defeathering machines (up to 10(5)/swab), was found on carcasses at all subsequent stages of processing over the survey period and was shown to survive routine cleaning and disinfection procedures. Isolates of this type produced unusually large amounts of extracellular "slime' in artificial culture. Two of the three processing plants yielded isolates which were enterotoxigenic. Of 55 strains from Plant 1, 60% produced enterotoxin C and all were of the "indigenous' type. In the case of Plant 2, only two type D- and one type F-producing strain were found.

Incidence and properties of Staphylococcus aureus associated with turkeys during processing and further-processing operations.

PubMed Central

Adams, B. W.; Mead, G. C.

1983-01-01

The incidence of Staphylococcus aureus on turkeys sampled at various stages of processing and further-processing was determined on four occasions at each of three different processing plants. For freshly-slaughtered birds, counts from neck skin varied from plant to plant over the range less than 10(2) to greater than 10(5)/g but in all cases the corresponding counts obtained from carcasses sampled after chilling rarely exceeded 10(3)/g and the same was true for samples of mechanically recovered meat (MRM), the final raw product examined. Despite the limited susceptibility of isolates from the different factories to typing by means of either standard human or poultry bacteriophages (55-94% untypable), evidence was obtained with the aid of biotyping for the presence of both human and animal-derived strains. However, some biotypes isolated from MRM were not detected at earlier stages of processing. At one processing plant, an "indigenous' type of S. aureus was clearly demonstrated. It occurred in high numbers in the defeathering machines (up to 10(5)/swab), was found on carcasses at all subsequent stages of processing over the survey period and was shown to survive routine cleaning and disinfection procedures. Isolates of this type produced unusually large amounts of extracellular "slime' in artificial culture. Two of the three processing plants yielded isolates which were enterotoxigenic. Of 55 strains from Plant 1, 60% produced enterotoxin C and all were of the "indigenous' type. In the case of Plant 2, only two type D- and one type F-producing strain were found. PMID:6663063

Light Signaling in Bud Outgrowth and Branching in Plants

PubMed Central

Leduc, Nathalie; Roman, Hanaé; Barbier, François; Péron, Thomas; Huché-Thélier, Lydie; Lothier, Jérémy; Demotes-Mainard, Sabine; Sakr, Soulaiman

2014-01-01

Branching determines the final shape of plants, which influences adaptation, survival and the visual quality of many species. It is an intricate process that includes bud outgrowth and shoot extension, and these in turn respond to environmental cues and light conditions. Light is a powerful environmental factor that impacts multiple processes throughout plant life. The molecular basis of the perception and transduction of the light signal within buds is poorly understood and undoubtedly requires to be further unravelled. This review is based on current knowledge on bud outgrowth-related mechanisms and light-mediated regulation of many physiological processes. It provides an extensive, though not exhaustive, overview of the findings related to this field. In parallel, it points to issues to be addressed in the near future. PMID:27135502

78 FR 71903 - 2013 Revisions to the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Rule and Final Confidentiality Determinations for...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-11-29

... companies, sinter plants, blast furnaces, basic oxygen process furnace shops. Lead Production 331419 Primary... Act (APA), 5 U.S.C. Chapter 5, generally provides that rules may not take effect earlier than 30 days... adjust their behavior and prepare before the final rule takes effect. To employ the 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3...

Thermoelectric-Driven Autonomous Sensors for a Biomass Power Plant

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rodríguez, A.; Astrain, D.; Martínez, A.; Gubía, E.; Sorbet, F. J.

2013-07-01

This work presents the design and development of a thermoelectric generator intended to harness waste heat in a biomass power plant, and generate electric power to operate sensors and the required electronics for wireless communication. The first objective of the work is to design the optimum thermoelectric generator to harness heat from a hot surface, and generate electric power to operate a flowmeter and a wireless transmitter. The process is conducted by using a computational model, presented in previous papers, to determine the final design that meets the requirements of electric power consumption and number of transmissions per minute. Finally, the thermoelectric generator is simulated to evaluate its performance. The final device transmits information every 5 s. Moreover, it is completely autonomous and can be easily installed, since no electric wires are required.

Restriction of virus infection by plants. Final report, July 1, 1987--June 30, 1992

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

Bruening, G.

1992-12-31

The basis of genotypic resistance of the Arlington line of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) against cowpea mosaic virus (CPMV) has been attributed, to an inhibitor of the processing of CPMV polyproteins. We sought to purify the protein that is postulated to be the inhibitor of polyprotein processing and to characterize the inhibitor and its gene. Such information can be the basis for engineering resistance to specific viruses in plants. In studies with cherry leafroll virus (CLRV) we sought understanding of the biochemical basis of the resistance.

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.

Osmosis process for leachate treatment in industrial platform: Economic and performances evaluations to zero liquid discharge.

PubMed

Cingolani, Diego; Eusebi, Anna Laura; Battistoni, Paolo

2017-12-01

The industrial processes require large quantities of water. The presence of discharges results not only in significant environmental impact but implies wastage of water resources. This problem could be solved treating and reusing the produced wastewaters and applying the new zero liquid discharge approach. This paper discusses the design and the performances of reverse osmosis membranes for the upgrading of full scale platform for industrial liquid wastes. The final effluent from the ultrafiltration unit of the full scale plant was monitored to design the reverse osmosis unit. Previous modelling phase was used to evaluate the specific ordinary and maintenance costs and the final effluent quality (2.7 €/m 3 ). The system was designed in triple stages at different operative pressures. The economic feasibility and the payback period of the technology at different percentages of produced permeate were determined. The recovery of 90% was identified as profitable for the reverse osmosis application. One experimental pilot plant applying the reverse osmosis was used to test the final effluent. Moreover, the same flow was treated with second pilot system based on the forward osmosis process. The final efficiencies were compared. Removals higher than 95% using the reverse system were obtained for the main macropollutants and ions. No sustainable applicability of the forward osmosis was determined. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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.

Rooting Theories of Plant Community Ecology in Microbial Interactions

PubMed Central

Bever, James D.; Dickie, Ian A.; Facelli, Evelina; Facelli, Jose M.; Klironomos, John; Moora, Mari; Rillig, Matthias C.; Stock, William D.; Tibbett, Mark; Zobel, Martin

2010-01-01

Predominant frameworks for understanding plant ecology have an aboveground bias that neglects soil micro-organisms. This is inconsistent with recent work illustrating the importance of soil microbes in terrestrial ecology. Microbial effects have been incorporated into plant community dynamics using ideas of niche modification and plant-soil community feedbacks. Here, we expand and integrate qualitative conceptual models of plant niche and feedback to explore implications of microbial interactions for understanding plant community ecology. At the same time we review the empirical evidence for these processes. We also consider common mycorrhizal networks, and suggest these are best interpreted within the feedback framework. Finally, we apply our integrated model of niche and feedback to understanding plant coexistence, monodominance, and invasion ecology. PMID:20557974

Protein Kinases in Shaping Plant Architecture.

PubMed

Wu, Juan; Wang, Bo; Xin, Xiaoyun; Ren, Dongtao

2018-02-13

Plant architecture, the three-dimensional organization of the plant body, includes the branching pattern and the size, shape, and position of organs. Plant architecture is genetically controlled and is influenced by environmental conditions. The regulations occur at most of the stages from the first division of the fertilized eggs to the final establishment of plant architecture. Among the various endogenous regulators, protein kinases and their associated signaling pathways have been shown to play important roles in regulating the process of plant architecture establishment. In this review, we summarize recent progress in the understanding of the mechanisms by which plant architecture formation is regulated by protein kinases, especially mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK). Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

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

Working toward integrated models of alpine plant distribution.

PubMed

Carlson, Bradley Z; Randin, Christophe F; Boulangeat, Isabelle; Lavergne, Sébastien; Thuiller, Wilfried; Choler, Philippe

2013-10-01

Species distribution models (SDMs) have been frequently employed to forecast the response of alpine plants to global changes. Efforts to model alpine plant distribution have thus far been primarily based on a correlative approach, in which ecological processes are implicitly addressed through a statistical relationship between observed species occurrences and environmental predictors. Recent evidence, however, highlights the shortcomings of correlative SDMs, especially in alpine landscapes where plant species tend to be decoupled from atmospheric conditions in micro-topographic habitats and are particularly exposed to geomorphic disturbances. While alpine plants respond to the same limiting factors as plants found at lower elevations, alpine environments impose a particular set of scale-dependent and hierarchical drivers that shape the realized niche of species and that require explicit consideration in a modelling context. Several recent studies in the European Alps have successfully integrated both correlative and process-based elements into distribution models of alpine plants, but for the time being a single integrative modelling framework that includes all key drivers remains elusive. As a first step in working toward a comprehensive integrated model applicable to alpine plant communities, we propose a conceptual framework that structures the primary mechanisms affecting alpine plant distributions. We group processes into four categories, including multi-scalar abiotic drivers, gradient dependent species interactions, dispersal and spatial-temporal plant responses to disturbance. Finally, we propose a methodological framework aimed at developing an integrated model to better predict alpine plant distribution.

Salicylic acid-induced abiotic stress tolerance and underlying mechanisms in plants

PubMed Central

Khan, M. Iqbal R.; Fatma, Mehar; Per, Tasir S.; Anjum, Naser A.; Khan, Nafees A.

2015-01-01

Abiotic stresses (such as metals/metalloids, salinity, ozone, UV-B radiation, extreme temperatures, and drought) are among the most challenging threats to agricultural system and economic yield of crop plants. These stresses (in isolation and/or combination) induce numerous adverse effects in plants, impair biochemical/physiological and molecular processes, and eventually cause severe reductions in plant growth, development and overall productivity. Phytohormones have been recognized as a strong tool for sustainably alleviating adverse effects of abiotic stresses in crop plants. In particular, the significance of salicylic acid (SA) has been increasingly recognized in improved plant abiotic stress-tolerance via SA-mediated control of major plant-metabolic processes. However, the basic biochemical/physiological and molecular mechanisms that potentially underpin SA-induced plant-tolerance to major abiotic stresses remain least discussed. Based on recent reports, this paper: (a) overviews historical background and biosynthesis of SA under both optimal and stressful environments in plants; (b) critically appraises the role of SA in plants exposed to major abiotic stresses; (c) cross-talks potential mechanisms potentially governing SA-induced plant abiotic stress-tolerance; and finally (d) briefly highlights major aspects so far unexplored in the current context. PMID:26175738

Stepwise drying of medicinal plants as alternative to reduce time and energy processing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cuervo-Andrade, S. P.; Hensel, O.

2016-07-01

The objective of drying medicinal plants is to extend the shelf life and conserving the fresh characteristics. This is achieved by reducing the water activity (aw) of the product to a value which will inhibit the growth and development of pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms, significantly reducing enzyme activity and the rate at which undesirable chemical reactions occur. The technical drying process requires an enormous amount of thermal and electrical energy. An improvement in the quality of the product to be dried and at the same time a decrease in the drying cost and time are achieved through the utilization of a controlled conventional drying method, which is based on a good utilization of the renewable energy or looking for other alternatives which achieve lower processing times without sacrificing the final product quality. In this work the method of stepwise drying of medicinal plants is presented as an alternative to the conventional drying that uses a constant temperature during the whole process. The objective of stepwise drying is the decrease of drying time and reduction in energy consumption. In this process, apart from observing the effects on decreases the effective drying process time and energy, the influence of the different combinations of drying phases on several characteristics of the product are considered. The tests were carried out with Melissa officinalis L. variety citronella, sowed in greenhouse. For the stepwise drying process different combinations of initial and final temperature, 40/50°C, are evaluated, with different transition points associated to different moisture contents (20, 30, 40% and 50%) of the product during the process. Final quality of dried foods is another important issue in food drying. Drying process has effect in quality attributes drying products. This study was determining the color changes and essential oil loses by reference the measurement of the color and essential oil content of the fresh product was used. Drying curves were obtained to observe the dynamics of the process for different combinations of temperature and points of change, corresponding to different conditions of moisture content of the product.

Large Scale Helium Liquefaction and Considerations for Site Services for a Plant Located in Algeria

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Froehlich, P.; Clausen, J. J.

2008-03-01

The large-scale liquefaction of helium extracted from natural gas is depicted. Based on a block diagram the process chain, starting with the pipeline downstream of the natural-gas plant to the final storage of liquid helium, is explained. Information will be provided about the recent experiences during installation and start-up of a bulk helium liquefaction plant located in Skikda, Algeria, including part-load operation based on a reduced feed gas supply. The local working and ambient conditions are described, including challenging logistic problems like shipping and receiving of parts, qualified and semi-qualified subcontractors, basic provisions and tools on site, and precautions to sea water and ambient conditions. Finally, the differences in commissioning (technically and evaluation of time and work packages) to European locations and standards will be discussed.

The 5th Symposium on Post-Transcriptional Regulation of Plant Gene Expression (PTRoPGE)

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

Karen S. Browning; Marie Petrocek; Bonnie Bartel

2006-06-01

The 5th Symposium on Post-Transcriptional Regulation of Plant Gene Expression (PTRoPGE) will be held June 8-12, 2005 at the University of Texas at Austin. Exciting new and ongoing discoveries show significant regulation of gene expression occurs after transcription. These post-transcriptional control events in plants range from subtle regulation of transcribed genes and phosphorylation, to the processes of gene regulation through small RNAs. This meeting will focus on the regulatory role of RNA, from transcription, through translation and finally degradation. The cross-disciplinary design of this meeting is necessary to encourage interactions between researchers that have a common interest in post-transcriptional genemore » expression in plants. By bringing together a diverse group of plant molecular biologist and biochemists at all careers stages from across the world, this meeting will bring about more rapid progress in understanding how plant genomes work and how genes are finely regulated by post-transcriptional processes to ultimately regulate cells.« less

DNA Methylation and Demethylation in Plant Immunity.

PubMed

Deleris, A; Halter, T; Navarro, L

2016-08-04

Detection of plant and animal pathogens triggers a massive transcriptional reprogramming, which is directed by chromatin-based processes, and ultimately results in antimicrobial immunity. Although the implication of histone modifications in orchestrating biotic stress-induced transcriptional reprogramming has been well characterized, very little was known, until recently, about the role of DNA methylation and demethylation in this process. In this review, we summarize recent findings on the dynamics and biological relevance of DNA methylation and demethylation in plant immunity against nonviral pathogens. In particular, we report the implications of these epigenetic regulatory processes in the transcriptional and co-transcriptional control of immune-responsive genes and discuss their relevance in fine-tuning antimicrobial immune responses. Finally, we discuss the possible yet elusive role of DNA methylation and demethylation in systemic immune responses, transgenerational immune priming, and de novo epiallelism, which could be adaptive.

Organization out of disorder: liquid-liquid phase separation in plants.

PubMed

Cuevas-Velazquez, Cesar L; Dinneny, José R

2018-05-30

Membraneless compartments are formed from the dynamic physical association of proteins and RNAs through liquid-liquid phase separation, and have recently emerged as an exciting new mechanism to explain the dynamic organization of biochemical processes in the cell. In this review, we provide an overview of the current knowledge of the process of phase separation in plants and other eukaryotes. We discuss specific examples of liquid-like membraneless compartments found in green plants, their composition, and the intriguing prevalence of proteins with intrinsically disordered domains. Finally, we speculate on the function of disordered proteins in regulating the formation of membraneless compartments and how their conformational flexibility may be important for molecular memory and for sensing perturbations in the physicochemical environment of the cell, particularly important processes in sessile organisms. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

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

Venkataraman, M.; Natarajan, R.; Raj, Baldev

The reprocessing of spent fuel from Fast Breeder Test Reactor (FBTR) has been successfully demonstrated in the pilot plant, CORAL (COmpact Reprocessing facility for Advanced fuels in Lead shielded cell). Since commissioning in 2003, spent mixed carbide fuel from FBTR of different burnups and varying cooling period, have been reprocessed in this facility. Reprocessing of the spent fuel with a maximum burnup of 100 GWd/t has been successfully carried out so far. The feed backs from these campaigns with progressively increasing specific activities, have been useful in establishing a viable process flowsheet for reprocessing the Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR)more » spent fuel. Also, the design of various equipments and processes for the future plants, which are either under design for construction, namely, the Demonstration Fast Reactor Fuel Reprocessing Plant (DFRP) and the Fast reactor fuel Reprocessing Plant (FRP) could be finalized. (authors)« less

Contribution au developpement d'une methode de controle des procedes dans une usine de bouletage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gosselin, Claude

This thesis, a collaborative effort between Ecole de technologie superieure and ArcelorMittal Company, presents the development of a methodology for monitoring and quality control of multivariable industrial production processes. This innovation research mandate was developed at ArcelorMittal Exploitation Miniere (AMEM) pellet plant in Port-Cartier (Quebec, Canada). With this undertaking, ArcelorMittal is striving to maintain its world class level of excellence and continues to pursue initiatives that can augment its competitive advantage worldwide. The plant's gravimetric classification process was retained as a prototype and development laboratory due to its effect on the company's competitiveness and its impact on subsequent steps leading to final production of iron oxide pellets. Concretely, the development of this expertise in process control and in situ monitoring will establish a firm basic knowledge in the fields of complex system physical modeling, data reconciliation, statistical observers, multivariate command and quality control using real-time monitoring of the desirability function. The hydraulic classifier is mathematically modeled. Using planned disturbances on the production line, an identification procedure was established to provide empirical estimations of the model's structural parameters. A new sampling campaign and a previously unpublished data collection and consolidation policy were implemented plant-wide. Access to these invaluable data sources has enabled the establishment of new thresholds that govern the production process and its control. Finally, as a substitute for the traditional quality control process, we have implemented a new strategy based on the use of the desirability function. Our innovation is not in using this Finally, as a substitute for the traditional quality control process, we have implemented a new strategy based on the use of the desirability function. Our innovation is not in using this function as an indicator of overall (economic) satisfaction in the production process, but rather in proposing it as an "observer" of the system's state. The first implementation steps have already demonstrated the method's feasibility as well as other numerous industrial impacts on production processes within the company. Namely, the emergence of the economical aspect as a strategic variable that assures better governance of production processes where quality variables present strategic issues.

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.

Application of Advanced Process Control techniques to a pusher type reheating furnace

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zanoli, S. M.; Pepe, C.; Barboni, L.

2015-11-01

In this paper an Advanced Process Control system aimed at controlling and optimizing a pusher type reheating furnace located in an Italian steel plant is proposed. The designed controller replaced the previous control system, based on PID controllers manually conducted by process operators. A two-layer Model Predictive Control architecture has been adopted that, exploiting a chemical, physical and economic modelling of the process, overcomes the limitations of plant operators’ mental model and knowledge. In addition, an ad hoc decoupling strategy has been implemented, allowing the selection of the manipulated variables to be used for the control of each single process variable. Finally, in order to improve the system flexibility and resilience, the controller has been equipped with a supervision module. A profitable trade-off between conflicting specifications, e.g. safety, quality and production constraints, energy saving and pollution impact, has been guaranteed. Simulation tests and real plant results demonstrated the soundness and the reliability of the proposed system.

Insights into plant consciousness from neuroscience, physics and mathematics: A role for quasicrystals?

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

There is considerable debate over whether plants are conscious and this, indeed, is an important question. Here I look at developments in neuroscience, physics and mathematics that may impact on this question. Two major concomitants of consciousness in animals are microtubule function and electrical gamma wave synchrony. Both these factors may also play a role in plant consciousness. I show that plants possess aperiodic quasicrystal structures composed of ribosomes that may enable quantum computing, which has been suggested to lie at the core of animal consciousness. Finally I look at whether a microtubule fractal suggests that electric current plays a part in conventional neurocomputing processes in plants. PMID:22899055

Insights into plant consciousness from neuroscience, physics and mathematics: a role for quasicrystals?

PubMed

Gardiner, John

2012-09-01

There is considerable debate over whether plants are conscious and this, indeed, is an important question. Here I look at developments in neuroscience, physics and mathematics that may impact on this question. Two major concomitants of consciousness in animals are microtubule function and electrical gamma wave synchrony. Both these factors may also play a role in plant consciousness. I show that plants possess aperiodic quasicrystal structures composed of ribosomes that may enable quantum computing, which has been suggested to lie at the core of animal consciousness. Finally I look at whether a microtubule fractal suggests that electric current plays a part in conventional neurocomputing processes in plants.

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

Pattern recognition of native plant communities: Manitou Colorado test site

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Driscoll, R. S.

1972-01-01

Optimum channel selection among 12 channels of multispectral scanner imagery identified six as providing the best information about 11 vegetation classes and two nonvegetation classes at the Manitou Experimental Forest. Intensive preprocessing of the scanner signals was required to eliminate a serious scan angle effect. Final processing of the normalized data provided acceptable recognition results of generalized plant community types. Serious errors occurred with attempts to classify specific community types within upland grassland areas. The consideration of the convex mixtures concept (effects of amounts of live plant cover, exposed soil, and plant litter cover on apparent scene radiances) significantly improved the classification of some of the grassland classes.

Working toward integrated models of alpine plant distribution

PubMed Central

Carlson, Bradley Z.; Randin, Christophe F.; Boulangeat, Isabelle; Lavergne, Sébastien; Thuiller, Wilfried; Choler, Philippe

2014-01-01

Species distribution models (SDMs) have been frequently employed to forecast the response of alpine plants to global changes. Efforts to model alpine plant distribution have thus far been primarily based on a correlative approach, in which ecological processes are implicitly addressed through a statistical relationship between observed species occurrences and environmental predictors. Recent evidence, however, highlights the shortcomings of correlative SDMs, especially in alpine landscapes where plant species tend to be decoupled from atmospheric conditions in micro-topographic habitats and are particularly exposed to geomorphic disturbances. While alpine plants respond to the same limiting factors as plants found at lower elevations, alpine environments impose a particular set of scale-dependent and hierarchical drivers that shape the realized niche of species and that require explicit consideration in a modelling context. Several recent studies in the European Alps have successfully integrated both correlative and process-based elements into distribution models of alpine plants, but for the time being a single integrative modelling framework that includes all key drivers remains elusive. As a first step in working toward a comprehensive integrated model applicable to alpine plant communities, we propose a conceptual framework that structures the primary mechanisms affecting alpine plant distributions. We group processes into four categories, including multi-scalar abiotic drivers, gradient dependent species interactions, dispersal and spatial–temporal plant responses to disturbance. Finally, we propose a methodological framework aimed at developing an integrated model to better predict alpine plant distribution. PMID:24790594

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.

Application of FT-IR Classification Method in Silica-Plant Extracts Composites Quality Testing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bicu, A.; Drumea, V.; Mihaiescu, D. E.; Purcareanu, B.; Florea, M. A.; Trică, B.; Vasilievici, G.; Draga, S.; Buse, E.; Olariu, L.

2018-06-01

Our present work is concerned with the validation and quality testing efforts of mesoporous silica - plant extracts composites, in order to sustain the standardization process of plant-based pharmaceutical products. The synthesis of the silica support were performed by using a TEOS based synthetic route and CTAB as a template, at room temperature and normal pressure. The silica support was analyzed by advanced characterization methods (SEM, TEM, BET, DLS and FT-IR), and loaded with Calendula officinalis and Salvia officinalis standardized extracts. Further desorption studies were performed in order to prove the sustained release properties of the final materials. Intermediate and final product identification was performed by a FT-IR classification method, using the MID-range of the IR spectra, and statistical representative samples from repetitive synthetic stages. The obtained results recommend this analytical method as a fast and cost effective alternative to the classic identification methods.

FPGA-based smart sensor for drought stress detection in tomato plants using novel physiological variables and discrete wavelet transform.

PubMed

Duarte-Galvan, Carlos; Romero-Troncoso, Rene de J; Torres-Pacheco, Irineo; Guevara-Gonzalez, Ramon G; Fernandez-Jaramillo, Arturo A; Contreras-Medina, Luis M; Carrillo-Serrano, Roberto V; Millan-Almaraz, Jesus R

2014-10-09

Soil drought represents one of the most dangerous stresses for plants. It impacts the yield and quality of crops, and if it remains undetected for a long time, the entire crop could be lost. However, for some plants a certain amount of drought stress improves specific characteristics. In such cases, a device capable of detecting and quantifying the impact of drought stress in plants is desirable. This article focuses on testing if the monitoring of physiological process through a gas exchange methodology provides enough information to detect drought stress conditions in plants. The experiment consists of using a set of smart sensors based on Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) to monitor a group of plants under controlled drought conditions. The main objective was to use different digital signal processing techniques such as the Discrete Wavelet Transform (DWT) to explore the response of plant physiological processes to drought. Also, an index-based methodology was utilized to compensate the spatial variation inside the greenhouse. As a result, differences between treatments were determined to be independent of climate variations inside the greenhouse. Finally, after using the DWT as digital filter, results demonstrated that the proposed system is capable to reject high frequency noise and to detect drought conditions.

Engineering application of anaerobic ammonium oxidation process in wastewater treatment.

PubMed

Mao, Nianjia; Ren, Hongqiang; Geng, Jinju; Ding, Lili; Xu, Ke

2017-08-01

Anaerobic ammonium oxidation (Anammox), a promising biological nitrogen removal process, has been verified as an efficient, sustainable and cost-effective alternative to conventional nitrification and denitrification processes. To date, more than 110 full-scale anammox plants have been installed and are in operation, treating industrial NH 4 + -rich wastewater worldwide, and anammox-based technologies are flourishing. This review the current state of the art for engineering applications of the anammox process, including various anammox-based technologies, reactor selection and attempts to apply it at different wastewater plants. Process control and implementation for stable performance are discussed as well as some remaining issues concerning engineering application are exposed, including the start-up period, process disturbances, greenhouse gas emissions and especially mainstream anammox applications. Finally, further development of the anammox engineering application is proposed in this review.

Journal of Special Operations Medicine, Volume 3, Edition 1

DTIC Science & Technology

2003-01-01

manufacturing processes. They can also require special in- plant test- ing procedures before the item or system is finally turned over to the military for further...trials of aspirin for treatment or of ibuprofen for prevention; naproxen ineffective Aspirin Ibuprofen Prevention of headache 400 or 600 mg orally once...and is the Installation Medical Authority for the McAlester Army Ammunition Plant , McAlester, Oklahoma. 1) Vedder, James A., Combat Surgeon: Up

Field samples of hot mix as an acceptance procedure : final report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1983-12-01

Shifting the sampling site of asphalt concrete from the plant to the roadway necessitates a modification of the Marshall procedure. The effect of such as modification on the Marshall properties and resultant process levels in a Satistically Oriented ...

CWA-05-2018-0001 Public Notice and Proposed Consent Agreement and Final Orde

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Central Fuel Company (Respondent) discharges pollutants to tributaries of the Tuscarawas River. Alleged violations were identified during an inspection of the Central Fuel Company'scoal processing plant in New Philadelphia, Ohio, in May of 2016.

Literally Green Chemical Synthesis of Artemisinin from Plant Extracts.

PubMed

Triemer, Susann; Gilmore, Kerry; Vu, Giang T; Seeberger, Peter H; Seidel-Morgenstern, Andreas

2018-05-04

Active pharmaceutical ingredients are either extracted from biological sources-where they are synthesized in complex, dynamic environments-or prepared in stepwise chemical syntheses by reacting pure reagents and catalysts under controlled conditions. A combination of these two approaches, where plant extracts containing reagents and catalysts are utilized in intensified chemical syntheses, creates expedient and sustainable processes. We illustrate this principle by reacting crude plant extract, oxygen, acid, and light to produce artemisinin, a key active pharmaceutical ingredient of the most powerful antimalarial drugs. The traditionally discarded extract of Artemisia annua plants contains dihydroartemisinic acid-the final biosynthetic precursor-as well as chlorophyll, which acts as a photosensitizer. Efficient irradiation with visible light in a continuous-flow setup produces artemisinin in high yield, and the artificial biosynthetic process outperforms syntheses with pure reagents. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

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.

Early strength prediction of concrete based on accelerated curing methods : final report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1995-12-01

Concrete mix designs and components may currently be changed during the course of a project. The possible negative effects of such changes on concrete strength, are not determined under the current plant control/project control process. Also, the cur...

Decoupling the direct and indirect effects of climate on plant litter decomposition: Accounting for stress-induced modifications in plant chemistry.

PubMed

Suseela, Vidya; Tharayil, Nishanth

2018-04-01

Decomposition of plant litter is a fundamental ecosystem process that can act as a feedback to climate change by simultaneously influencing both the productivity of ecosystems and the flux of carbon dioxide from the soil. The influence of climate on decomposition from a postsenescence perspective is relatively well known; in particular, climate is known to regulate the rate of litter decomposition via its direct influence on the reaction kinetics and microbial physiology on processes downstream of tissue senescence. Climate can alter plant metabolism during the formative stage of tissues and could shape the final chemical composition of plant litter that is available for decomposition, and thus indirectly influence decomposition; however, these indirect effects are relatively poorly understood. Climatic stress disrupts cellular homeostasis in plants and results in the reprogramming of primary and secondary metabolic pathways, which leads to changes in the quantity, composition, and organization of small molecules and recalcitrant heteropolymers, including lignins, tannins, suberins, and cuticle within the plant tissue matrix. Furthermore, by regulating metabolism during tissue senescence, climate influences the resorption of nutrients from senescing tissues. Thus, the final chemical composition of plant litter that forms the substrate of decomposition is a combined product of presenescence physiological processes through the production and resorption of metabolites. The changes in quantity, composition, and localization of the molecular construct of the litter could enhance or hinder tissue decomposition and soil nutrient cycling by altering the recalcitrance of the lignocellulose matrix, the composition of microbial communities, and the activity of microbial exo-enzymes via various complexation reactions. Also, the climate-induced changes in the molecular composition of litter could differentially influence litter decomposition and soil nutrient cycling. Compared with temperate ecosystems, the indirect effects of climate on litter decomposition in the tropics are not well understood, which underscores the need to conduct additional studies in tropical biomes. We also emphasize the need to focus on how climatic stress affects the root chemistry as roots contribute significantly to biogeochemical cycling, and on utilizing more robust analytical approaches to capture the molecular composition of tissue matrix that fuel microbial metabolism. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

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

Plant calendar pattern based on rainfall forecast and the probability of its success in Deli Serdang regency of Indonesia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Darnius, O.; Sitorus, S.

2018-03-01

The objective of this study was to determine the pattern of plant calendar of three types of crops; namely, palawija, rice, andbanana, based on rainfall in Deli Serdang Regency. In the first stage, we forecasted rainfall by using time series analysis, and obtained appropriate model of ARIMA (1,0,0) (1,1,1)12. Based on the forecast result, we designed a plant calendar pattern for the three types of plant. Furthermore, the probability of success in the plant types following the plant calendar pattern was calculated by using the Markov process by discretizing the continuous rainfall data into three categories; namely, Below Normal (BN), Normal (N), and Above Normal (AN) to form the probability transition matrix. Finally, the combination of rainfall forecasting models and the Markov process were used to determine the pattern of cropping calendars and the probability of success in the three crops. This research used rainfall data of Deli Serdang Regency taken from the office of BMKG (Meteorologist Climatology and Geophysics Agency), Sampali Medan, Indonesia.

Newman Unit 1 advanced solar repowering. Final report

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

None

1982-04-01

The five appendices give the selection process and system specification of the Newman Unit 1 solar repowering system, including the conceptual design drawings and diagrams; input data for the simulation program; and a review of the most important characteristics of the existing plant. (LEW)

Application of Failure Mode and Effect Analysis (FMEA), cause and effect analysis, and Pareto diagram in conjunction with HACCP to a corn curl manufacturing plant.

PubMed

Varzakas, Theodoros H; Arvanitoyannis, Ioannis S

2007-01-01

The Failure Mode and Effect Analysis (FMEA) model has been applied for the risk assessment of corn curl manufacturing. A tentative approach of FMEA application to the snacks industry was attempted in an effort to exclude the presence of GMOs in the final product. This is of crucial importance both from the ethics and the legislation (Regulations EC 1829/2003; EC 1830/2003; Directive EC 18/2001) point of view. The Preliminary Hazard Analysis and the Fault Tree Analysis were used to analyze and predict the occurring failure modes in a food chain system (corn curls processing plant), based on the functions, characteristics, and/or interactions of the ingredients or the processes, upon which the system depends. Critical Control points have been identified and implemented in the cause and effect diagram (also known as Ishikawa, tree diagram, and the fishbone diagram). Finally, Pareto diagrams were employed towards the optimization of GMOs detection potential of FMEA.

Incidence of osmophilic yeasts and Zygosaccharomyces rouxii during the production of concentrate grape juices.

PubMed

Rojo, M C; Torres Palazzolo, C; Cuello, R; González, M; Guevara, F; Ponsone, M L; Mercado, L A; Martínez, C; Combina, M

2017-06-01

Zygosaccharomyces rouxii is the main spoilage yeast of grape juice concentrates. Detection and identification of Z. rouxii during the production of grape juice concentrate is critical to prevent spoilage in the final product. In this work, three grape juice concentrate processing plants were assessed by identifying osmophilic yeasts in juices and surfaces during different stages of a complete production line. Subsequently, molecular typing of Z. rouxii isolates was done to determine the strain distribution of this spoilage yeast. Osmotolerant yeast species, other than Z. rouxii, were mainly recovered from processing plant environments. Z. rouxii was only isolated from surface samples with grape juice remains. Z. rouxii was largely isolated from grape juice samples with some degree of concentration. Storage of grape juice pre-concentrate and concentrate allowed an increase in the Z. rouxii population. A widely distributed dominant molecular Z. rouxii pattern was found in samples from all three processing plants, suggesting resident microbes inside the plant. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Removal of Plant Nutrients by Means of Aerobic Stabilization of Sludge

PubMed Central

Irgens, Roar L.; Halvorson, H. Orin

1965-01-01

In the conventional treatment of sewage, the solids are normally disposed of by anaerobic digestion. This leaves a considerable amount of plant nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphate, as soluble compounds which will eventually find their way into the plant's final effluent, since the supernatant fluid from the digesters is normally returned to the raw sewage. In a recent investigation, we found that, if the sludges were treated by an aerobic process, a significant portion of the carbonaceous matter was oxidized to carbon dioxide and water, and the rest was assimilated into microbial protoplasm. This process tied up the available nitrogen and phosphorus so that practically none remained dissolved in the suspending liquid. The accumulated solids, consisting mostly of microbial cells, were separated very easily from the liquid, leaving a slightly colored supernatant fluid that was water-clear, free from plant nutrients, and very low in BOD and COD. The overall process was accomplished in a detention time not exceeding 20 days, in contrast to anaerobic digestion which requires from 50 to 70 days. PMID:14325277

Foods for Special Dietary Needs: Non-dairy Plant-based Milk Substitutes and Fermented Dairy-type Products.

PubMed

Mäkinen, Outi Elina; Wanhalinna, Viivi; Zannini, Emanuele; Arendt, Elke Karin

2016-01-01

A growing number of consumers opt for plant-based milk substitutes for medical reasons or as a lifestyle choice. Medical reasons include lactose intolerance, with a worldwide prevalence of 75%, and cow's milk allergy. Also, in countries where mammal milk is scarce and expensive, plant milk substitutes serve as a more affordable option. However, many of these products have sensory characteristics objectionable to the mainstream western palate. Technologically, plant milk substitutes are suspensions of dissolved and disintegrated plant material in water, resembling cow's milk in appearance. They are manufactured by extracting the plant material in water, separating the liquid, and formulating the final product. Homogenization and thermal treatments are necessary to improve the suspension and microbial stabilities of commercial products that can be consumed as such or be further processed into fermented dairy-type products. The nutritional properties depend on the plant source, processing, and fortification. As some products have extremely low protein and calcium contents, consumer awareness is important when plant milk substitutes are used to replace cow's milk in the diet, e.g. in the case of dairy intolerances. If formulated into palatable and nutritionally adequate products, plant-based substitutes can offer a sustainable alternative to dairy products.

New insights into the cellular mechanisms of plant growth at elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide.

PubMed

Gamage, Dananjali; Thompson, Michael; Sutherland, Mark; Hirotsu, Naoki; Makino, Amane; Seneweera, Saman

2018-04-02

Rising atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration ([CO 2 ]) significantly influences plant growth, development and biomass. Increased photosynthesis rate, together with lower stomatal conductance, have been identified as the key factors that stimulate plant growth at elevated [CO 2 ] (e[CO 2 ]). However, variations in photosynthesis and stomatal conductance alone cannot fully explain the dynamic changes in plant growth. Stimulation of photosynthesis at e[CO 2 ] is always associated with post-photosynthetic secondary metabolic processes that include carbon and nitrogen metabolism, cell cycle functions and hormonal regulation. Most studies have focused on photosynthesis and stomatal conductance in response to e[CO 2 ], despite the emerging evidence of e[CO 2 ]'s role in moderating secondary metabolism in plants. In this review, we briefly discuss the effects of e[CO 2 ] on photosynthesis and stomatal conductance and then focus on the changes in other cellular mechanisms and growth processes at e[CO 2 ] in relation to plant growth and development. Finally, knowledge gaps in understanding plant growth responses to e[CO 2 ] have been identified with the aim of improving crop productivity under a CO 2 rich atmosphere. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Selenium uptake, translocation, assimilation and metabolic fate in plants.

PubMed

Sors, T G; Ellis, D R; Salt, D E

2005-12-01

The chemical and physical resemblance between selenium (Se) and sulfur (S) establishes that both these elements share common metabolic pathways in plants. The presence of isologous Se and S compounds indicates that these elements compete in biochemical processes that affect uptake, translocation and assimilation throughout plant development. Yet, minor but crucial differences in reactivity and other metabolic interactions infer that some biochemical processes involving Se may be excluded from those relating to S. This review examines the current understanding of physiological and biochemical relationships between S and Se metabolism by highlighting their similarities and differences in relation to uptake, transport and assimilation pathways as observed in Se hyperaccumulator and non-accumulator plant species. The exploitation of genetic resources used in bioengineering strategies of plants is illuminating the function of sulfate transporters and key enzymes of the S assimilatory pathway in relation to Se accumulation and final metabolic fate. These strategies are providing the basic framework by which to resolve questions relating to the essentiality of Se in plants and the mechanisms utilized by Se hyperaccumulators to circumvent toxicity. In addition, such approaches may assist in the future application of genetically engineered Se accumulating plants for environmental renewal and human health objectives.

High-strength wastewater treatment in a pure oxygen thermophilic process: 11-year operation and monitoring of different plant configurations.

PubMed

Collivignarelli, M C; Bertanza, G; Sordi, M; Pedrazzani, R

2015-01-01

This research was carried out on a full-scale pure oxygen thermophilic plant, operated and monitored throughout a period of 11 years. The plant treats 60,000 t y⁻¹ (year 2013) of high-strength industrial wastewaters deriving mainly from pharmaceuticals and detergents production and landfill leachate. Three different plant configurations were consecutively adopted: (1) biological reactor + final clarifier and sludge recirculation (2002-2005); (2) biological reactor + ultrafiltration: membrane biological reactor (MBR) (2006); and (3) MBR + nanofiltration (since 2007). Progressive plant upgrading yielded a performance improvement chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiency was enhanced by 17% and 12% after the first and second plant modification, respectively. Moreover, COD abatement efficiency exhibited a greater stability, notwithstanding high variability of the influent load. In addition, the following relevant outcomes appeared from the plant monitoring (present configuration): up to 96% removal of nitrate and nitrite, due to denitrification; low-specific biomass production (0.092 kgVSS kgCODremoved⁻¹), and biological treatability of residual COD under mesophilic conditions (BOD5/COD ratio = 0.25-0.50), thus showing the complementarity of the two biological processes.

[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.

Plutonium Finishing Plant (PFP) Final Safety Analysis Report (FSAR) [SEC 1 THRU 11

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

ULLAH, M K

2001-02-26

The Plutonium Finishing Plant (PFP) is located on the US Department of Energy (DOE) Hanford Site in south central Washington State. The DOE Richland Operations (DOE-RL) Project Hanford Management Contract (PHMC) is with Fluor Hanford Inc. (FH). Westinghouse Safety Management Systems (WSMS) provides management support to the PFP facility. Since 1991, the mission of the PFP has changed from plutonium material processing to preparation for decontamination and decommissioning (D and D). The PFP is in transition between its previous mission and the proposed D and D mission. The objective of the transition is to place the facility into a stablemore » state for long-term storage of plutonium materials before final disposition of the facility. Accordingly, this update of the Final Safety Analysis Report (FSAR) reflects the current status of the buildings, equipment, and operations during this transition. The primary product of the PFP was plutonium metal in the form of 2.2-kg, cylindrical ingots called buttoms. Plutonium nitrate was one of several chemical compounds containing plutonium that were produced as an intermediate processing product. Plutonium recovery was performed at the Plutonium Reclamation Facility (PRF) and plutonium conversion (from a nitrate form to a metal form) was performed at the Remote Mechanical C (RMC) Line as the primary processes. Plutonium oxide was also produced at the Remote Mechanical A (RMA) Line. Plutonium processed at the PFP contained both weapons-grade and fuels-grade plutonium materials. The capability existed to process both weapons-grade and fuels-grade material through the PRF and only weapons-grade material through the RMC Line although fuels-grade material was processed through the line before 1984. Amounts of these materials exist in storage throughout the facility in various residual forms left from previous years of operations.« less

Wetland eco-engineering: measuring and modeling feedbacks of oxidation processes between plants and clay-rich material

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saaltink, Rémon; Dekker, Stefan C.; Griffioen, Jasper; Wassen, Martin J.

2016-09-01

Interest is growing in using soft sediment as a foundation in eco-engineering projects. Wetland construction in the Dutch lake Markermeer is an example: here, dredging some of the clay-rich lake-bed sediment and using it to construct wetland will soon begin. Natural processes will be utilized during and after construction to accelerate ecosystem development. Knowing that plants can eco-engineer their environment via positive or negative biogeochemical plant-soil feedbacks, we conducted a 6-month greenhouse experiment to identify the key biogeochemical processes in the mud when Phragmites australis is used as an eco-engineering species. We applied inverse biogeochemical modeling to link observed changes in pore water composition to biogeochemical processes. Two months after transplantation we observed reduced plant growth and shriveling and yellowing of foliage. The N : P ratios of the plant tissue were low, and these were affected not by hampered uptake of N but by enhanced uptake of P. Subsequent analyses revealed high Fe concentrations in the leaves and roots. Sulfate concentrations rose drastically in our experiment due to pyrite oxidation; as reduction of sulfate will decouple Fe-P in reducing conditions, we argue that plant-induced iron toxicity hampered plant growth, forming a negative feedback loop, while simultaneously there was a positive feedback loop, as iron toxicity promotes P mobilization as a result of reduced conditions through root death, thereby stimulating plant growth and regeneration. Given these two feedback mechanisms, we propose the use of Fe-tolerant species rather than species that thrive in N-limited conditions. The results presented in this study demonstrate the importance of studying the biogeochemical properties of the situated sediment and the feedback mechanisms between plant and soil prior to finalizing the design of the eco-engineering project.

Impact of toxic chemicals on local wastewater treatment plant and the environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bennett, Gary F.

1989-05-01

Because toxic chemicals being discharged to sewers were simultaneously interfering with wastewater treatment processes of municipal, biological treatment plants and were passing through these plants to negatively impact the bodies of water to which these plants were discharging, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued regulations governing industrial discharges to municipal sewers. These “Pretreatment Regulations” limit industrial discharges to municipal sewers of heavy metals, oil and grease, acids and bases, and toxic organic chemicals. This paper discusses the evolution of these regulations, the basis for them, the types of regulations (categorical and local), and the rationale for their promulgation based on the impacts of toxics chemicals on the treatment plant and receiving system. Finally, the expected results of these regulations in reducing industrial discharges of toxic chemicals is discussed.

Application of the SCADA system in wastewater treatment plants.

PubMed

Dieu, B

2001-01-01

The implementation of the SCADA system has a positive impact on the operations, maintenance, process improvement and savings for the City of Houston's Wastewater Operations branch. This paper will discuss the system's evolvement, the external/internal architecture, and the human-machine-interface graphical design. Finally, it will demonstrate the system's successes in monitoring the City's sewage and sludge collection/distribution systems, wet-weather facilities and wastewater treatment plants, complying with the USEPA requirements on the discharge, and effectively reducing the operations and maintenance costs.

CONFIRMATION OF CONJUGATION PROCESSES DURING TNT METABOLISM BY AXENIC PLANT ROOTS. (R825513C013)

EPA Science Inventory

The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Concl...

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

High-Level Waste System Process Interface Description

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

d'Entremont, P.D.

1999-01-14

The High-Level Waste System is a set of six different processes interconnected by pipelines. These processes function as one large treatment plant that receives, stores, and treats high-level wastes from various generators at SRS and converts them into forms suitable for final disposal. The three major forms are borosilicate glass, which will be eventually disposed of in a Federal Repository, Saltstone to be buried on site, and treated water effluent that is released to the environment.

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

Functional and Structural Optimality in Plant Growth: A Crop Modelling Case Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Caldararu, S.; Purves, D. W.; Smith, M. J.

2014-12-01

Simple mechanistic models of vegetation processes are essential both to our understanding of plant behaviour and to our ability to predict future changes in vegetation. One concept that can take us closer to such models is that of plant optimality, the hypothesis that plants aim to achieve an optimal state. Conceptually, plant optimality can be either structural or functional optimality. A structural constraint would mean that plants aim to achieve a certain structural characteristic such as an allometric relationship or nutrient content that allows optimal function. A functional condition refers to plants achieving optimal functionality, in most cases by maximising carbon gain. Functional optimality conditions are applied on shorter time scales and lead to higher plasticity, making plants more adaptable to changes in their environment. In contrast, structural constraints are optimal given the specific environmental conditions that plants are adapted to and offer less flexibility. We exemplify these concepts using a simple model of crop growth. The model represents annual cycles of growth from sowing date to harvest, including both vegetative and reproductive growth and phenology. Structural constraints to growth are represented as an optimal C:N ratio in all plant organs, which drives allocation throughout the vegetative growing stage. Reproductive phenology - i.e. the onset of flowering and grain filling - is determined by a functional optimality condition in the form of maximising final seed mass, so that vegetative growth stops when the plant reaches maximum nitrogen or carbon uptake. We investigate the plants' response to variations in environmental conditions within these two optimality constraints and show that final yield is most affected by changes during vegetative growth which affect the structural constraint.

Improved stereo matching applied to digitization of greenhouse plants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Peng; Xu, Lihong; Li, Dawei; Gu, Xiaomeng

2015-03-01

The digitization of greenhouse plants is an important aspect of digital agriculture. Its ultimate aim is to reconstruct a visible and interoperable virtual plant model on the computer by using state-of-the-art image process and computer graphics technologies. The most prominent difficulties of the digitization of greenhouse plants include how to acquire the three-dimensional shape data of greenhouse plants and how to carry out its realistic stereo reconstruction. Concerning these issues an effective method for the digitization of greenhouse plants is proposed by using a binocular stereo vision system in this paper. Stereo vision is a technique aiming at inferring depth information from two or more cameras; it consists of four parts: calibration of the cameras, stereo rectification, search of stereo correspondence and triangulation. Through the final triangulation procedure, the 3D point cloud of the plant can be achieved. The proposed stereo vision system can facilitate further segmentation of plant organs such as stems and leaves; moreover, it can provide reliable digital samples for the visualization of greenhouse tomato plants.

TRANSURANIC STUDIES STATUS AND PROBLEM STATEMENT

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

Leuze, R E

1959-04-29

The purpose of the Transuranics Program is to develop separation processes for the transuranic elements, primarily those produced by long-term neutron irradiation of Pu/sup 239/. The program includes laboratory process development, pilot-plant process testing, processing of 10 kg of Pu/sup 239/ irradiated to greater than 99% burn-up for plutonium and americium-curium recovery, and processing the reirradiated plutonium and americium-curium fractions. The proposed method for processing highly irradiated plutonium is: (1) plutonium-aluminum alloy dissolution in HNO/sub 3/; (2) plutonium recovery by TBP extraction; (3) americium, curium, and rare-earth extraction by TBP from neutral nitrate solution; (4) partial rare-earth removal (primarily lanthanum)more » by americium-curium extraction into 100% TBP from 15M HNO/sub 3/; (5) additional rare-earth removal by extraction in 0.48M mono-2-ethylhexylphosphoric acid from 12M HCl; and (6) americium-curium purification by chloride anion exchange. Processing through the 100% TBP, 15M HNO/sub 3/ cycle can be carried out in the Power Reactor Fuel Reprocessing Pilot Plant. New facilities are proposed 15M HNO/ sub 3/ cycle can be carried out in the Power Reactor Fuel Reprocessing Pilot Plant. New facilities are proposed for laboratory process development studies and the final processing of the transplutonic elements. (auth)« less

Technological renovation of thermal power plants as a long-term check factor of electricity price growth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Veselov, F. V.; Novikova, T. V.; Khorshev, A. A.

2015-12-01

The paper focuses on economic aspects of the Russian thermal generation sector's renovation in a competitive market environment. Capabilities of the existing competitive electricity and capacity pricing mechanisms, created during the wholesale market reform, to ensure the wide-scale modernization of thermal power plants (TPPs) are estimated. Some additional stimulating measures to focus the investment process on the renovation of the thermal generation sector are formulated, and supplementing and supporting costs are assessed. Finally, the systemic effect of decelerating wholesale electricity prices caused by efficiency improvements at thermal power plants is analyzed depending on the scales of renovation and fuel prices.

Fort Collins Science Center: Ecosystem Dynamics

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bowen, Zack

2004-01-01

Current studies fall into five general areas. Herbivore-Ecosystem Interactions examines the efficacy of multiple controls on selected herbivore populations and cascading effects through predator-herbivore-plant-soil linkages. Riparian Ecology is concerned with interactions among streamflow, fluvial geomorphology, and riparian vegetation. Integrated Fire Science focuses on the effects of fire on plant and animal communities at multiple scales, and on the interactions between post-fire plant, runoff, and erosion processes. Reference Ecosystems comprises long-term, place-based studies of ecosystem biogeochemistry. Finally, Integrated Assessments is investigating how to synthesize multiple ecosystem stressors and responses over complex landscapes in ways that are useful for management and planning.

Development of a multisensor-based bio-botanic robot and its implementation using a self-designed embedded board.

PubMed

Chang, Chung-Liang; Sie, Ming-Fong; Shie, Jin-Long

2011-01-01

This paper presents the design concept of a bio-botanic robot which demonstrates its behavior based on plant growth. Besides, it can reflect the different phases of plant growth depending on the proportional amounts of light, temperature and water. The mechanism design is made up of a processed aluminum base, spring, polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and actuator to constitute the plant base and plant body. The control system consists of two micro-controllers and a self-designed embedded development board where the main controller transmits the values of the environmental sensing module within the embedded board to a sub-controller. The sub-controller determines the growth stage, growth height, and time and transmits its decision value to the main controller. Finally, based on the data transmitted by the sub-controller, the main controller controls the growth phase of the bio-botanic robot using a servo motor and leaf actuator. The research result not only helps children realize the variation of plant growth but also is entertainment-educational through its demonstration of the growth process of the bio-botanic robot in a short time.

BEAP profiles as rapid test system for status analysis and early detection of process incidents in biogas plants.

PubMed

Refai, Sarah; Berger, Stefanie; Wassmann, Kati; Hecht, Melanie; Dickhaus, Thomas; Deppenmeier, Uwe

2017-03-01

A method was developed to quantify the performance of microorganisms involved in different digestion levels in biogas plants. The test system was based on the addition of butyrate (BCON), ethanol (ECON), acetate (ACON) or propionate (PCON) to biogas sludge samples and the subsequent analysis of CH 4 formation in comparison to control samples. The combination of the four values was referred to as BEAP profile. Determination of BEAP profiles enabled rapid testing of a biogas plant's metabolic state within 24 h and an accurate mapping of all degradation levels in a lab-scale experimental setup. Furthermore, it was possible to distinguish between specific BEAP profiles for standard biogas plants and for biogas reactors with process incidents (beginning of NH 4 + -N inhibition, start of acidification, insufficient hydrolysis and potential mycotoxin effects). Finally, BEAP profiles also functioned as a warning system for the early prediction of critical NH 4 + -N concentrations leading to a drop of CH 4 formation.

77 FR 34229 - Idaho: Final Authorization of State Hazardous Waste Management Program; Revision

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-06-11

... capability for the disposal of remote-handled low-level radioactive waste ((LLW) generated at the Idaho... (FONSI), for the Remote-Handled Low-Level Radioactive Waste Onsite Disposal (RHLLWOD) on an Environmental... regulating phosphate (mineral processing) plants within the state. In response to this commenter's concerns...

Final Report from the Department of Kinetics of Chemical and Biological Processes, Institute of Chemical Physics of Russian Academy of Sciences

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-01-01

from polymer systems. Investigation of mechanisms of high-temperature pyrolysis and combustion reactions of network polymethacrylates. Rubailo V.L...are widely spread among agricultural important crops (i.e. cereals, fruits, grapevine, potato, cotton, tomato , leguminous) and ornamental plants

13. VIEW OF SHEFFIELD GAGE, USED TO MEASURE ROUNDNESS OF ...

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

13. VIEW OF SHEFFIELD GAGE, USED TO MEASURE ROUNDNESS OF WEAPON PARTS, AS PART OF THE FINAL PARTS INSPECTION PROCESS. (6/2/67) - Rocky Flats Plant, Non-Nuclear Production Facility, South of Cottonwood Avenue, west of Seventh Avenue & east of Building 460, Golden, Jefferson County, CO

LOCAL PROCESSES AND REGIONAL PATTERNS: APPROPRIATE SCALES FOR UNDERSTANDING VARIATION IN THE DIVERSITY OF PLANTS AND ANIMALS. (R825157)

EPA Science Inventory

The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Concl...

Inhibition of trihalomethane formation in city water by radiation-ozone treatment and rapid composting of radiation disinfected sewage sludge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takehisa, M.; Arai, H.; Arai, M.; Miyata, T.; Sakumoto, A.; Hashimoto, S.; Nishimura, K.; Watanabe, H.; Kawakami, W.; Kuriyama, I.

Humic acid and Fulvic acid in natural water are precursors of carcinogenic THM which is formed during chlorine disinfection in city water processing. The radiation-oxidation process in the presence of ozone is effective to remove the precursors. The THM formation was reduced more than the decrease in TOC by the combination treatment. This is mainly due to a change in the chemical structure of the oxidation products. A composting of radiation disinfected sludge cake for agricultural reuse could be achieved within 3 days primary fermentation in a sewage plant. The rapid fermentation with use of radiation is effective to scale down of a fermentor of composting plant and the process reduces a health risk from the workers as well as final users.

Plant cutin genesis: unanswered questions.

PubMed

Domínguez, Eva; Heredia-Guerrero, José A; Heredia, Antonio

2015-09-01

The genesis of cutin, the main lipid polymer present in the biosphere, has remained elusive for many years. Recently, two main approaches have attempted to explain the process of cutin polymerization. One describes the existence of an acyltransferase cutin synthase enzyme that links activated monomers of cutin in the outer cell wall, while the other shows that plant cutin is the final result of an extracellular nonenzymatic self-assembly and polymerizing process of cutin monomers. In this opinion article, we explain both models and suggest that they could be pieces of a more complex biological scenario. We also highlight their different characteristics and current limitations, and suggest a potential synergism of both hypotheses. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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.

Solar production of intermediate temperature process heat. Phase I design. Final report. [For sugarcane processing plant in Hawaii

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

None

1980-08-01

This report is the final effort in the Phase I design of a solar industrial process heat system for the Hilo Coast Processing Company (HCPC) in Pepeekeo, Hawaii. The facility is used to wash, grind and extract sugar from the locally grown sugarcane and it operates 24 hours a day, 305 days per year. The major steam requirements in the industrial process are for the prime movers (mill turbines) in the milling process and heat for evaporating water from the extracted juices. Bagasse (the fibrous residue of milled sugarcane) supplied 84% of the fuel requirement for steam generation in 1979,more » while 65,000 barrels of No. 6 industrial fuel oil made up the remaining 16%. These fuels are burned in the power plant complex which produces 825/sup 0/F, 1,250 psi superheated steam to power a turbogenerator set which, in addition to serving the factory, generates from 7 to 16 megawatts of electricity that is exported to the local utility company. Extracted steam from the turbo-generator set supplies the plant's process steam needs. The system consists of 42,420 ft./sup 2/ of parabolic trough, single axis tracking, concentrating solar collectors. The collectors will be oriented in a North-South configuration and will track East-West. A heat transfer fluid (Gulf Synfluid 4cs) will be circulated in a closed loop fashion through the solar collectors and a series of heat exchangers. The inlet and outlet fluid temperatures for the collectors are 370/sup 0/F and 450/sup 0/F respectively. It is estimated that the net useable energy delivered to the industrial process will be 7.2 x 10/sup 9/ Btu's per year. With an HCPC boiler efficiency of 78% and 6.2 x 10/sup 6/ Btu's per barrel of oil, the solar energy system will displace 1489 barrels of oil per year. (WHK)« less

Phytoremediation-biorefinery tandem for effective clean-up of metal contaminated soil and biomass valorisation.

PubMed

Sotenko, Maria; Coles, Stuart; Barker, Guy; Song, Lijiang; Jiang, Ying; Longhurst, Philip; Romanova, Tamara; Shuvaeva, Olga; Kirwan, Kerry

2017-11-02

During the last few decades, phytoremediation process has attracted much attention because of the growing concerns about the deteriorating quality of soil caused by anthropogenic activities. Here, a tandem phytoremediation/biorefinery process was proposed as a way to turn phytoremediation into a viable commercial method by producing valuable chemicals in addition to cleaned soil. Two agricultural plants (Sinapis alba and Helianthus annuus) were grown in moderately contaminated soil with ca. 100 ppm of Ni and further degraded by a fungal lignin degrader-Phanerochaete chrysosporium. Several parameters have been studied, including the viability of plants, biomass yield, and their accumulating and remediating potentials. Further, downstream processing showed that up to 80% of Ni can be easily extracted from contaminated biomass by aqueous extraction at mild conditions. Finally, it was demonstrated that the growth of plants on the contaminated soil could be degraded by P. chrysosporium, and the effect of nickel and biomass pretreatment on the solid-state fermentation was studied. The proposed and studied methodology in this work could pave the way for successful commercialization of the phytoremediation process in the near future.

Automatic micropropagation of plants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Otte, Clemens; Schwanke, Joerg; Jensch, Peter F.

1996-12-01

Micropropagation is a sophisticated technique for the rapid multiplication of plants. It has a great commercial potential due to the speed of propagation, the high plant quality, and the ability to produce disease-free plants. However, micropropagation is usually done by hand which makes the process cost-intensive and tedious for the workers especially because it requires a sterile work-place. Therefore, we have developed a prototype automation system for the micropropagation of a grass species (miscanthus sinensis gigantheus). The objective of this paper is to describe the robotic system in an overview and to discuss the vision system more closely including the implemented morphological operations recognizing the cutting and gripping points of miscanthus plants. Fuzzy controllers are used to adapt the parameters of image operations on-line to each individual plant. Finally, we discuss our experiences with the developed prototype an give a preview of a possible real production line system.

Single-Cell Genomic Analysis in Plants

PubMed Central

Hu, Haifei; Scheben, Armin; Edwards, David

2018-01-01

Individual cells in an organism are variable, which strongly impacts cellular processes. Advances in sequencing technologies have enabled single-cell genomic analysis to become widespread, addressing shortcomings of analyses conducted on populations of bulk cells. While the field of single-cell plant genomics is in its infancy, there is great potential to gain insights into cell lineage and functional cell types to help understand complex cellular interactions in plants. In this review, we discuss current approaches for single-cell plant genomic analysis, with a focus on single-cell isolation, DNA amplification, next-generation sequencing, and bioinformatics analysis. We outline the technical challenges of analysing material from a single plant cell, and then examine applications of single-cell genomics and the integration of this approach with genome editing. Finally, we indicate future directions we expect in the rapidly developing field of plant single-cell genomic analysis. PMID:29361790

Nonlinear model predictive control for chemical looping process

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

Joshi, Abhinaya; Lei, Hao; Lou, Xinsheng

A control system for optimizing a chemical looping ("CL") plant includes a reduced order mathematical model ("ROM") that is designed by eliminating mathematical terms that have minimal effect on the outcome. A non-linear optimizer provides various inputs to the ROM and monitors the outputs to determine the optimum inputs that are then provided to the CL plant. An estimator estimates the values of various internal state variables of the CL plant. The system has one structure adapted to control a CL plant that only provides pressure measurements in the CL loops A and B, a second structure adapted to amore » CL plant that provides pressure measurements and solid levels in both loops A, and B, and a third structure adapted to control a CL plant that provides full information on internal state variables. A final structure provides a neural network NMPC controller to control operation of loops A and B.« less

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

Polychlorinated biphenyl concentrations in Hudson River water and treated drinking water at Waterford, New York

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schroeder, R.A.; Barnes, C.R.

1983-01-01

Past discharge of PCBs into the Hudson River has resulted in contaminant concentrations of a few tenths of a microgram per liter in the water. Waterford is one of two large municipal users of the Hudson River for drinking-water supply. The treatment scheme at the Waterford plant, which processes approximately 1 million gallons per day, is similar to that of most conventional treatment plants except for the addition of powdered activated carbon during flocculation. Comparison of PCB concentrations in river water and intake water at the plant to concentrations in treated drinking-water samples indicates that purification processes remove 80 to 90 percent of the PCBs and that final concentrations seldom exceed 0.1 microgram per liter. No significant difference was noted between the removal efficiencies during periods of high river discharge, when PCBs are associated with suspended sediment, and low discharge, when PCBs are generally dissolved. (USGS)

Adaptive control and noise suppression by a variable-gain gradient algorithm

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Merhav, S. J.; Mehta, R. S.

1987-01-01

An adaptive control system based on normalized LMS filters is investigated. The finite impulse response of the nonparametric controller is adaptively estimated using a given reference model. Specifically, the following issues are addressed: The stability of the closed loop system is analyzed and heuristically established. Next, the adaptation process is studied for piecewise constant plant parameters. It is shown that by introducing a variable-gain in the gradient algorithm, a substantial reduction in the LMS adaptation rate can be achieved. Finally, process noise at the plant output generally causes a biased estimate of the controller. By introducing a noise suppression scheme, this bias can be substantially reduced and the response of the adapted system becomes very close to that of the reference model. Extensive computer simulations validate these and demonstrate assertions that the system can rapidly adapt to random jumps in plant parameters.

Prognostics and health management system for hydropower plant based on fog computing and docker container

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiao, Jian; Zhang, Mingqiang; Tian, Haiping; Huang, Bo; Fu, Wenlong

2018-02-01

In this paper, a novel prognostics and health management system architecture for hydropower plant equipment was proposed based on fog computing and Docker container. We employed the fog node to improve the real-time processing ability of improving the cloud architecture-based prognostics and health management system and overcome the problems of long delay time, network congestion and so on. Then Storm-based stream processing of fog node was present and could calculate the health index in the edge of network. Moreover, the distributed micros-service and Docker container architecture of hydropower plants equipment prognostics and health management was also proposed. Using the micro service architecture proposed in this paper, the hydropower unit can achieve the goal of the business intercommunication and seamless integration of different equipment and different manufacturers. Finally a real application case is given in this paper.

A preliminary analysis of incident investigation reports of an integrated steel plant: some reflection.

PubMed

Verma, A; Maiti, J; Gaikwad, V N

2018-06-01

Large integrated steel plants employ an effective safety management system and gather a significant amount of safety-related data. This research intends to explore and visualize the rich database to find out the key factors responsible for the occurrences of incidents. The study was carried out on the data in the form of investigation reports collected from a steel plant in India. The data were processed and analysed using some of the quality management tools like Pareto chart, control chart, Ishikawa diagram, etc. Analyses showed that causes of incidents differ depending on the activities performed in a department. For example, fire/explosion and process-related incidents are more common in the departments associated with coke-making and blast furnace. Similar kind of factors were obtained, and recommendations were provided for their mitigation. Finally, the limitations of the study were discussed, and the scope of the research works was identified.

Biological and geophysical feedbacks with fire in the Earth system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Archibald, S.; Lehmann, C. E. R.; Belcher, C. M.; Bond, W. J.; Bradstock, R. A.; Daniau, A.-L.; Dexter, K. G.; Forrestel, E. J.; Greve, M.; He, T.; Higgins, S. I.; Hoffmann, W. A.; Lamont, B. B.; McGlinn, D. J.; Moncrieff, G. R.; Osborne, C. P.; Pausas, J. G.; Price, O.; Ripley, B. S.; Rogers, B. M.; Schwilk, D. W.; Simon, M. F.; Turetsky, M. R.; Van der Werf, G. R.; Zanne, A. E.

2018-03-01

Roughly 3% of the Earth’s land surface burns annually, representing a critical exchange of energy and matter between the land and atmosphere via combustion. Fires range from slow smouldering peat fires, to low-intensity surface fires, to intense crown fires, depending on vegetation structure, fuel moisture, prevailing climate, and weather conditions. While the links between biogeochemistry, climate and fire are widely studied within Earth system science, these relationships are also mediated by fuels—namely plants and their litter—that are the product of evolutionary and ecological processes. Fire is a powerful selective force and, over their evolutionary history, plants have evolved traits that both tolerate and promote fire numerous times and across diverse clades. Here we outline a conceptual framework of how plant traits determine the flammability of ecosystems and interact with climate and weather to influence fire regimes. We explore how these evolutionary and ecological processes scale to impact biogeochemical and Earth system processes. Finally, we outline several research challenges that, when resolved, will improve our understanding of the role of plant evolution in mediating the fire feedbacks driving Earth system processes. Understanding current patterns of fire and vegetation, as well as patterns of fire over geological time, requires research that incorporates evolutionary biology, ecology, biogeography, and the biogeosciences.

ORAM-SENTINEL{trademark} demonstration at Fitzpatrick. Final report

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

Lee, L.K.; Anderson, V.M.; Mohammadi, K.

1998-06-01

New York Power Authority, in cooperation with EPRI, installed the ORAM-SENTINEL{trademark} software at James A. Fitzpatrick (JAF) Nuclear Power Plant. This software incorporates models of safety systems and support systems that are used for defense-in-depth in the plant during outage and on-line periods. A secondary goal was to include some pre-analyzed risk results to validate the methodology for quantitative assessment of the plant risks during proposed on-line maintenance. During the past year, New York Power Authority personnel have become familiar with the formal computerized Safety Assessment process associated with on-line and outage maintenance. The report describes techniques and lessons learnedmore » during development of the ORAM-SENTINEL model at JAF. It overviews the systems important to the Safety Function Assessment Process and provides details on development of the Plant Transient Assessment process using the station emergency operating procedures. The assessment results are displayed by color (green, yellow, orange, red) to show decreasing safety conditions. The report describes use of the JAF Probabilistic Safety Assessment within the ORAM-SENTINEL code to calculate an instantaneous core damage frequency and the criteria by which this frequency is translated to a color indicator.« less

Constructing wetlands: measuring and modeling feedbacks of oxidation processes between plants and clay-rich material

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saaltink, Rémon; Dekker, Stefan C.; Griffioen, Jasper; Wassen, Martin J.

2016-04-01

Interest is growing in using soft sediment as a building material in eco-engineering projects. Wetland construction in the Dutch lake Markermeer is an example: here the option of dredging some of the clay-rich lake-bed sediment and using it to construct 10.000 ha of wetland will soon go under construction. Natural processes will be utilized during and after construction to accelerate ecosystem development. Knowing that plants can eco-engineer their environment via positive or negative biogeochemical plant-soil feedbacks, we conducted a six-month greenhouse experiment to identify the key biogeochemical processes in the mud when Phragmites australis is used as an eco-engineering species. We applied inverse biogeochemical modeling to link observed changes in pore water composition to biogeochemical processes. Two months after transplantation we observed reduced plant growth and shriveling as well as yellowing of foliage. The N:P ratios of plant tissue were low and were affected not by hampered uptake of N but by enhanced uptake of P. Plant analyses revealed high Fe concentrations in the leaves and roots. Sulfate concentrations rose drastically in our experiment due to pyrite oxidation; as reduction of sulfate will decouple Fe-P in reducing conditions, we argue that plant-induced iron toxicity hampered plant growth, forming a negative feedback loop, while simultaneously there was a positive feedback loop, as iron toxicity promotes P mobilization as a result of reduced conditions through root death, thereby stimulating plant growth and regeneration. Given these two feedback mechanisms, we propose that when building wetlands from these mud deposits Fe-tolerant species are used rather than species that thrive in N-limited conditions. The results presented in this study demonstrate the importance of studying the biogeochemical properties of the building material and the feedback mechanisms between plant and soil prior to finalizing the design of the eco-engineering project.

Veggie Processing

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-02-15

Charles Spern, at right, project manager on the Engineering Services Contract (ESC), and Glenn Washington, ESC quality assurance specialist, perform final inspections of the Veggie Series 1 plant experiment inside a laboratory in the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The Series 1 experiment is being readied for flight aboard Orbital ATK's Cygnus module on its seventh (OA-7) Commercial Resupply Services mission to the International Space Station. The Veggie system is on the space station.

Examination of food waste co-digestion to manage the peak in energy demand at wastewater treatment plants.

PubMed

Lensch, D; Schaum, C; Cornel, P

2016-01-01

Many digesters in Germany are not operated at full capacity; this offers the opportunity for co-digestion. Within this research the potentials and limits of a flexible and adapted sludge treatment are examined with a focus on the digestion process with added food waste as co-substrate. In parallel, energy data from a municipal wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) are analysed and lab-scale semi-continuous and batch digestion tests are conducted. Within the digestion tests, the ratio of sewage sludge to co-substrate was varied. The final methane yields show the high potential of food waste: the higher the amount of food waste the higher the final yield. However, the conversion rates directly after charging demonstrate better results by charging 10% food waste instead of 20%. Finally, these results are merged with the energy data from the WWTP. As an illustration, the load required to cover base loads as well as peak loads for typical daily variations of the plant's energy demand are calculated. It was found that 735 m³ raw sludge and 73 m³ of a mixture of raw sludge and food waste is required to cover 100% of the base load and 95% of the peak load.

Green materials prepared by using a green processing method: Plant oil-based polymers prepared in CO2 medium with mild conditions

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Recent efforts have been focused on the development of environmentally friendly replacements for volatile organic solvents. One promising candidate is supercritical carbon dioxide because of its low toxicity and no solvent residues in the final products. Renewed interest in biodegradable polymeric m...

77 FR 27210 - Publication of the Final National Wetland Plant List

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-05-09

... that the process was fatally flawed. ``Voting'' online was the most efficient way to obtain technical... for this effort was fatally flawed. Input received during the public comment period was used in...-sector personnel on the regional panels would be a legal issue. Under the Federal Advisory Committee Act...

77 FR 13200 - Texas: Final Authorization of State Hazardous Waste Management Program Revision

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-03-06

....1. Such wastes are termed ``oil and gas wastes.'' The TCEQ has responsibility to administer the RCRA program, however, hazardous waste generated at natural gas or natural gas liquids processing plants or... with the exploration, development, or production of oil or gas or geothermal resources and other...

Critical modeling parameters identified for 3D CFD modeling of rectangular final settling tanks for New York City wastewater treatment plants.

PubMed

Ramalingam, K; Xanthos, S; Gong, M; Fillos, J; Beckmann, K; Deur, A; McCorquodale, J A

2012-01-01

New York City Environmental Protection is in the process of incorporating biological nitrogen removal (BNR) in its wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) which entails operating the aeration tanks with higher levels of mixed liquor suspended solids (MLSS) than a conventional activated sludge process. The objective of this paper is to discuss two of the important parameters introduced in the 3D CFD model that has been developed by the City College of New York (CCNY) group: (a) the development of the 'discrete particle' measurement technique to carry out the fractionation of the solids in the final settling tank (FST) which has critical implications in the prediction of the effluent quality; and (b) the modification of the floc aggregation (K(A)) and floc break-up (K(B)) coefficients that are found in Parker's flocculation equation (Parker et al. 1970, 1971) used in the CFD model. The dependence of these parameters on the predictions of the CFD model will be illustrated with simulation results on one of the FSTs at the 26th Ward WWTP in Brooklyn, NY.

Digital control for the condensate system in a combined cycle power plant

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

Sanchez Parra, M.; Fuentes Gutierrez, J.E.; Castelo Cuevas, L.

1994-12-31

This paper presents the highlights by means of which development, installation and start up of the digital control system (DCS)for the condenser and hotwell (condensate system) were performed. This system belongs to the distributed control system installed by the Instituto de Investigaciones Electricas (IIE) at the Combined Cycle Power Plant in Gomez Palacio (GP), Durango, Mexico, during the February-March period, in 1993. The main steps for development of the condenser and hotwell control system include: process modeling, definition of control strategies, algorithms, design and software development, PC simulation tests, laboratory tests with an equipment similar to the one installed atmore » the GP Power Plant, installation, and finally, start up, which was a joint effort with the GP Power Plant engineering staff.« less

Ultraweak photon emission and proteomics analyses in soybean under abiotic stress.

PubMed

Komatsu, Setsuko; Kamal, Abu Hena Mostafa; Makino, Takahiro; Hossain, Zahed

2014-07-01

Biophotons are ultraweak photon emissions that are closely related to various biological activities and processes. In mammals, biophoton emissions originate from oxidative bursts in immunocytes during immunological responses. Biophotons emitted from plant organs provide novel information about the physiological state of plant under in vivo condition. In this review, the principles and recent advances in the measurement of biophoton emissions in plants are described. Furthermore, examples of biophoton emission and proteomics in soybean under abiotic stress are reviewed and discussed. Finally, this review suggests that the application of proteomics should provide a better interpretation of plant response to biophoton emission and allow the identification of genes that will allow the screening of crops able to produce maximal yields, even in stressful environments. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Smart Screening System (S3) In Taconite Processing

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

Daryoush Allaei; Angus Morison; David Tarnowski

2005-09-01

The conventional screening machines used in processing plants have had undesirable high noise and vibration levels. They also have had unsatisfactorily low screening efficiency, high energy consumption, high maintenance cost, low productivity, and poor worker safety. These conventional vibrating machines have been used in almost every processing plant. Most of the current material separation technology uses heavy and inefficient electric motors with an unbalanced rotating mass to generate the shaking. In addition to being excessively noisy, inefficient, and high-maintenance, these vibrating machines are often the bottleneck in the entire process. Furthermore, these motors, along with the vibrating machines and supportingmore » structure, shake other machines and structures in the vicinity. The latter increases maintenance costs while reducing worker health and safety. The conventional vibrating fine screens at taconite processing plants have had the same problems as those listed above. This has resulted in lower screening efficiency, higher energy and maintenance cost, and lower productivity and workers safety concerns. The focus of this work is on the design of a high performance screening machine suitable for taconite processing plants. SmartScreens{trademark} technology uses miniaturized motors, based on smart materials, to generate the shaking. The underlying technologies are Energy Flow Control{trademark} and Vibration Control by Confinement{trademark}. These concepts are used to direct energy flow and confine energy efficiently and effectively to the screen function. The SmartScreens{trademark} technology addresses problems related to noise and vibration, screening efficiency, productivity, and maintenance cost and worker safety. Successful development of SmartScreens{trademark} technology will bring drastic changes to the screening and physical separation industry. The final designs for key components of the SmartScreens{trademark} have been developed. The key components include smart motor and associated electronics, resonators, and supporting structural elements. It is shown that the smart motors have an acceptable life and performance. Resonator (or motion amplifier) designs are selected based on the final system requirement and vibration characteristics. All the components for a fully functional prototype are fabricated. The development program is on schedule. The last semi-annual report described the process of FE model validation and correlation with experimental data in terms of dynamic performance and predicted stresses. It also detailed efforts into making the supporting structure less important to system performance. Finally, an introduction into the dry application concept was presented. Since then, the design refinement phase was completed. This has resulted in a Smart Screen design that meets performance targets both in the dry condition and with taconite slurry flow using PZT motors. Furthermore, this system was successfully demonstrated for the DOE and partner companies at the Coleraine Mineral Research Laboratory in Coleraine, Minnesota.« less

Evolution and coevolution of developmental programs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jacob, Christian

1999-09-01

The developmental processes of single organisms, such as growth and structure formation, can be described by parallel rewrite systems in the form of Lindenmayer systems, which also allow one to generate geometrical structures in 3D space using turtle interpretation. We present examples of L-systems for growth programs of plant-like structures. Evolution-based programming techniques are applied to design L-systems by Genetic L-system Programming (GLP), demonstrating how developmental programs for plants, exhibiting specific morphogenetic properties can be interactively bred or automatically evolved. Finally, we demonstrate coevolutionary effects among plant populations consisting of different species, interacting with each other, competing for resources like sunlight and nutrients, and evolving successful reproduction strategies in their specific environments.

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.

Ecological patterns of seed microbiome diversity, transmission, and assembly.

PubMed

Shade, Ashley; Jacques, Marie-Agnès; Barret, Matthieu

2017-06-01

Seeds are involved in the transmission of microorganisms from one plant generation to another and consequently act as the initial inoculum for the plant microbiota. The purpose of this mini-review is to provide an overview of current knowledge on the diversity, structure and role of the seed microbiota. The relative importance of the mode of transmission (vertical vs horizontal) of the microbial entities composing the seed microbiota as well as the potential connections existing between seed and other plant habitats such as the anthosphere and the spermosphere is discussed. Finally the governing processes (niche vs neutral) involved in the assembly and the dynamics of the seed microbiota are examined. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Transformation of soybean Gy3 gene into Artemisaarenaria mediated by corona discharge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chao, Lu-meng; Na, Ri; Xue, Dan; Xu, Yongze; Liu, Teng

2013-03-01

In order to improve the protein content of desert plant, a method of genetic transformation mediated by corona discharge was established. Artemisia seeds were processed in corona electric field for 120 min at 12 kV, and then soaked in 0.1 SSC media that contained Soybean Gy3 gene DNA to incubate for 12 h at 26 °C. Finally the seeds were inoculated on the differentiation medium. Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) detection showed that the Soybean Gy3 gene had been successfully introduced into genomic DNA of the regenerated plants of Artemisaarenaria. The study provided a new way for corona discharge in plant genetic modification.

Plant effects on soil denitrification - a review of potential mechanisms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Malique, Francois; Butterbach-Bahl, Klaus; Dannenmann, Michael

2017-04-01

Denitrification is a microbial process occurring in soils, both producing and consuming the potent greenhouse gas nitrous oxide (NO), competing for nitrate with plants and hydrological leaching pathways, removing nutrients and reactive nitrogen from the biosphere, and closing the global nitrogen cycle. Despite its obvious importance, denitrification remained among the least well quantified biogeochemical processes in soils. This is due to enormous methodological difficulties involved in the direct quantification of soil microbial denitrification rates (mainly with regard to the terminal product N2) and the denitrification nitrogen gas product ratios (NO:N2O:N2), Plants may affect denitrification through a myriad of mechanisms such as e.g., competition for nitrate and water, through oxygen consumption, by regulating litter quality and changing soil pH, and via the exudation of labile carbon or secondary plant compounds involved in shaping the rhizospheric microbial community. However, plant effects on denitrification so far hardly were quantified so that the actual extent of plant control on denitrification is largely unknown. Here, we summarize the current knowledge on mechanisms how plants can affect denitrification rates and N gas product ratios in soils at temporal scales from hours to days and years. We review earlier research to quantify plant effects on denitrification as well as critically discuss the limited methods currently available to quantify plant-soil-denitrifier interactions. Finally, we provide pointers to use plants as tools to manage denitrification, e.g. to improve N use efficiency in agricultural ecosystems and to minimize soil nitrous oxide emissions.

Steam explosion and its combinatorial pretreatment refining technology of plant biomass to bio-based products.

PubMed

Chen, Hong-Zhang; Liu, Zhi-Hua

2015-06-01

Pretreatment is a key unit operation affecting the refinery efficiency of plant biomass. However, the poor efficiency of pretreatment and the lack of basic theory are the main challenges to the industrial implementation of the plant biomass refinery. The purpose of this work is to review steam explosion and its combinatorial pretreatment as a means of overcoming the intrinsic characteristics of plant biomass, including recalcitrance, heterogeneity, multi-composition, and diversity. The main advantages of the selective use of steam explosion and other combinatorial pretreatments across the diversity of raw materials are introduced. Combinatorial pretreatment integrated with other unit operations is proposed as a means to exploit the high-efficiency production of bio-based products from plant biomass. Finally, several pilot- and demonstration-scale operations of the plant biomass refinery are described. Based on the principle of selective function and structure fractionation, and multi-level and directional composition conversion, an integrated process with the combinatorial pretreatments of steam explosion and other pretreatments as the core should be feasible and conform to the plant biomass refinery concept. Combinatorial pretreatments of steam explosion and other pretreatments should be further exploited based on the type and intrinsic characteristics of the plant biomass used, the bio-based products to be made, and the complementarity of the processes. Copyright © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Hydrogen production by the solar-powered hybrid sulfur process: Analysis of the integration of the CSP and chemical plants in selected scenarios

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liberatore, Raffaele; Lanchi, Michela; Turchetti, Luca

2016-05-01

The Hybrid Sulfur (HyS) is a water splitting process for hydrogen production powered with high temperature nuclear heat and electric power; among the numerous thermo-chemical and thermo-electro-chemical cycles proposed in the literature, such cycle is considered to have a particularly high potential also if powered by renewable energy. SOL2HY2 (Solar to Hydrogen Hybrid Cycles) is a 3 year research project, co-funded by the Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking (FCH JU). A significant part of the project activities are devoted to the analysis and optimization of the integration of the solar power plant with the chemical, hydrogen production plant. This work reports a part of the results obtained in such research activity. The analysis presented in this work builds on previous process simulations used to determine the energy requirements of the hydrogen production plant in terms of electric power, medium (<550°C) and high (>550°C) temperature heat. For the supply of medium temperature (MT) heat, a parabolic trough CSP plant using molten salts as heat transfer and storage medium is considered. A central receiver CSP (Concentrated Solar Power) plant is considered to provide high temperature (HT) heat, which is only needed for sulfuric acid decomposition. Finally, electric power is provided by a power block included in the MT solar plant and/or drawn from the grid, depending on the scenario considered. In particular, the analysis presented here focuses on the medium temperature CSP plant, possibly combined with a power block. Different scenarios were analysed by considering plants with different combinations of geographical location and sizing criteria.

Tequila production.

PubMed

Cedeño, M

1995-01-01

Tequila is obtained from the distillation of fermented juice of agave plant, Agave tequilana, to which up to 49% (w/v) of an adjunct sugar, mainly from cane or corn, could be added. Agave plants require from 8 to 12 years to mature and during all this time cleaning, pest control, and slacken of land are required to produce an initial raw material with the appropriate chemical composition for tequila production. Production process comprises four steps: cooking to hydrolyze inulin into fructose, milling to extract the sugars, fermentation with a strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae to convert the sugars into ethanol and organoleptic compounds, and, finally, a two-step distillation process. Maturation, if needed, is carried out in white oak barrels to obtain rested or aged tequila in 2 or 12 months, respectively.

Water conservation study. Badger Army Ammunition Plant, Baraboo, Wisconsin. Final report

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

NONE

1995-05-01

The purpose of this water conservation study is to identify projects which result in energy maintenance and cost savings in the process water distribution system at Badger Army Ammunition Plant (BAAP) in Baraboo, Wisconsin. A leak detection survey was performed on all process water piping with a diameter of 6 inches or greater. The leak detection analysis was performed using a combination of listening devices and preamplified-transducer systems to identify the majority of leak locations. When the location of the leak could not be readily identified using these methods, a leak correlator was used. The leak correlator determines leak locationmore » based on the time it takes for sound to travel from the leak to a waterline connection point.« less

The role of microbial signals in plant growth and development

PubMed Central

Ortíz-Castro, Randy; Contreras-Cornejo, Hexon Angel; Macías-Rodríguez, Lourdes

2009-01-01

Plant growth and development involves a tight coordination of the spatial and temporal organization of cell division, cell expansion and cell differentiation. Orchestration of these events requires the exchange of signaling molecules between the root and shoot, which can be affected by both biotic and abiotic factors. The interactions that occur between plants and their associated microorganisms have long been of interest, as knowledge of these processes could lead to the development of novel agricultural applications. Plants produce a wide range of organic compounds including sugars, organic acids and vitamins, which can be used as nutrients or signals by microbial populations. On the other hand, microorganisms release phytohormones, small molecules or volatile compounds, which may act directly or indirectly to activate plant immunity or regulate plant growth and morphogenesis. In this review, we focus on recent developments in the identification of signals from free-living bacteria and fungi that interact with plants in a beneficial way. Evidence has accumulated indicating that classic plant signals such as auxins and cytokinins can be produced by microorganisms to efficiently colonize the root and modulate root system architecture. Other classes of signals, including N-acyl-L-homoserine lactones, which are used by bacteria for cell-to-cell communication, can be perceived by plants to modulate gene expression, metabolism and growth. Finally, we discuss the role played by volatile organic compounds released by certain plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria in plant immunity and developmental processes. The picture that emerges is one in which plants and microbes communicate themselves through transkingdom signaling systems involving classic and novel signals. PMID:19820333

Inclusion of products of physicochemical oxidation of organic wastes in matter recycling of biological-technical life support systems.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tikhomirov, Alexander A.; Kudenko, Yurii; Trifonov, Sergei; Ushakova, Sofya

Inclusion of products of human and plant wastes' `wet' incineration in 22 medium using alter-nating current into matter recycling of biological-technical life support system (BTLSS) has been considered. Fluid and gaseous components have been shown to be the products of such processing. In particular, the final product contained all necessary for plant cultivation nitrogen forms: NO2, NO3, NH4+. As the base solution included urine than NH4+ form dominated. At human solid wastes' mineralization NO2 NH4+ were registered in approximately equal amount. Comparative analysis of mineral composition of oxidized human wastes' and standard Knop solutions has been carried out. On the grounds of that analysis the dilution methods of solutions prepared with addition of oxidized human wastes for their further use for plant irrigation have been suggested. Reasonable levels of wheat productivity cultivated at use of given solutions have been obtained. CO2, N2 and O2 have been determined to be the main gas components of the gas admixture emitted within the given process. These gases easily integrate in matter recycling process of closed ecosystem. The data of plants' cultivation feasibility in the atmosphere obtained after closing of gas loop including physicochemical facility and vegetation chamber with plants-representatives of LSS phototrophic unit has been received. Conclusion of advance research on creation of matter recycling process in the integrated physical-chemical-biological model system has been drawn.

75 FR 65558 - Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement, Single Nuclear Unit at the Bellefonte Plant...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-10-25

... TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement, Single Nuclear Unit... Environmental Impact Statement for a Single Nuclear Unit at the Bellefonte Plant Site (final SEIS) on September... the ROD. TVA prepared the final SEIS to update the extensive environmental information and analyses...

How do plants enlarge? A balancing act; Final report

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

Boyer, J.S.

1996-12-31

Cells of plants are surrounded by strong walls that prevent rupture from internal pressures that can be two or three times that of an automobile tire. In this way, the walls protect the cytoplasm. However, at the same time, the cells can enlarge as they grow. How this balancing act works and how it enlarges the plant were the subject of a recent conference at the University of Delaware in Lewes. The aim was to identify areas for future research that could explain the enlargement of whole plants. There is a large practical need to predict and modify plant enlargementmore » but the additional processes that overlie the molecular ones need to be integrated with the molecular information before a picture will emerge. How best to accomplish this involved input from cross-disciplinary areas in biomechanics, physics and engineering as well as molecular biology, biochemistry and ultrastructure.« less

Simplification of a light-based model for estimating final internode length in greenhouse cucumber canopies.

PubMed

Kahlen, Katrin; Stützel, Hartmut

2011-10-01

Light quantity and quality affect internode lengths in cucumber (Cucumis sativus), whereby leaf area and the optical properties of the leaves mainly control light quality within a cucumber plant community. This modelling study aimed at providing a simple, non-destructive method to predict final internode lengths (FILs) using light quantity and leaf area data. Several simplifications of a light quantity and quality sensitive model for estimating FILs in cucumber have been tested. The direct simplifications substitute the term for the red : far-red (R : FR) ratios, by a term for (a) the leaf area index (LAI, m(2) m(-2)) or (b) partial LAI, the cumulative leaf area per m(2) ground, where leaf area per m(2) ground is accumulated from the top of each plant until a number, n, of leaves per plant is reached. The indirect simplifications estimate the input R : FR ratio based on partial leaf area and plant density. In all models, simulated FILs were in line with the measured FILs over various canopy architectures and light conditions, but the prediction quality varied. The indirect simplification based on leaf area of ten leaves revealed the best fit with measured data. Its prediction quality was even higher than of the original model. This study showed that for vertically trained cucumber plants, leaf area data can substitute local light quality data for estimating FIL data. In unstressed canopies, leaf area over the upper ten ranks seems to represent the feedback of the growing architecture on internode elongation with respect to light quality. This highlights the role of this domain of leaves as the primary source for the specific R : FR signal controlling the final length of an internode and could therefore guide future research on up-scaling local processes to the crop level.

Development of a Multisensor-Based Bio-Botanic Robot and Its Implementation Using a Self-Designed Embedded Board

PubMed Central

Chang, Chung-Liang; Sie, Ming-Fong; Shie, Jin-Long

2011-01-01

This paper presents the design concept of a bio-botanic robot which demonstrates its behavior based on plant growth. Besides, it can reflect the different phases of plant growth depending on the proportional amounts of light, temperature and water. The mechanism design is made up of a processed aluminum base, spring, polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and actuator to constitute the plant base and plant body. The control system consists of two micro-controllers and a self-designed embedded development board where the main controller transmits the values of the environmental sensing module within the embedded board to a sub-controller. The sub-controller determines the growth stage, growth height, and time and transmits its decision value to the main controller. Finally, based on the data transmitted by the sub-controller, the main controller controls the growth phase of the bio-botanic robot using a servo motor and leaf actuator. The research result not only helps children realize the variation of plant growth but also is entertainment-educational through its demonstration of the growth process of the bio-botanic robot in a short time. PMID:22247684

Concentration of 129I in aquatic biota collected from a lake adjacent to the spent nuclear fuel reprocessing plant in Rokkasho, Japan.

PubMed

Ueda, Shinji; Kakiuchi, Hideki; Hasegawa, Hidenao; Kawamura, Hidehisa; Hisamatsu, Shun'ichi

2015-11-01

The spent nuclear fuel reprocessing plant in Rokkasho, Japan, has been undergoing final testing since March 2006. During April 2006-October 2008, that spent fuel was cut and chemically processed, the plant discharged (129)I into the atmosphere and coastal waters. To study (129)I behaviour in brackish Lake Obuchi, which is adjacent to the plant, (129)I concentrations in aquatic biota were measured by accelerator mass spectrometry. Owing to (129)I discharge from the plant, the (129)I concentration in the biota started to rise from the background concentration in 2006 and was high during 2007-08. The (129)I concentration has been rapidly decreasing after the fuel cutting and chemically processing were finished. The (129)I concentration factors in the biota were higher than those reported by IAEA for marine organisms and similar to those reported for freshwater biota. The estimated annual committed effective dose due to ingestion of foods with the maximum (129)I concentration in the biota samples was 2.8 nSv y(-1). © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

FPGA-based Fused Smart Sensor for Real-Time Plant-Transpiration Dynamic Estimation

PubMed Central

Millan-Almaraz, Jesus Roberto; de Jesus Romero-Troncoso, Rene; Guevara-Gonzalez, Ramon Gerardo; Contreras-Medina, Luis Miguel; Carrillo-Serrano, Roberto Valentin; Osornio-Rios, Roque Alfredo; Duarte-Galvan, Carlos; Rios-Alcaraz, Miguel Angel; Torres-Pacheco, Irineo

2010-01-01

Plant transpiration is considered one of the most important physiological functions because it constitutes the plants evolving adaptation to exchange moisture with a dry atmosphere which can dehydrate or eventually kill the plant. Due to the importance of transpiration, accurate measurement methods are required; therefore, a smart sensor that fuses five primary sensors is proposed which can measure air temperature, leaf temperature, air relative humidity, plant out relative humidity and ambient light. A field programmable gate array based unit is used to perform signal processing algorithms as average decimation and infinite impulse response filters to the primary sensor readings in order to reduce the signal noise and improve its quality. Once the primary sensor readings are filtered, transpiration dynamics such as: transpiration, stomatal conductance, leaf-air-temperature-difference and vapor pressure deficit are calculated in real time by the smart sensor. This permits the user to observe different primary and calculated measurements at the same time and the relationship between these which is very useful in precision agriculture in the detection of abnormal conditions. Finally, transpiration related stress conditions can be detected in real time because of the use of online processing and embedded communications capabilities. PMID:22163656

Sap flow and sugar transport in plants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jensen, K. H.; Berg-Sørensen, K.; Bruus, H.; Holbrook, N. M.; Liesche, J.; Schulz, A.; Zwieniecki, M. A.; Bohr, T.

2016-07-01

Green plants are Earth's primary solar energy collectors. They harvest the energy of the Sun by converting light energy into chemical energy stored in the bonds of sugar molecules. A multitude of carefully orchestrated transport processes are needed to move water and minerals from the soil to sites of photosynthesis and to distribute energy-rich sugars throughout the plant body to support metabolism and growth. The long-distance transport happens in the plants' vascular system, where water and solutes are moved along the entire length of the plant. In this review, the current understanding of the mechanism and the quantitative description of these flows are discussed, connecting theory and experiments as far as possible. The article begins with an overview of low-Reynolds-number transport processes, followed by an introduction to the anatomy and physiology of vascular transport in the phloem and xylem. Next, sugar transport in the phloem is explored with attention given to experimental results as well as the fluid mechanics of osmotically driven flows. Then water transport in the xylem is discussed with a focus on embolism dynamics, conduit optimization, and couplings between water and sugar transport. Finally, remarks are given on some of the open questions of this research field.

Carbon Mineralization by Aqueous Precipitation for Beneficial Use of CO 2 from Flue Gas

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

Devenney, Martin; Gilliam, Ryan; Seeker, Randy

The objective of this project was to demonstrate an innovative process to mineralize CO 2 from flue gas directly to reactive carbonates and maximize the value and versatility of its beneficial use products. The program scope includes the design, construction, and testing of a CO 2 Conversion to Material Products (CCMP) Pilot Demonstration Plant utilizing CO 2 from the flue gas of a power production facility in Moss Landing, CA as well as flue gas from coal combustion. This final report details all development, analysis, design and testing of the project. Also included in the final report are an updatedmore » Techno-Economic Analysis and CO 2 Lifecycle Analysis. The subsystems included in the pilot demonstration plant are the mineralization subsystem, the Alkalinity Based on Low Energy (ABLE) subsystem, the waste calcium oxide processing subsystem, and the fiber cement board production subsystem. The fully integrated plant was proven to be capable of capturing CO 2 from various sources (gas and coal) and mineralizing it into a reactive calcium carbonate binder and subsequently producing commercial size (4ftx8ft) fiber cement boards. The final report provides a description of the “as built” design of these subsystems and the results of the commissioning activities that have taken place to confirm operability. The report also discusses the results of the fully integrated operation of the facility. Fiber cement boards have been produced in this facility exclusively using reactive calcium carbonate from captured CO 2 from flue gas. These boards meet all US and China appropriate acceptance standards. Use demonstrations for these boards are now underway.« less

Fate of dissolved organic nitrogen in two stage trickling filter process.

PubMed

Simsek, Halis; Kasi, Murthy; Wadhawan, Tanush; Bye, Christopher; Blonigen, Mark; Khan, Eakalak

2012-10-15

Dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) represents a significant portion of nitrogen in the final effluent of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Biodegradable portion of DON (BDON) can support algal growth and/or consume dissolved oxygen in the receiving waters. The fate of DON and BDON has not been studied for trickling filter WWTPs. DON and BDON data were collected along the treatment train of a WWTP with a two-stage trickling filter process. DON concentrations in the influent and effluent were 27% and 14% of total dissolved nitrogen (TDN). The plant removed about 62% and 72% of the influent DON and BDON mainly by the trickling filters. The final effluent BDON values averaged 1.8 mg/L. BDON was found to be between 51% and 69% of the DON in raw wastewater and after various treatment units. The fate of DON and BDON through the two-stage trickling filter treatment plant was modeled. The BioWin v3.1 model was successfully applied to simulate ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, TDN, DON and BDON concentrations along the treatment train. The maximum growth rates for ammonia oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and nitrite oxidizing bacteria, and AOB half saturation constant influenced ammonia and nitrate output results. Hydrolysis and ammonification rates influenced all of the nitrogen species in the model output, including BDON. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Limited energy study, West Point, NY. Executive summary and final report. Final report

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

Johnson, C.T.

1994-05-13

In the Holleder Sports Complex at West Point Military Academy, there is an indoor ice skating rink. Due to perceived operational inefficiencies, it was anticipated that energy was being wasted. Furthermore, it was noted that during the normal operation of the ice making plant, heat was being rejected from the building. Questions were asked as to the possibility of recapturing this rejected heat and utilizing it to increase the operational efficiency and reduce the energy wasted. The existing ice making refrigerant plant was originally installed with a heat reclaiming subsystem to utilize waste heat to provide for the required underslabmore » heating system and to melt waste ice scrapings (snow) from the ice resurfacing process. The underslab heating system is working properly, but there is not enough recovered waste heat left to totally melt the snow from resurfacing. This snow builds up over time and is melted by spraying domestic hot water at 140 deg F over the snow pile. This process is labor intensive, energy use intensive, and reduces the capacity of the domestic hot water system to satisfy hot water needs in other parts of the building. Actual compressor run times were obtained from the operator of the ice refrigerant plant and calculations showed that 2,122,100 MBH per year of energy was available for recovery.« less

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

OA-7 Veggie Series 1 Processing

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-02-15

Charles Spern, project manager on the Engineering Services Contract (ESC), and Glenn Washington, ESC quality assurance specialist, perform final inspections of the Veggie Series 1 plant experiment inside a laboratory in the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The Series 1 experiment is being readied for flight aboard Orbital ATK's Cygnus module on its seventh (OA-7) Commercial Resupply Services mission to the International Space Station. The Veggie system is on the space station.

Effect of food processing on exposure assessment studies with mycotoxins.

PubMed

Cano-Sancho, German; Sanchis, Vicente; Ramos, Antonio J; Marín, Sonia

2013-01-01

The goals of the present work were, on the one hand, to assess the effect of baking on the stability of zearalenone (ZEA) and deoxynivalenol (DON), as well as the transfer of DON from pasta to boiling water, and, on the other hand, to quantify the impact of DON depletion, during cooking of pasta, on overall exposure estimates. Therefore, the bread-making process was simulated on a pilot-plant scale by using naturally contaminated flour with DON and ZEA. Transfer of DON from pasta to water was evaluated at different boiling times. Pasta was prepared on a pilot-plant scale by using naturally contaminated durum wheat flour; subsequently, it was boiled simulating home cooking. The experiments examined the stability of DON and ZEA during the bread-making process, including fermentation with Saccharomyces cerevisiae and baking at 200°C. Our results showed a high transfer of DON from pasta to boiling water, reaching depletion levels of almost 75%, which correlated with levels found in water. Accordingly, these cooking depletion rates were computed through a stochastic exposure model to weight their impact on the final exposure estimates. Finally, statistically significant differences were found in most of the parameters and populations assessed, but these were not enough to consider the process as protective because the contribution of pasta to the overall DON intake was commonly low.

Digital image processing and analysis for activated sludge wastewater treatment.

PubMed

Khan, Muhammad Burhan; Lee, Xue Yong; Nisar, Humaira; Ng, Choon Aun; Yeap, Kim Ho; Malik, Aamir Saeed

2015-01-01

Activated sludge system is generally used in wastewater treatment plants for processing domestic influent. Conventionally the activated sludge wastewater treatment is monitored by measuring physico-chemical parameters like total suspended solids (TSSol), sludge volume index (SVI) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) etc. For the measurement, tests are conducted in the laboratory, which take many hours to give the final measurement. Digital image processing and analysis offers a better alternative not only to monitor and characterize the current state of activated sludge but also to predict the future state. The characterization by image processing and analysis is done by correlating the time evolution of parameters extracted by image analysis of floc and filaments with the physico-chemical parameters. This chapter briefly reviews the activated sludge wastewater treatment; and, procedures of image acquisition, preprocessing, segmentation and analysis in the specific context of activated sludge wastewater treatment. In the latter part additional procedures like z-stacking, image stitching are introduced for wastewater image preprocessing, which are not previously used in the context of activated sludge. Different preprocessing and segmentation techniques are proposed, along with the survey of imaging procedures reported in the literature. Finally the image analysis based morphological parameters and correlation of the parameters with regard to monitoring and prediction of activated sludge are discussed. Hence it is observed that image analysis can play a very useful role in the monitoring of activated sludge wastewater treatment plants.

Characterization of plant growth promoting traits of bacterial isolates from the rhizosphere of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) and tomato (Solanum lycopersicon L.) grown under Fe sufficiency and deficiency.

PubMed

Scagliola, M; Pii, Y; Mimmo, T; Cesco, S; Ricciuti, P; Crecchio, C

2016-10-01

Plant Growth Promoting Bacteria (PGPB) are considered a promising approach to replace the conventional agricultural practices, since they have been shown to affect plant nutrient-acquisition processes by influencing nutrient availability in the rhizosphere and/or those biochemical processes determining the uptake at root level of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and iron (Fe), that represent the major constraints for crop productivity worldwide. We have isolated novel bacterial strains from the rhizosphere of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) and tomato (Solanum lycopersicon L.) plants, previously grown in hydroponic solution (either Fe deficient or Fe sufficient) and subsequently transferred onto an agricultural calcareous soil. PGPB have been identified by molecular tools and characterized for their capacity to produce siderophores and indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), and to solubilize phosphate. Selected bacterial isolates, showing contemporarily high levels of the three activities investigated, were finally tested for their capacity to induce Fe reduction in cucumber roots two isolates, from barley and tomato plants under Fe deficiency, significantly increased the root Fe-chelate reductase activity; interestingly, another isolate enhanced the reduction of Fe-chelate reductase activity in cucumber plant roots, although grown under Fe sufficiency. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Characterizing canopy biochemistry from imaging spectroscopy and its application to ecosystem studies

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kokaly, R.F.; Asner, Gregory P.; Ollinger, S.V.; Martin, M.E.; Wessman, C.A.

2009-01-01

For two decades, remotely sensed data from imaging spectrometers have been used to estimate non-pigment biochemical constituents of vegetation, including water, nitrogen, cellulose, and lignin. This interest has been motivated by the important role that these substances play in physiological processes such as photosynthesis, their relationships with ecosystem processes such as litter decomposition and nutrient cycling, and their use in identifying key plant species and functional groups. This paper reviews three areas of research to improve the application of imaging spectrometers to quantify non-pigment biochemical constituents of plants. First, we examine recent empirical and modeling studies that have advanced our understanding of leaf and canopy reflectance spectra in relation to plant biochemistry. Next, we present recent examples of how spectroscopic remote sensing methods are applied to characterize vegetation canopies, communities and ecosystems. Third, we highlight the latest developments in using imaging spectrometer data to quantify net primary production (NPP) over large geographic areas. Finally, we discuss the major challenges in quantifying non-pigment biochemical constituents of plant canopies from remotely sensed spectra.

Plant cell shape: modulators and measurements

PubMed Central

Ivakov, Alexander; Persson, Staffan

2013-01-01

Plant cell shape, seen as an integrative output, is of considerable interest in various fields, such as cell wall research, cytoskeleton dynamics and biomechanics. In this review we summarize the current state of knowledge on cell shape formation in plants focusing on shape of simple cylindrical cells, as well as in complex multipolar cells such as leaf pavement cells and trichomes. We summarize established concepts as well as recent additions to the understanding of how cells construct cell walls of a given shape and the underlying processes. These processes include cell wall synthesis, activity of the actin and microtubule cytoskeletons, in particular their regulation by microtubule associated proteins, actin-related proteins, GTP'ases and their effectors, as well as the recently-elucidated roles of plant hormone signaling and vesicular membrane trafficking. We discuss some of the challenges in cell shape research with a particular emphasis on quantitative imaging and statistical analysis of shape in 2D and 3D, as well as novel developments in this area. Finally, we review recent examples of the use of novel imaging techniques and how they have contributed to our understanding of cell shape formation. PMID:24312104

SOS based robust H(∞) fuzzy dynamic output feedback control of nonlinear networked control systems.

PubMed

Chae, Seunghwan; Nguang, Sing Kiong

2014-07-01

In this paper, a methodology for designing a fuzzy dynamic output feedback controller for discrete-time nonlinear networked control systems is presented where the nonlinear plant is modelled by a Takagi-Sugeno fuzzy model and the network-induced delays by a finite state Markov process. The transition probability matrix for the Markov process is allowed to be partially known, providing a more practical consideration of the real world. Furthermore, the fuzzy controller's membership functions and premise variables are not assumed to be the same as the plant's membership functions and premise variables, that is, the proposed approach can handle the case, when the premise of the plant are not measurable or delayed. The membership functions of the plant and the controller are approximated as polynomial functions, then incorporated into the controller design. Sufficient conditions for the existence of the controller are derived in terms of sum of square inequalities, which are then solved by YALMIP. Finally, a numerical example is used to demonstrate the validity of the proposed methodology.

Fate of volatile aromatic hydrocarbons in the wastewater from six textile dyeing wastewater treatment plants.

PubMed

Ning, Xun-An; Wang, Jing-Yu; Li, Rui-Jing; Wen, Wei-Bin; Chen, Chang-Min; Wang, Yu-Jie; Yang, Zuo-Yi; Liu, Jing-Yong

2015-10-01

The occurrence and removal of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylenes, styrene and isopropylbenzene (BTEXSI) from 6 textile dyeing wastewater treatment plants (TDWTPs) were investigated in this study. The practical capacities of the 6 representative plants, which used the activated sludge process, ranged from 1200 to 26000 m(3) d(-1). The results indicated that BTEXSI were ubiquitous in the raw textile dyeing wastewater, except for isopropylbenzene, and that toluene and xylenes were predominant in raw wastewaters (RWs). TDWTP-E was selected to study the residual BTEXSI at different stages. The total BTEXSI reduction on the aerobic process of TDWTP-E accounted for 82.2% of the entire process. The total BTEXSI concentrations from the final effluents (FEs) were observed to be below 1 μg L(-1), except for TDWTP-F (2.12 μg L(-1)). Volatilization and biodegradation rather than sludge sorption contributed significantly to BTEXSI removal in the treatment system. BTEXSI were not found to be the main contaminants in textile dyeing wastewater. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Are the metabolomic responses to folivory of closely related plant species linked to macroevolutionary and plant-folivore coevolutionary processes?

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

Rivas-Ubach, Albert; Hódar, José A.; Sardans, Jordi

The debate whether the coevolution of plants and insects or macroevolutionary processes (phylogeny) is the main driver determining the arsenal of molecular defensive compounds of plants remains unresolved. Attacks by herbivorous insects affect not only the composition of defensive compounds in plants but the entire metabolome (the set of molecular metabolites), including defensive compounds. Metabolomes are the final products of genotypes and are directly affected by macroevolutionary processes, so closely related species should have similar metabolomic compositions and may respond in similar ways to attacks by folivores. We analyzed the elemental compositions and metabolomes of needles from Pinus pinaster, P.more » nigra and P. sylvestris to determine if these closely related Pinus species with different coevolutionary histories with the caterpillars of the processionary moth respond similarly to attacks by this lepidopteran. All pines had different metabolomes and metabolic responses to herbivorous attack. The metabolomic variation among the pine species and the responses to folivory reflected their macroevolutionary relationships, with P. pinaster having the most divergent metabolome. The concentrations of phenolic metabolites were generally not higher in the attacked trees, which had lower concentrations of terpenes, suggesting that herbivores avoid individuals with high concentrations of terpenes. Our results suggest that macroevolutionary history plays important roles in the metabolomic responses of these pine species to folivory, but plant-insect coevolution probably constrains those responses. Combinations of different evolutionary factors and trade-offs are likely responsible for the different responses of each species to folivory, which is not necessarily exclusively linked to plant-insect coevolution.« less

A reevaluation of the use of rhizome scars to age plants of Trillium erectum (Melanthiaceae)1.

PubMed

Broyles, Steven B; Smith, Sarah M; Smith, Tori R; Kindt, Justin R

2013-06-01

Herbaceous perennials are important long-lived plants in North American forests. Trillium has been used as a model organism to examine the effects of ecological processes on age structure in herbaceous forest perennials. Here, the methods of aging Trillium rhizomes are critically examined. • Rhizomes of seedlings, single-bract plants, three-bract nonflowering plants, and flowering plants of Trillium erectum were examined. The patterns of cataphyll and scape scars on rhizomes were examined with respect to demographic category. • Trillium rhizomes produce two cataphyll scars per year on single-bract, three-bract nonflowering, and flowering plants. Scape scars were only evident on rhizomes of three-leaved nonflowering and flowering plants. The percentage of intact rhizomes ranged from 10-67% for three-bract nonflowering plants, and 0-51% for flowering plants. Rhizomes in all demographic categories had evidence of recessing tissues from the oldest portion of the rhizome indicating that accurate age estimates are not possible on many plants. • Accepted methods of aging Trillium rhizomes have significant drawbacks. The primary problem is that rhizomes rot from the oldest portions in all demographic categories. A second problem is that plants producing multiple scape scars in a given year could mistakenly be counted as multiple years. Finally, confusing terminology and misrepresentations in Trillium literature suggests that many previous studies did not correctly determine age. Given the challenges of aging Trillium, we suggest that future studies use rhizome aging to study early demographic stages only and the ecological processes that influence their growth.

A 3-year hygiene and safety monitoring of a meat processing plant which uses raw materials of global origin.

PubMed

Manios, Stavros G; Grivokostopoulos, Nikolaos C; Bikouli, Vasiliki C; Doultsos, Dimitrios A; Zilelidou, Evangelia A; Gialitaki, Maria A; Skandamis, Panagiotis N

2015-09-16

A systematic approach in monitoring the hygiene of a meat processing plant using classical microbiological analyses combined with molecular characterization tools may assist in the safety of the final products. This study aimed: (i) to evaluate the total hygiene level and, (ii) to monitor and characterize the occurrence and spread of Salmonella spp. and Listeria monocytogenes in the environment and the final products of a meat industry that processes meat of global origin. In total, 2541 samples from the processing environment, the raw materials, and the final products were collected from a Greek meat industry in the period 2011-2013. All samples were subjected to enumeration of total viable counts (TVC), Escherichia coli (EC) and total coliforms (TCC) and the detection of Salmonella spp., while 709 of these samples were also analyzed for the presence L. monocytogenes. Pathogen isolates were serotyped and further characterized for their antibiotic resistance and subtyped by PFGE. Raw materials were identified as the primary source of contamination, while improper handling might have also favored the proliferation of the initial microbial load. The occurrence of Salmonella spp. and L. monocytogenes reached 5.5% and 26.9%, respectively. Various (apparent) cross-contamination or persistence trends were deduced based on PFGE analysis results. Salmonella isolates showed wide variation in their innate antibiotic resistance, contrary to L. monocytogenes ones, which were found susceptible to all antibiotics except for cefotaxime. The results emphasize the biodiversity of foodborne pathogens in a meat industry and may be used by meat processors to understand the spread of pathogens in the processing environment, as well as to assist the Food Business Operator (FBO) in establishing effective criteria for selection of raw materials and in improving meat safety and quality. This approach can limit the increase of microbial contamination during the processing steps observed in our study as well as the cross contamination of meat products. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Evaluating impacts of pulp and paper mill process changes on bioactive contaminant loading to the St. Louis River, Duluth, MN

EPA Science Inventory

Past in vivo and in vitro studies have found estrogenic and aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR)-mediated bioactivities associated with final treated effluent from a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) discharging to the St. Louis River Area of Concern near Duluth, MN, USA. A long-stand...

77 FR 11085 - Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Installation of a Terminal...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-24

... (western side) and conducting supplemental sand placement along the eastern end of the island. Final locations and placement of sand will be determined during the project design process. For the groin... mammals, birds, fish, and plants. c. Potential impacts associated with using inlets as a sand source. d...

Final Technical Report

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

Alexander Fridman

2005-06-01

This DOE project DE-FC36-04GO14052 ''Plasma Pilot Plant Test for Treating VOC Emissions from Wood Products Plants'' was conducted by Drexel University in cooperation with Georgia-Pacific (G-P) and Kurchatov Institute (KI). The objective of this project was to test the Plasma Pilot Plant capabilities in wood industry. The final goal of the project was to replace the current state-of-the-art, regenerative thermal oxidation (RTO) technology by Low-Temperature Plasma Technology (LTPT) in paper and wood industry for Volatile Organic Components (VOC) destruction in High Volume Low Concentration (HVLC) vent emissions. MetPro Corporation joined the team as an industrial partner from the environmental controlmore » business and a potential leader for commercialization. Concurrent Technology Corporation (CTC) has a separate contract with DOE for this technology evaluation. They prepared questionnaires for comparison of this technology and RTO, and made this comparison. These data are presented in this report along with the description of the technology itself. Experiments with the pilot plant were performed with average plasma power up to 3.6 kW. Different design of the laboratory and pilot plant pulsed coronas, as well as different analytical methods revealed many new peculiarities of the VOC abatement process. The work reported herein describes the experimental results for the VOCs removal efficiency with respect to energy consumption, residence time, water effect and initial concentration.« less

Plant communities as drivers of soil respiration: pathways, mechanisms, and significance for global change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Metcalfe, D. B.; Fisher, R. A.; Wardle, D. A.

2011-03-01

Understanding the impacts of plant community characteristics on soil carbon dioxide efflux (R) is a key prerequisite for accurate prediction of the future carbon balance of terrestrial ecosystems under climate change. In this review, we synthesize relevant information from a wide spectrum of sources to evaluate the current state of knowledge about plant community effects on R, examine how this information is incorporated into global climate models, and highlight priorities for future research. Plant species consistently exhibit cohesive suites of traits, linked to contrasting life history strategies, which exert a variety of impacts on R. As such, we propose that plant community shifts towards dominance by fast growing plants with nutrient rich litter could provide a major, though often neglected, positive feedback to climate change. Within vegetation types, belowground carbon flux will mainly be controlled by photosynthesis, while amongst vegetation types this flux will be more dependent upon the specific characteristics of the plant life form. We also make the case that community composition, rather than diversity, is usually the dominant control on ecosystem processes in natural systems. Individual species impacts on R may be largest where the species accounts for most of the biomass in the ecosystem, has very distinct traits to the rest of the community, or modulates the occurrence of major natural disturbances. We show that climate-vegetation models incorporate a number of pathways whereby plants can affect R, but that simplifications regarding allocation schemes and drivers of litter decomposition may limit model accuracy. This situation could, however, be relatively easily improved with targeted experimental and field studies. Finally, we identify key gaps in knowledge and recommend them as priorities for future work. These include the patterns of photosynthate partitioning amongst belowground components, ecosystem level effects of individual plant traits, and the importance of trophic interactions and species invasions or extinctions for ecosystem processes. A final, overarching challenge is how to link these observations and drivers across spatio-temporal scales to predict regional or global changes in R over long time periods. A more unified approach to understanding R, which integrates information about plant traits and community dynamics, will be essential for better understanding, simulating and predicting feedbacks to R across terrestrial ecosystems and the earth-climate system.

77 FR 49489 - Oil and Natural Gas Sector: New Source Performance Standards and National Emission Standards for...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-08-16

...This action finalizes the review of new source performance standards for the listed oil and natural gas source category. In this action the EPA revised the new source performance standards for volatile organic compounds from leaking components at onshore natural gas processing plants and new source performance standards for sulfur dioxide emissions from natural gas processing plants. The EPA also established standards for certain oil and gas operations not covered by the existing standards. In addition to the operations covered by the existing standards, the newly established standards will regulate volatile organic compound emissions from gas wells, centrifugal compressors, reciprocating compressors, pneumatic controllers and storage vessels. This action also finalizes the residual risk and technology review for the Oil and Natural Gas Production source category and the Natural Gas Transmission and Storage source category. This action includes revisions to the existing leak detection and repair requirements. In addition, the EPA has established in this action emission limits reflecting maximum achievable control technology for certain currently uncontrolled emission sources in these source categories. This action also includes modification and addition of testing and monitoring and related notification, recordkeeping and reporting requirements, as well as other minor technical revisions to the national emission standards for hazardous air pollutants. This action finalizes revisions to the regulatory provisions related to emissions during periods of startup, shutdown and malfunction.

Final environmental impact statement. Waste Isolation Pilot Plant

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

Not Available

1980-10-01

This volume contains the appendices for the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP). Alternative geologic environs are considered. Salt, crystalline rock, argillaceous rock, and tuff are discussed. Studies on alternate geologic regions for the siting of WIPP are reviewed. President Carter's message to Congress on the management of radioactive wastes and the findings and recommendations of the interagency review group on nuclear waste management are included. Selection criteria for the WIPP site including geologic, hydrologic, tectonic, physicochemical compatability, and socio-economic factors are presented. A description of the waste types and the waste processing procedures aremore » given. Methods used to calculate radiation doses from radionuclide releases during operation are presented. A complete description of the Los Medanos site, including archaeological and historic aspects is included. Environmental monitoring programs and long-term safety analysis program are described. (DMC)« less

Dynamic Environmental Photosynthetic Imaging Reveals Emergent Phenotypes

DOE PAGES

Cruz, Jeffrey A.; Savage, Linda J.; Zegarac, Robert; ...

2016-06-22

Understanding and improving the productivity and robustness of plant photosynthesis requires high-throughput phenotyping under environmental conditions that are relevant to the field. Here we demonstrate the dynamic environmental photosynthesis imager (DEPI), an experimental platform for integrated, continuous, and high-throughput measurements of photosynthetic parameters during plant growth under reproducible yet dynamic environmental conditions. Using parallel imagers obviates the need to move plants or sensors, reducing artifacts and allowing simultaneous measurement on large numbers of plants. As a result, DEPI can reveal phenotypes that are not evident under standard laboratory conditions but emerge under progressively more dynamic illumination. We show examples inmore » mutants of Arabidopsis of such “emergent phenotypes” that are highly transient and heterogeneous, appearing in different leaves under different conditions and depending in complex ways on both environmental conditions and plant developmental age. Finally, these emergent phenotypes appear to be caused by a range of phenomena, suggesting that such previously unseen processes are critical for plant responses to dynamic environments.« less

The Arabidopsis EIN2 restricts organ growth by retarding cell expansion

PubMed Central

Feng, Guanping; Liu, Gang; Xiao, Jianhua

2015-01-01

The growth of plant organ to its characteristic size is a fundamental developmental process, but the mechanism is still poorly understood. Plant hormones play a great role in organ size control by modulating cell division and/or cell expansion. ETHYLENE INSENSITVE 2 (EIN2) was first identified by a genetic screen for ethylene insensitivity and is regarded as a central component of ethylene signaling, but its role in cell growth has not been reported. Here we demonstrate that changed expression of EIN2 led to abnormity of cell expansion by morphological and cytological analyses of EIN2 loss-of-function mutants and the overexpressing transgenic plant. Our findings suggest that EIN2 controls final organ size by restricting cell expansion. PMID:26039475

Release and disposal of materials during decommissioning of Siemens MOX fuel fabrication plant at Hanau, Germany

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

Koenig, Werner; Baumann, Roland

2007-07-01

In September 2006, decommissioning and dismantling of the Siemens MOX Fuel Fabrication Plant in Hanau were completed. The process equipment and the fabrication buildings were completely decommissioned and dismantled. The other buildings were emptied in whole or in part, although they were not demolished. Overall, the decommissioning process produced approximately 8500 Mg of radioactive waste (including inactive matrix material); clearance measurements were also performed for approximately 5400 Mg of material covering a wide range of types. All the equipment in which nuclear fuels had been handled was disposed of as radioactive waste. The radioactive waste was conditioned on the basismore » of the requirements specified for the projected German final disposal site 'Schachtanlage Konrad'. During the pre-conditioning, familiar processes such as incineration, compacting and melting were used. It has been shown that on account of consistently applied activity containment (barrier concept) during operation and dismantling, there has been no significant unexpected contamination of the plant. Therefore almost all the materials that were not a priori destined for radioactive waste were released without restriction on the basis of the applicable legal regulations (chap. 29 of the Radiation Protection Ordinance), along with the buildings and the plant site. (authors)« less

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).

Diversity and specificity: auxin perception and signaling through the TIR1/AFB pathway

DOE PAGES

Wang, Renhou; Estelle, Mark

2014-07-15

Auxin is a versatile plant hormone that plays an essential role in most aspects of plant growth and development. Auxin regulates various growth processes by modulating gene transcription through a SCF TIR1/AFB-Aux/IAA-ARF nuclear signaling module. Recent work has generated clues as to how multiple layers of regulation of the auxin signaling components may result in diverse and specific response outputs. Finally, in particular, interaction and structural studies of key auxin signaling proteins have produced novel insights into the molecular basis of auxin-regulated transcription and may lead to a refined auxin signaling model.

Auto Guided Oil Palm Planter by using multi-GNSS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nur Aini, I.; W, Aimrun; Amin, M. S. M.; Ezrin, M. H.; Shafri, H. Z.

2014-06-01

Planting is one of the most important operations in plantation because it could affect the total area of productivity since it is the starting point in cultivation. In oil palm plantation, lining and spacing of oil palm shall be laid out and coincided with the topographic area and a system of drains. Conventionally, planting of oil palm will require the polarization process in order to prevent and overcome the lack of influence of the sun rise and get a regular crop row. Polarization is done after the completion of the opening area by using the spike wood with 1 m length painted at the top and 100 m length of wire. This process will generally require at least five persons at a time to pull the wire and carry the spikes while the other two persons will act as observer and spikes craftsmen respectively with the ability of the team is 3ha/day. Therefore, the aim of this project is to develop the oil palm planting technique by using multi- GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System). Generally, this project will involve five main steps mainly; design of planting pattern by using SOLIDWORKS software, determine the boundary coordinate of planting area, georeference process with ArcGIS, stakeout process with Tracy software and finally marking up the location with the wooden spikes. The results proved that the multi- GNSS is capable to provide the high accuracy with less than 1 m in precise positioning system without augmentation data. With the ability of one person, time taken to complete 70 m × 50 m planting area is 290 min, which is 25 min faster than using GPS (Global Positioning System) only.

Quantitative Determination of Fluorinated Alkyl Substances by Large-Volume-Injection LC/MS/MS—Characterization of Municipal Wastewaters

PubMed Central

Schultz, Melissa M.; Barofsky, Douglas F.; Field, Jennifer A.

2008-01-01

A quantitative method was developed for the determination of fluorinated alkyl substances in municipal wastewater influents and effluents. The method consisted of centrifugation followed by large-volume injection (500 μL) of the supernatant onto a liquid chromatograph with a reverse-phase column and detection by electrospray ionization, and tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS). The fluorinated analytes studied include perfluoroalkyl sulfonates, fluorotelomer sulfonates, perfluorocarboxylates, and select fluorinated alkyl sulfonamides. Recoveries of the fluorinated analytes from wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) raw influents and final effluent ranged from 77% – 96% and 80% – 99%, respectively. The lower limit of quantitation ranged from 0.5 to 3.0 ng/L depending on the analyte. The method was applied to flow-proportional composites of raw influent and final effluent collected over a 24 hr period from ten WWTPs nationwide. Fluorinated alkyl substances were observed in wastewater at all treatment plants and each plant exhibited unique distributions of fluorinated alkyl substances despite similarities in treatment processes. In nine out of the ten plants sampled, at least one class of fluorinated alkyl substances exhibited increased concentrations in the effluent as compared to the influent concentrations. In some instances, decreases in certain fluorinated analyte concentrations were observed and attributed to sorption to sludge. PMID:16433363

Veggie Processing

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-02-15

Charles Spern, at right, project manager on the Engineering Services Contract (ESC), and Glenn Washington, ESC quality assurance specialist, perform final inspections of the Veggie Series 1 plant experiment inside a laboratory in the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. At far left is Dena Richmond, ESC configuration management. The Series 1 experiment is being readied for flight aboard Orbital ATK's Cygnus module on its seventh (OA-7) Commercial Resupply Services mission to the International Space Station. The Veggie system is on the space station.

Economic analysis of wind-powered refrigeration cooling/water-heating systems in food processing. Final report

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

Garling, W.S.; Harper, M.R.; Merchant-Geuder, L.

1980-03-01

Potential applications of wind energy include not only large central turbines that can be utilized by utilities, but also dispersed systems for farms and other applications. The US Departments of Energy (DOE) and Agriculture (USDA) currently are establishing the feasibility of wind energy use in applications where the energy can be used as available, or stored in a simple form. These applications include production of hot water for rural sanitation, heating and cooling of rural structures and products, drying agricultural products, and irrigation. This study, funded by USDA, analyzed the economic feasibility of wind power in refrigeration cooling and watermore » heating systems in food processing plants. Types of plants included were meat and poultry, dairy, fruit and vegetable, and aquaculture.« less

Combined Pressure, Temperature Contrast and Surface-Enhanced Separation of Carbon Dioxide for Post-Combustion Carbon Capture

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

Wang, Zhen; Wong, Michael; Gupta, Mayank

The Rice University research team developed a hybrid carbon dioxide (CO 2) absorption process combining absorber and stripper columns using a high surface area ceramic foam gas-liquid contactor for enhanced mass transfer and utilizing waste heat for regeneration. This integrated absorber/desorber arrangement will reduce space requirements, an important factor for retrofitting existing coal-fired power plants with CO 2 capture technology. Described in this report, we performed an initial analysis to estimate the technical and economic feasibility of the process. A one-dimensional (1D) CO 2 absorption column was fabricated to measure the hydrodynamic and mass transfer characteristics of the ceramic foam.more » A bench-scale prototype was constructed to implement the complete CO 2 separation process and tested to study various aspects of fluid flow in the process. A model was developed to simulate the two-dimensional (2D) fluid flow and optimize the CO 2 capture process. Test results were used to develop a final technoeconomic analysis and identify the most appropriate absorbent as well as optimum operating conditions to minimize capital and operating costs. Finally, a technoeconomic study was performed to assess the feasibility of integrating the process into a 600 megawatt electric (MWe) coal-fired power plant. With process optimization, $82/MWh of COE can be achieved using our integrated absorber/desorber CO 2 capture technology, which is very close to DOE's target that no more than a 35% increase in COE with CCS. An environmental, health, and safety (EH&S) assessment of the capture process indicated no significant concern in terms of EH&S effects or legislative compliance.« less

Slow, fast and furious: understanding the physics of plant movements.

PubMed

Forterre, Yoël

2013-11-01

The ability of plants to move is central to many physiological processes from development to tropisms, from nutrition to reproduction. The movement of plants or plant parts occurs over a wide range of sizes and time scales. This review summarizes the main physical mechanisms plants use to achieve motility, highlighting recent work at the frontier of biology and physics on rapid movements. Emphasis is given to presenting in a single framework pioneering biological studies of water transport and growth with more recent physics research on poroelasticity and mechanical instabilities. First, the basic osmotic and hydration/dehydration motors are described that contribute to movement by growth and reversible swelling/shrinking of cells and tissues. The speeds of these water-driven movements are shown to be ultimately limited by the transport of water through the plant body. Some plant structures overcome this hydraulic limit to achieve much faster movement by using a mechanical instability. The principle is to impose an 'energy barrier' to the system, which can originate from geometrical constraint or matter cohesion, allowing elastic potential energy to be stored until the barrier is overcome, then rapidly transformed into kinetic energy. Three of these rapid motion mechanisms have been elucidated recently and are described here: the snapping traps of two carnivorous plants, the Venus flytrap and Utricularia, and the catapult of fern sporangia. Finally, movement mechanisms are reconsidered in the context of the timescale of important physiological processes at the cellular and molecular level.

Native and exotic plants of fragments of sagebrush steppe produced by geomorphic processes versus land use

USGS Publications Warehouse

Huntly, N.; Bangert, R.; Hanser, S.E.

2011-01-01

Habitat fragmentation and invasion by exotic species are regarded as major threats to the biodiversity of many ecosystems. We surveyed the plant communities of two types of remnant sagebrush-steppe fragments from nearby areas on the Snake River Plain of southeastern Idaho, USA. One type resulted from land use (conversion to dryland agriculture; hereafter AG Islands) and the other from geomorphic processes (Holocene volcanism; hereafter kipukas). We assessed two predictions for the variation in native plant species richness of these fragments, using structural equation models (SEM). First, we predicted that the species richness of native plants would follow the MacArthur-Wilson (M-W) hypothesis of island biogeography, as often is expected for the communities of habitat fragments. Second, we predicted a negative relationship between native and exotic plants, as would be expected if exotic plants are decreasing the diversity of native plants. Finally, we assessed whether exotic species were more strongly associated with the fragments embedded in the agricultural landscape, as would be expected if agriculture had facilitated the introduction and naturalization of non-native species, and whether the communities of the two types of fragments were distinct. Species richness of native plants was not strongly correlated with M-W characteristics for either the AG Islands or the **kipukas. The AG Islands had more species and higher cover of exotics than the kipukas, and exotic plants were good predictors of native plant species richness. Our results support the hypothesis that proximity to agriculture can increase the diversity and abundance of exotic plants in native habitat. In combination with other information, the results also suggest that agriculture and exotic species have caused loss of native diversity and reorganization of the sagebrush-steppe plant community. ?? 2011 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.

Unraveling the Plant-Soil Interactome

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lipton, M. S.; Hixson, K.; Ahkami, A. H.; HaHandkumbura, P. P.; Hess, N. J.; Fang, Y.; Fortin, D.; Stanfill, B.; Yabusaki, S.; Engbrecht, K. M.; Baker, E.; Renslow, R.; Jansson, C.

2017-12-01

Plant photosynthesis is the primary conduit of carbon fixation from the atmosphere to the terrestrial ecosystem. While more is known about plant physiology and biochemistry, the interplay between genetic and environmental factors that govern partitioning of carbon to above- and below ground plant biomass, to microbes, to the soil, and respired to the atmosphere is not well understood holistically. To address this knowledge gap there is a need to define, study, comprehend, and model the plant ecosystem as an integrated system of integrated biotic and abiotic processes and feedbacks. Local rhizosphere conditions are an important control on plant performance but are in turn affected by plant uptake and rhizodeposition processes. C3 and C4 plants have different CO2 fixation strategies and likely have differential metabolic profiles resulting in different carbon sources exuding to the rhizosphere. In this presentation, we report on an integrated capability to better understand plant-soil interactions, including modeling tools that address the spatiotemporal hydrobiogeochemistry in the rhizosphere. Comparing Brachypodium distachyon, (Brachypodium) as our C3 representative and Setaria viridis (Setaria) as our C4 representative, we designed, highly controlled single-plant experimental ecosystems based these model grasses to enable quantitative prediction of ecosystem traits and responses as a function of plant genotype and environmental variables. A metabolomics survey of 30 Brachypodium genotypes grown under control and drought conditions revealed specific metabolites that correlated with biomass production and drought tolerance. A comparison of Brachypodium and Setaria grown with control and a future predicted elevated CO2 level revealed changes in biomass accumulation and metabolite profiles between the C3 and C4 species in both leaves and roots. Finally, we are building an mechanistic modeling capability that will contribute to a better basis for modeling plant water and nutrient cycling in larger scale models.

Supercritical fluid extraction of plant flavors and fragrances.

PubMed

Capuzzo, Andrea; Maffei, Massimo E; Occhipinti, Andrea

2013-06-19

Supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) of plant material with solvents like CO₂, propane, butane, or ethylene is a topic of growing interest. SFE allows the processing of plant material at low temperatures, hence limiting thermal degradation, and avoids the use of toxic solvents. Although today SFE is mainly used for decaffeination of coffee and tea as well as production of hop extracts on a large scale, there is also a growing interest in this extraction method for other industrial applications operating at different scales. In this review we update the literature data on SFE technology, with particular reference to flavors and fragrance, by comparing traditional extraction techniques of some industrial medicinal and aromatic crops with SFE. Moreover, we describe the biological activity of SFE extracts by describing their insecticidal, acaricidal, antimycotic, antimicrobial, cytotoxic and antioxidant properties. Finally, we discuss the process modelling, mass-transfer mechanisms, kinetics parameters and thermodynamic by giving an overview of SFE potential in the flavors and fragrances arena.

Research and development in pilot plant production of granular NPK fertilizer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Failaka, Muhamad Fariz; Firdausi, Nadia Zahrotul; Chairunnisa, Altway, Ali

2017-05-01

PT Pupuk Kaltim (Pupuk Kaltim) as one of the biggest fertilizer manufacturer in Indonesia, always striving to improve the product quality and achieve the optimal performance while facing the challenges of global competition NPK (Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium) market. In order to continuously improve operations and processes of two units NPK compound plant, Pupuk Kaltim has successfully initiated a new facility which is referred to as a NPK pilot-scale research facility with design capacity of 30 kg/hr. This mini-plant is used to assist in the scale up of new innovations from laboratory research to better understand the effect of using new raw materials and experiment with process changes to improve quality and efficiency. The pilot installation is composed of the following main parts: mixer, screw feeder, granulator, dryer and cooler. The granulator is the equipment where NPK granules is formed by spraying appropriate steam and water onto raw materials in a rotating drum. The rotary dryer and cooler are intended for the drying process where temperature reduction and the final moisture are obtained. As a part of innovations project since 2014, the pilot plant has conducted many of experiments such as trials using Ammonium Sulfate (ZA) as a new raw material, alternative raw materials of Diammonium Phosphate (DAP), Potassium Chloride (KCl) and clay, and using a novel material of fly ash. In addition, the process engineering staff also conduct the trials of raw materials ratio so that an ideal formulation with lower cost can be obtained especially when it is applied in the existing full-scale plant.

Authentication of Herbal Supplements Using Next-Generation Sequencing

PubMed Central

Braukmann, Thomas W. A.; Borisenko, Alex V.; Zakharov, Evgeny V.

2016-01-01

Background DNA-based testing has been gaining acceptance as a tool for authentication of a wide range of food products; however, its applicability for testing of herbal supplements remains contentious. Methods We utilized Sanger and Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) for taxonomic authentication of fifteen herbal supplements representing three different producers from five medicinal plants: Echinacea purpurea, Valeriana officinalis, Ginkgo biloba, Hypericum perforatum and Trigonella foenum-graecum. Experimental design included three modifications of DNA extraction, two lysate dilutions, Internal Amplification Control, and multiple negative controls to exclude background contamination. Ginkgo supplements were also analyzed using HPLC-MS for the presence of active medicinal components. Results All supplements yielded DNA from multiple species, rendering Sanger sequencing results for rbcL and ITS2 regions either uninterpretable or non-reproducible between the experimental replicates. Overall, DNA from the manufacturer-listed medicinal plants was successfully detected in seven out of eight dry herb form supplements; however, low or poor DNA recovery due to degradation was observed in most plant extracts (none detected by Sanger; three out of seven–by NGS). NGS also revealed a diverse community of fungi, known to be associated with live plant material and/or the fermentation process used in the production of plant extracts. HPLC-MS testing demonstrated that Ginkgo supplements with degraded DNA contained ten key medicinal components. Conclusion Quality control of herbal supplements should utilize a synergetic approach targeting both DNA and bioactive components, especially for standardized extracts with degraded DNA. The NGS workflow developed in this study enables reliable detection of plant and fungal DNA and can be utilized by manufacturers for quality assurance of raw plant materials, contamination control during the production process, and the final product. Interpretation of results should involve an interdisciplinary approach taking into account the processes involved in production of herbal supplements, as well as biocomplexity of plant-plant and plant-fungal biological interactions. PMID:27227830

Authentication of Herbal Supplements Using Next-Generation Sequencing.

PubMed

Ivanova, Natalia V; Kuzmina, Maria L; Braukmann, Thomas W A; Borisenko, Alex V; Zakharov, Evgeny V

2016-01-01

DNA-based testing has been gaining acceptance as a tool for authentication of a wide range of food products; however, its applicability for testing of herbal supplements remains contentious. We utilized Sanger and Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) for taxonomic authentication of fifteen herbal supplements representing three different producers from five medicinal plants: Echinacea purpurea, Valeriana officinalis, Ginkgo biloba, Hypericum perforatum and Trigonella foenum-graecum. Experimental design included three modifications of DNA extraction, two lysate dilutions, Internal Amplification Control, and multiple negative controls to exclude background contamination. Ginkgo supplements were also analyzed using HPLC-MS for the presence of active medicinal components. All supplements yielded DNA from multiple species, rendering Sanger sequencing results for rbcL and ITS2 regions either uninterpretable or non-reproducible between the experimental replicates. Overall, DNA from the manufacturer-listed medicinal plants was successfully detected in seven out of eight dry herb form supplements; however, low or poor DNA recovery due to degradation was observed in most plant extracts (none detected by Sanger; three out of seven-by NGS). NGS also revealed a diverse community of fungi, known to be associated with live plant material and/or the fermentation process used in the production of plant extracts. HPLC-MS testing demonstrated that Ginkgo supplements with degraded DNA contained ten key medicinal components. Quality control of herbal supplements should utilize a synergetic approach targeting both DNA and bioactive components, especially for standardized extracts with degraded DNA. The NGS workflow developed in this study enables reliable detection of plant and fungal DNA and can be utilized by manufacturers for quality assurance of raw plant materials, contamination control during the production process, and the final product. Interpretation of results should involve an interdisciplinary approach taking into account the processes involved in production of herbal supplements, as well as biocomplexity of plant-plant and plant-fungal biological interactions.

Carbon allocation and carbon isotope fluxes in the plant-soil-atmosphere continuum: a review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brüggemann, N.; Gessler, A.; Kayler, Z.; Keel, S. G.; Badeck, F.; Barthel, M.; Boeckx, P.; Buchmann, N.; Brugnoli, E.; Esperschütz, J.; Gavrichkova, O.; Ghashghaie, J.; Gomez-Casanovas, N.; Keitel, C.; Knohl, A.; Kuptz, D.; Palacio, S.; Salmon, Y.; Uchida, Y.; Bahn, M.

2011-11-01

The terrestrial carbon (C) cycle has received increasing interest over the past few decades, however, there is still a lack of understanding of the fate of newly assimilated C allocated within plants and to the soil, stored within ecosystems and lost to the atmosphere. Stable carbon isotope studies can give novel insights into these issues. In this review we provide an overview of an emerging picture of plant-soil-atmosphere C fluxes, as based on C isotope studies, and identify processes determining related C isotope signatures. The first part of the review focuses on isotopic fractionation processes within plants during and after photosynthesis. The second major part elaborates on plant-internal and plant-rhizosphere C allocation patterns at different time scales (diel, seasonal, interannual), including the speed of C transfer and time lags in the coupling of assimilation and respiration, as well as the magnitude and controls of plant-soil C allocation and respiratory fluxes. Plant responses to changing environmental conditions, the functional relationship between the physiological and phenological status of plants and C transfer, and interactions between C, water and nutrient dynamics are discussed. The role of the C counterflow from the rhizosphere to the aboveground parts of the plants, e.g. via CO2 dissolved in the xylem water or as xylem-transported sugars, is highlighted. The third part is centered around belowground C turnover, focusing especially on above- and belowground litter inputs, soil organic matter formation and turnover, production and loss of dissolved organic C, soil respiration and CO2 fixation by soil microbes. Furthermore, plant controls on microbial communities and activity via exudates and litter production as well as microbial community effects on C mineralization are reviewed. A further part of the paper is dedicated to physical interactions between soil CO2 and the soil matrix, such as CO2 diffusion and dissolution processes within the soil profile. Finally, we highlight state-of-the-art stable isotope methodologies and their latest developments. From the presented evidence we conclude that there exists a tight coupling of physical, chemical and biological processes involved in C cycling and C isotope fluxes in the plant-soil-atmosphere system. Generally, research using information from C isotopes allows an integrated view of the different processes involved. However, complex interactions among the range of processes complicate or currently impede the interpretation of isotopic signals in CO2 or organic compounds at the plant and ecosystem level. This review tries to identify present knowledge gaps in correctly interpreting carbon stable isotope signals in the plant-soil-atmosphere system and how future research approaches could contribute to closing these gaps.

The occurrence and significance to animal health of salmonellas in sewage and sewage sludges.

PubMed Central

Jones, P. W.; Rennison, L. M.; Lewin, V. H.; Redhead, D. L.

1980-01-01

A total of 882 samples of settled sewage, sewage sludges and final effluents from eight sewage treatment plants were examined for the presence of salmonellas. Of these samples 68% were positive, isolations being made most frequently from settled sewage (85%), raw sludge (87%) and anaerobically digested sludge (96%). Fewer isolations were made from final effluent (24%) and processed sludges (58%). Samples usually contained less than 200 salmonellas/100 ml and arguments are presented that such concentrations should not lead to disease in animals if suitable grazing restrictions are followed. PMID:6985928

Strigolactones and root infestation by plant-parasitic Striga, Orobanche and Phelipanche spp.

PubMed

Cardoso, Catarina; Ruyter-Spira, Carolien; Bouwmeester, Harro J

2011-03-01

Strigolactones are signaling molecules that play a role in host recognition by parasitic plants of the Striga, Orobanche and Phelipanche genera which are among the most detrimental weeds in agriculture. The same class of molecules is also involved in the establishment of the symbiosis of plants with arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi. In addition, the strigolactones are being shown to be involved in an increasing number of physiological processes in plants, such as the regulation of plant architecture and the response to abiotic factors such as nutrient availability and light. These new findings suggest that biosynthesis and perception of strigolactones are conserved throughout the plant kingdom. The structural variation in the strigolactones discovered so far and its possible role in host recognition by the parasites and AM fungi as well as the evolution of strigolactone-dependent-germination in parasitic plants will be discussed. Finally, due to the recent advance in strigolactone research, new insights are emerging on the relation between parasitic and host plants which may result in new strategies to control parasitic plant infestation that will be discussed in this review. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Occurrence of Antimicrobial-Resistant Escherichia coli and Salmonella enterica in the Beef Cattle Production and Processing Continuum

PubMed Central

Agga, Getahun E.; Bosilevac, Joseph M.; Brichta-Harhay, Dayna M.; Shackelford, Steven D.; Wang, Rong; Wheeler, Tommy L.; Arthur, Terrance M.

2014-01-01

Specific concerns have been raised that third-generation cephalosporin-resistant (3GCr) Escherichia coli, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole-resistant (COTr) E. coli, 3GCr Salmonella enterica, and nalidixic acid-resistant (NALr) S. enterica may be present in cattle production environments, persist through beef processing, and contaminate final products. The prevalences and concentrations of these organisms were determined in feces and hides (at feedlot and processing plant), pre-evisceration carcasses, and final carcasses from three lots of fed cattle (n = 184). The prevalences and concentrations were further determined for strip loins from 103 of the carcasses. 3GCr Salmonella was detected on 7.6% of hides during processing and was not detected on the final carcasses or strip loins. NALr S. enterica was detected on only one hide. 3GCr E. coli and COTr E. coli were detected on 100.0% of hides during processing. Concentrations of 3GCr E. coli and COTr E. coli on hides were correlated with pre-evisceration carcass contamination. 3GCr E. coli and COTr E. coli were each detected on only 0.5% of final carcasses and were not detected on strip loins. Five hundred and 42 isolates were screened for extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli (ExPEC) virulence-associated markers. Only two COTr E. coli isolates from hides were ExPEC, indicating that fed cattle products are not a significant source of ExPEC causing human urinary tract infections. The very low prevalences of these organisms on final carcasses and their absence on strip loins demonstrate that current sanitary dressing procedures and processing interventions are effective against antimicrobial-resistant bacteria. PMID:25398858

Occurrence of Antimicrobial-Resistant Escherichia coli and Salmonella enterica in the Beef Cattle Production and Processing Continuum.

PubMed

Schmidt, John W; Agga, Getahun E; Bosilevac, Joseph M; Brichta-Harhay, Dayna M; Shackelford, Steven D; Wang, Rong; Wheeler, Tommy L; Arthur, Terrance M

2015-01-01

Specific concerns have been raised that third-generation cephalosporin-resistant (3GC(r)) Escherichia coli, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole-resistant (COT(r)) E. coli, 3GC(r) Salmonella enterica, and nalidixic acid-resistant (NAL(r)) S. enterica may be present in cattle production environments, persist through beef processing, and contaminate final products. The prevalences and concentrations of these organisms were determined in feces and hides (at feedlot and processing plant), pre-evisceration carcasses, and final carcasses from three lots of fed cattle (n = 184). The prevalences and concentrations were further determined for strip loins from 103 of the carcasses. 3GC(r) Salmonella was detected on 7.6% of hides during processing and was not detected on the final carcasses or strip loins. NAL(r) S. enterica was detected on only one hide. 3GC(r) E. coli and COT(r) E. coli were detected on 100.0% of hides during processing. Concentrations of 3GC(r) E. coli and COT(r) E. coli on hides were correlated with pre-evisceration carcass contamination. 3GC(r) E. coli and COT(r) E. coli were each detected on only 0.5% of final carcasses and were not detected on strip loins. Five hundred and 42 isolates were screened for extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli (ExPEC) virulence-associated markers. Only two COT(r) E. coli isolates from hides were ExPEC, indicating that fed cattle products are not a significant source of ExPEC causing human urinary tract infections. The very low prevalences of these organisms on final carcasses and their absence on strip loins demonstrate that current sanitary dressing procedures and processing interventions are effective against antimicrobial-resistant bacteria. Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Molecular methods to assess Listeria monocytogenes route of contamination in a dairy processing plant.

PubMed

Alessandria, Valentina; Rantsiou, Kalliopi; Dolci, Paola; Cocolin, Luca

2010-07-31

In this study we investigated the occurrence of Listeria monocytogenes in a dairy processing plant during two sampling campaigns in 2007 and 2008. Samples represented by semifinished and finished cheeses, swabs from the equipment and brines from the salting step, were subjected to analysis by using traditional and molecular methods, represented mainly by quantitative PCR. Comparing the results obtained by the application of the two approaches used, it became evident how traditional microbiological analysis underestimated the presence of L. monocytogenes in the dairy plant. Especially samples of the brines and the equipment swabs were positive only with qPCR. For some equipment swabs it was possible to detect a load of 10(4)-10(5) cfu/cm(2), while the modified ISO method employed gave negative results both before and after the enrichment step. The evidences collected during the first sampling year, highlighting a heavy contamination of the brines and of the equipment, lead to the implementation of specific actions that decreased the contamination in these samples during the 2008 campaign. However, no reduction in the number of L. monocytogenes positive final products was observed, suggesting that a more strict control is necessary to avoid the presence of the pathogen. All the isolates of L. monocytogenes were able to attach to abiotic surfaces, and, interestingly, considering the results obtained from their molecular characterization it became evident how strains present in the brines, were genetically connected with isolates from the equipment and from the final product, suggesting a clear route of contamination of the pathogen in the dairy plant. This study underlines the necessity to use appropriate analytical tools, such as molecular methods, to fully understand the spread and persistence of L. monocytogenes in food producing companies. Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

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

High-resolution non-contact measurement of the electrical activity of plants in situ using optical recording

PubMed Central

Zhao, Dong-Jie; Chen, Yang; Wang, Zi-Yang; Xue, Lin; Mao, Tong-Lin; Liu, Yi-Min; Wang, Zhong-Yi; Huang, Lan

2015-01-01

The limitations of conventional extracellular recording and intracellular recording make high-resolution multisite recording of plant bioelectrical activity in situ challenging. By combining a cooled charge-coupled device camera with a voltage-sensitive dye, we recorded the action potentials in the stem of Helianthus annuus and variation potentials at multiple sites simultaneously with high spatial resolution. The method of signal processing using coherence analysis was used to determine the synchronization of the selected signals. Our results provide direct visualization of the phloem, which is the distribution region of the electrical activities in the stem and leaf of H. annuus, and verify that the phloem is the main action potential transmission route in the stems of higher plants. Finally, the method of optical recording offers a unique opportunity to map the dynamic bioelectrical activity and provides an insight into the mechanisms of long-distance electrical signal transmission in higher plants. PMID:26333536

Adaptation to the Host Environment by Plant-Pathogenic Fungi.

PubMed

van der Does, H Charlotte; Rep, Martijn

2017-08-04

Many fungi can live both saprophytically and as endophyte or pathogen inside a living plant. In both environments, complex organic polymers are used as sources of nutrients. Propagation inside a living host also requires the ability to respond to immune responses of the host. We review current knowledge of how plant-pathogenic fungi do this. First, we look at how fungi change their global gene expression upon recognition of the host environment, leading to secretion of effectors, enzymes, and secondary metabolites; changes in metabolism; and defense against toxic compounds. Second, we look at what is known about the various cues that enable fungi to sense the presence of living plant cells. Finally, we review literature on transcription factors that participate in gene expression in planta or are suspected to be involved in that process because they are required for the ability to cause disease.

Doubled haploid production in Flax (Linum usitatissimum L.).

PubMed

Obert, Bohus; Zácková, Zuzana; Samaj, Jozef; Pretová, Anna

2009-01-01

There is a requirement of haploid and double haploid material and homozygous lines for cell culture studies and breeding in flax. Anther culture is currently the most successful method producing doubled haploid lines in flax. Recently, ovary culture was also described as a good source of doubled haploids. In this review we focus on tissue and plants regeneration using anther culture, and cultivation of ovaries containing unfertilized ovules. The effect of genotype, physiological status of donor plants, donor material pre-treatment and cultivation conditions for flax anthers and ovaries is discussed here. The process of plant regeneration from anther and ovary derived calli is also in the focus of this review. Attention is paid to the ploidy level of regenerated tissue and to the use of molecular markers for determining of gametic origin of flax plants derived from anther and ovary cultures. Finally, some future prospects on the use of doubled haploids in flax biotechnology are outlined here.

Interface design in the process industries

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Beaverstock, M. C.; Stassen, H. G.; Williamson, R. A.

1977-01-01

Every operator runs his plant in accord with his own mental model of the process. In this sense, one characteristic of an ideal man-machine interface is that it be in harmony with that model. With this theme in mind, the paper first reviews the functions of the process operator and compares them with human operators involved in control situations previously studied outside the industrial environment (pilots, air traffic controllers, helmsmen, etc.). A brief history of the operator interface in the process industry and the traditional methodology employed in its design is then presented. Finally, a much more fundamental approach utilizing a model definition of the human operator's behavior is presented.

Revisiting Criteria for Plant MicroRNA Annotation in the Era of Big Data[OPEN

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are ∼21-nucleotide-long regulatory RNAs that arise from endonucleolytic processing of hairpin precursors. Many function as essential posttranscriptional regulators of target mRNAs and long noncoding RNAs. Alongside miRNAs, plants also produce large numbers of short interfering RNAs (siRNAs), which are distinguished from miRNAs primarily by their biogenesis (typically processed from long double-stranded RNA instead of single-stranded hairpins) and functions (typically via roles in transcriptional regulation instead of posttranscriptional regulation). Next-generation DNA sequencing methods have yielded extensive data sets of plant small RNAs, resulting in many miRNA annotations. However, it has become clear that many miRNA annotations are questionable. The sheer number of endogenous siRNAs compared with miRNAs has been a major factor in the erroneous annotation of siRNAs as miRNAs. Here, we provide updated criteria for the confident annotation of plant miRNAs, suitable for the era of “big data” from DNA sequencing. The updated criteria emphasize replication and the minimization of false positives, and they require next-generation sequencing of small RNAs. We argue that improved annotation systems are needed for miRNAs and all other classes of plant small RNAs. Finally, to illustrate the complexities of miRNA and siRNA annotation, we review the evolution and functions of miRNAs and siRNAs in plants. PMID:29343505

Halophytes--an emerging trend in phytoremediation.

PubMed

Manousaki, Eleni; Kalogerakis, Nicolas

2011-01-01

Halophytic plants are of special interest because these plants are naturally present in environments characterized by an excess of toxic ions, mainly sodium and chloride. Several studies have revealed that these plants may also tolerate other stresses including heavy metals based on the findings that tolerance to salt and to heavy metals may, at least partly, rely on common physiological mechanisms. In addition, it has been shown that salt-tolerant plants may also be able to accumulate metals. Therefore, halophytes have been suggested to be naturally better adapted to cope with environmental stresses, including heavy metals compared to salt-sensitive crop plants commonly chosen for phytoextraction purposes. Thus, potentially halophytes are ideal candidates for phytoextraction orphytostabilization of heavy metal polluted soils and moreover of heavy metal polluted soils affected by salinity. Some halophytes use excretion processes in order to remove the excess of salt ions from their sensitive tissues and in some cases these glandular structures are not always specific to Na+ and Cl- and other toxic elements such as cadmium, zinc, lead, or copper are accumulated and excreted by salt glands or trichomes on the surface of the leaves--a novel phytoremediation process called "phytoexcretion". Finally, the use of halophytes has also been proposed for soil desalination through salt accumulation in the plant tissue or dissolution of soil calcite in the rhizosphere to provide Ca2+ that can be exchanged with Na+ at cation exchange sites.

Developmental Pathways Are Blueprints for Designing Successful Crops

PubMed Central

Trevaskis, Ben

2018-01-01

Genes controlling plant development have been studied in multiple plant systems. This has provided deep insights into conserved genetic pathways controlling core developmental processes including meristem identity, phase transitions, determinacy, stem elongation, and branching. These pathways control plant growth patterns and are fundamentally important to crop biology and agriculture. This review describes the conserved pathways that control plant development, using Arabidopsis as a model. Historical examples of how plant development has been altered through selection to improve crop performance are then presented. These examples, drawn from diverse crops, show how the genetic pathways controlling development have been modified to increase yield or tailor growth patterns to suit local growing environments or specialized crop management practices. Strategies to apply current progress in genomics and developmental biology to future crop improvement are then discussed within the broader context of emerging trends in plant breeding. The ways that knowledge of developmental processes and understanding of gene function can contribute to crop improvement, beyond what can be achieved by selection alone, are emphasized. These include using genome re-sequencing, mutagenesis, and gene editing to identify or generate novel variation in developmental genes. The expanding scope for comparative genomics, the possibility to engineer new developmental traits and new approaches to resolve gene–gene or gene–environment interactions are also discussed. Finally, opportunities to integrate fundamental research and crop breeding are highlighted. PMID:29922318

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.

Developmental Pathways Are Blueprints for Designing Successful Crops.

PubMed

Trevaskis, Ben

2018-01-01

Genes controlling plant development have been studied in multiple plant systems. This has provided deep insights into conserved genetic pathways controlling core developmental processes including meristem identity, phase transitions, determinacy, stem elongation, and branching. These pathways control plant growth patterns and are fundamentally important to crop biology and agriculture. This review describes the conserved pathways that control plant development, using Arabidopsis as a model. Historical examples of how plant development has been altered through selection to improve crop performance are then presented. These examples, drawn from diverse crops, show how the genetic pathways controlling development have been modified to increase yield or tailor growth patterns to suit local growing environments or specialized crop management practices. Strategies to apply current progress in genomics and developmental biology to future crop improvement are then discussed within the broader context of emerging trends in plant breeding. The ways that knowledge of developmental processes and understanding of gene function can contribute to crop improvement, beyond what can be achieved by selection alone, are emphasized. These include using genome re-sequencing, mutagenesis, and gene editing to identify or generate novel variation in developmental genes. The expanding scope for comparative genomics, the possibility to engineer new developmental traits and new approaches to resolve gene-gene or gene-environment interactions are also discussed. Finally, opportunities to integrate fundamental research and crop breeding are highlighted.

Direct application of geothermal energy at the L'eggs Product Plant, Las Cruces, New Mexico. Final report

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

Not Available

1981-02-01

The study program to determine the feasibility of interfacing a potential geothermal resource of Dona Ana County, New Mexico L'eggs Product industrial process is discussed in this final report. Five separate sites were evaluated initially as to geothermal potential and technical feasibility. Preliminary analysis revealed that three sites were considered normal, but that two sites (about three miles from the L'eggs Plant) had very high shallow subsurface temperature gradients (up to 14.85/sup 0/F/100 ft). An initial engineering analysis showed that to meet the L'eggs plant temperature and energy requirements a geothermal fluid temperature of about 250/sup 0/F and 200 gpmmore » flow rate would be necessary. A brief economic comparison indicated that the L'eggs plant site and a geothermal site approximately four miles from the plant did merit further investigation. Detailed engineering and economic design and analysis of these two sites (including the drilling of an 1873 feet deep temperature gradient test hole at the L'eggs Plant) showed that development of the four mile distant site was technically feasible and was the more economic option. It was determined that a single-stage flash system interface design would be most appropriate for the L'eggs Plant. Approximately 39 billion Btu/yr of fossil fuel could be replaced with geothermal energy at the L'eggs facility for a total installed system cost of slightly over $2 million. The projected economic payback period was calculated to be 9.2 years before taxes. This payback was not considered acceptable by L'eggs Products, Inc., to merit additional design or construction work at this time.« less

7 CFR 457.102 - Wheat or barley winter coverage endorsement.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... designate both a fall final planting date and a spring final planting date, and for which the actuarial... planted spring barley. 6. If you elect this endorsement for winter barley, the contract change, cancellation, and termination dates applicable to wheat in the county will be applicable to all your spring and...

7 CFR 457.102 - Wheat or barley winter coverage endorsement.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... designate both a fall final planting date and a spring final planting date, and for which the actuarial... planted spring barley. 6. If you elect this endorsement for winter barley, the contract change, cancellation, and termination dates applicable to wheat in the county will be applicable to all your spring and...

7 CFR 457.102 - Wheat or barley winter coverage endorsement.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... designate both a fall final planting date and a spring final planting date, and for which the actuarial... planted spring barley. 6. If you elect this endorsement for winter barley, the contract change, cancellation, and termination dates applicable to wheat in the county will be applicable to all your spring and...

7 CFR 457.102 - Wheat or barley winter coverage endorsement.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... designate both a fall final planting date and a spring final planting date, and for which the actuarial... planted spring barley. 6. If you elect this endorsement for winter barley, the contract change, cancellation, and termination dates applicable to wheat in the county will be applicable to all your spring and...

On the structure-bounded growth processes in plant populations.

PubMed

Kilian, H G; Kazda, M; Király, F; Kaufmann, D; Kemkemer, R; Bartkowiak, D

2010-07-01

If growing cells in plants are considered to be composed of increments (ICs) an extended version of the law of mass action can be formulated. It evidences that growth of plants runs optimal if the reaction-entropy term (entropy times the absolute temperature) matches the contact energy of ICs. Since these energies are small, thermal molecular movements facilitate via relaxation the removal of structure disturbances. Stem diameter distributions exhibit extra fluctuations likely to be caused by permanent constraints. Since the signal-response system enables in principle perfect optimization only within finite-sized cell ensembles, plants comprising relatively large cell numbers form a network of size-limited subsystems. The maximal number of these constituents depends both on genetic and environmental factors. Accounting for logistical structure-dynamics interrelations, equations can be formulated to describe the bimodal growth curves of very different plants. The reproduction of the S-bended growth curves verifies that the relaxation modes with a broad structure-controlled distribution freeze successively until finally growth is fully blocked thus bringing about "continuous solidification".

Plants and their active compounds: natural molecules to target angiogenesis.

PubMed

Lu, Kai; Bhat, Madhavi; Basu, Sujit

2016-07-01

Angiogenesis, or new blood vessel formation, is an important process in the pathogenesis of several diseases and thus has been targeted for the prevention and treatment for many disorders. However, the anti-angiogenic agents that are currently in use are mainly synthetic compounds and humanized monoclonal antibodies, which are either expensive or toxic, thereby limiting their use in many patients. Therefore, it is necessary to identify less toxic, inexpensive, novel and effective anti-angiogenic molecules. Several studies have indicated that natural plant products can meet these criteria. In this review, we discuss the anti-angiogenic properties of natural compounds isolated from plants and the molecular mechanisms by which these molecules act. Finally, we summarize the advantages of using plant products as anti-angiogenic agents. Compared with currently available anti-angiogenic drugs, plant products may not only have similar therapeutic potential but are also inexpensive, less toxic, and easy to administer. However, novel and effective strategies are necessary to improve their bioavailability for clinical use.

Epidemiological Survey of Listeria monocytogenes in a gravlax salmon processing line

PubMed Central

Cruz, C.D.; Silvestre, F.A.; Kinoshita, E.M.; Landgraf, M.; Franco, B.D.G.M.; Destro, M.T.

2008-01-01

Listeria monocytogenes is a cause of concern to food industries, mainly for those producing ready-to-eat (RTE) products. This microorganism can survive processing steps such as curing and cold smoking and is capable of growing under refrigeration temperatures. Its presence in RTE fish products with extended shelf life may be a risk to the susceptible population. One example of such a product is gravlax salmon; a refrigerated fish product not exposed to listericidal processes and was the subject of this study. In order to evaluate the incidence and dissemination of L. monocytogenes 415 samples were collected at different steps of a gravlax salmon processing line in São Paulo state, Brazil. L. monocytogenes was confirmed in salmon samples (41%), food contact surfaces (32%), non-food contact surfaces (43%) and of food handlers’ samples (34%), but could not be detected in any ingredient. 179 L. monocytogenes isolates randomly selected were serogrouped and typed by PFGE. Most of L. monocytogenes strains belonged to serogroup 1 (73%). 61 combined pulsotypes were found and a dendrogram identified six clusters: most of the strains (120) belonged to cluster A. It was suggested that strains arriving into the plant via raw material could establish themselves in the processing environment contaminating the final product. The wide dissemination of L. monocytogenes in this plant indicates that a great effort has to be taken to eliminate the microorganism from these premises, even though it was not observed multiplication of the microorganism in the final product stored at 4°C up to 90 days. PMID:24031233

[Process strategy for ethanol production from lignocellulose feedstock under extremely low water usage and high solids loading conditions].

PubMed

Zhang, Jian; Chu, Deqiang; Yu, Zhanchun; Zhang, Xiaoxi; Deng, Hongbo; Wang, Xiusheng; Zhu, Zhinan; Zhang, Huaiqing; Dai, Gance; Bao, Jie

2010-07-01

The massive water and steam are consumed in the production of cellulose ethanol, which correspondingly results in the significant increase of energy cost, waster water discharge and production cost as well. In this study, the process strategy under extremely low water usage and high solids loading of corn stover was investigated experimentally and computationally. The novel pretreatment technology with zero waste water discharge was developed; in which a unique biodetoxification method using a kerosene fungus strain Amorphotheca resinae ZN1 to degrade the lignocellulose derived inhibitors was applied. With high solids loading of pretreated corn stover, high ethanol titer was achieved in the simultaneous saccharification and fermentation process, and the scale-up principles were studied. Furthermore, the flowsheet simulation of the whole process was carried out with the Aspen plus based physical database, and the integrated process developed was tested in the biorefinery mini-plant. Finally, the core technologies were applied in the cellulose ethanol demonstration plant, which paved a way for the establishment of an energy saving and environment friendly technology of lignocellulose biotransformation with industry application potential.

The effect of mixing ratio variation of sludge and organic solid waste on biodrying process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nasution, A. C.; Kristanto, G. A.

2018-01-01

In this study, organic waste was co-biodried with sludge cake to determine which mixing ratio gave the best result. The organic waste was consisted of dried leaves and green leaves, while the sludge cake was obtained from a waste water treatment plant in Bekasi. The experiment was performed on 3 lab-scale reactors with same specifications. After 21 days of experiment, it was found that the reactor with the lowest mixing fraction of sludge (5:1) has the best temperature profile and highest moisture content depletion compared with others. Initial moisture content and initial volatile solid content of this reactor’s feedstock was 52.25% and 82.4% respectively. The airflow rate was 10 lpm. After biodrying was done, the final moisture content of the feedstock from Reactor C was 22.0% and the final volatile solid content was 75.9%.The final calorific value after biodrying process was 3179,28kcal/kg.

Inter-species competition-facilitation in stochastic riparian vegetation dynamics.

PubMed

Tealdi, Stefano; Camporeale, Carlo; Ridolfi, Luca

2013-02-07

Riparian vegetation is a highly dynamic community that lives on river banks and which depends to a great extent on the fluvial hydrology. The stochasticity of the discharge and erosion/deposition processes in fact play a key role in determining the distribution of vegetation along a riparian transect. These abiotic processes interact with biotic competition/facilitation mechanisms, such as plant competition for light, water, and nutrients. In this work, we focus on the dynamics of plants characterized by three components: (1) stochastic forcing due to river discharges, (2) competition for resources, and (3) inter-species facilitation due to the interplay between vegetation and fluid dynamics processes. A minimalist stochastic bio-hydrological model is proposed for the dynamics of the biomass of two vegetation species: one species is assumed dominant and slow-growing, the other is subdominant, but fast-growing. The stochastic model is solved analytically and the probability density function of the plant biomasses is obtained as a function of both the hydrologic and biologic parameters. The impact of the competition/facilitation processes on the distribution of vegetation species along the riparian transect is investigated and remarkable effects are observed. Finally, a good qualitative agreement is found between the model results and field data. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dynamics of copper and tetracyclines during composting of water hyacinth biomass amended with peat or pig manure.

PubMed

Lu, Xin; Liu, Lizhu; Fan, Ruqin; Luo, Jia; Yan, Shaohua; Rengel, Zed; Zhang, Zhenhua

2017-10-01

Composting is one of the post-treatment methods for phytoremediation plants. Due to a high potential of water hyacinth to accumulate pollutants, the physicochemical parameters, microbial activity as well as fates of copper (Cu) and tetracyclines (TCs) were investigated for the different amended water hyacinth biomass harvested from intensive livestock and poultry wastewater, including unamended water hyacinth (W), water hyacinth amended with peat (WP), and water hyacinth amended with pig manure (WPM) during the composting process. Pig manure application accelerated the composting process as evidenced by an increase of temperature, electrical conductivity (EC), NH 4 -N, as well as functional diversity of microbial communities compared to W and WP treatments. Composting process was slowed down by high Cu, but not by TCs. The addition of peat significantly increased the residual fraction of Cu, while pig manure addition increased available Cu concentration in the final compost. Cu could be effectively transformed into low available (oxidizable) and residual fractions after fermentation. In contrast, less than 0.5% of initial concentrations of TCs were determined at the end of 60-day composting for all treatments in the final composts. The dissipation of TCs was accelerated by the high Cu concentration during composting. Therefore, composting is an effective method for the post-treatment and resource utilization of phytoremediation plants containing Cu and/or TCs.

Reducing the chlorine dioxide demand in final disinfection of drinking water treatment plants using activated carbon.

PubMed

Sorlini, Sabrina; Biasibetti, Michela; Collivignarelli, Maria Cristina; Crotti, Barbara Marianna

2015-01-01

Chlorine dioxide is one of the most widely employed chemicals in the disinfection process of a drinking water treatment plant (DWTP). The aim of this work was to evaluate the influence of the adsorption process with granular activated carbon (GAC) on the chlorine dioxide consumption in final oxidation/disinfection. A first series of tests was performed at the laboratory scale employing water samples collected at the outlet of the DWTP sand filter of Cremona (Italy). The adsorption process in batch conditions with seven different types of GAC was studied. A second series of tests was performed on water samples collected at the outlet of four GAC columns installed at the outlet of the DWTP sand filter. The results showed that the best chlorine dioxide demand (ClO2-D) reduction yields are equal to 60-80% and are achieved in the first 30 min after ClO2 addition, during the first 16 days of the column operation using a mineral, coal-based, mesoporous GAC. Therefore, this carbon removes organic compounds that are more rapidly reactive with ClO2. Moreover, a good correlation was found between the ClO2-D and UV absorbance at wavelength 254 nm using mineral carbons; therefore, the use of a mineral mesoporous GAC is an effective solution to control the high ClO2-D in the disinfection stage of a DWTP.

Protein Tyrosine Nitration during Development and Abiotic Stress Response in Plants

PubMed Central

Mata-Pérez, Capilla; Begara-Morales, Juan C.; Chaki, Mounira; Sánchez-Calvo, Beatriz; Valderrama, Raquel; Padilla, María N.; Corpas, Francisco J.; Barroso, Juan B.

2016-01-01

In recent years, the study of nitric oxide (NO) in plant systems has attracted the attention of many researchers. A growing number of investigations have shown the significance of NO as a signal molecule or as a molecule involved in the response against (a)biotic processes. NO can be responsible of the post-translational modifications (NO-PTM) of target proteins by mechanisms such as the nitration of tyrosine residues. The study of protein tyrosine nitration during development and under biotic and adverse environmental conditions has increased in the last decade; nevertheless, there is also an endogenous nitration which seems to have regulatory functions. Moreover, the advance in proteome techniques has enabled the identification of new nitrated proteins, showing the high variability among plant organs, development stage and species. Finally, it may be important to discern between a widespread protein nitration because of greater RNS content, and the specific nitration of key targets which could affect cell-signaling processes. In view of the above point, we present a mini-review that offers an update about the endogenous protein tyrosine nitration, during plant development and under several abiotic stress conditions. PMID:27895655

Plant peroxisomes: recent discoveries in functional complexity, organelle homeostasis, and morphological dynamics.

PubMed

Reumann, Sigrun; Bartel, Bonnie

2016-12-01

Peroxisomes are essential for life in plants. These organelles house a variety of metabolic processes that generate and inactivate reactive oxygen species. Our knowledge of pathways and mechanisms that depend on peroxisomes and their constituent enzymes continues to grow, and in this review we highlight recent advances in understanding the identity and biological functions of peroxisomal enzymes and metabolic processes. We also review how peroxisomal matrix and membrane proteins enter the organelle from their sites of synthesis. Peroxisome homeostasis is regulated by specific degradation mechanisms, and we discuss the contributions of specialized autophagy and a peroxisomal protease to the degradation of entire peroxisomes and peroxisomal enzymes that are damaged or superfluous. Finally, we review how peroxisomes can flexibly change their morphology to facilitate inter-organellar contacts. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Chapter 5, "License Renewal and Aging Management for Continued Service

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

Naus, Dan J

As of August 2011, there were 104 commercial nuclear power reactors licensed to operate in 31 states in the United States. Initial operating licenses in the United States are granted for a period of 40 years. In order to help assure an adequate energy supply, the USNRC has established a timely license renewal process and clear requirements that are needed to ensure safe plant operation for an extended plant life. The principals of license renewal and the basic requirements that address license renewal are identified as well as additional sources of guidance that can be utilized as part of themore » license renewal process. Aging management program inspections and operating experience related to the concrete and steel containment structures are provided. Finally, several lessons learned are provided based on containment operating experience.« less

The distribution of Listeria in pasture-raised broiler farm soils is potentially related to University of Vermont medium enrichment bias toward Listeria innocua over Listeria monocytogenes.

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The occurrence of Listeria monocytogenes (LM) has been widely investigated in the poultry production chain from the processing plant to the final product. However, limited data are available on Listeria spp., including LM, in the poultry farm environment. Therefore, fecal and soil samples from 37 pa...

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.

Biosorption of arsenic from groundwater using Vallisneria gigantea plants. Kinetics, equilibrium and photophysical considerations.

PubMed

Iriel, Analia; Lagorio, M Gabriela; Fernández Cirelli, Alicia

2015-11-01

Arsenic (V) uptake from groundwater by using Vallisneria gigantea plants was studied using batch experiments. Reflectance and fluorescence of intact plants were investigated and changes in photophysical properties following arsenic absorption were reported. Good correlations have been found between arsenic concentration in groundwater and parameters derived from reflectance and fluorescence measurements. This system reached its equilibrium after seven days when the removal quantities were strongly dependent on the initial arsenic concentration. Interestingly, Vallisneria plants were able to accumulate from 100 to 600 mg As kg(-1) in roots and fronds although the translocation factors were low (0.6-1.6). Kinetic data for biosorption process followed a first-order law. At low arsenic concentrations the uptake in plants was governed by diffusion aspects. Langmuir, Freundlich and Dubinin-Radushkevich models were applied and results demonstrated that arsenic uptake was better described by the Langmuir model. As a final remark we concluded that a plant of this species should be able to remove 1mg As per week. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Validation of a 30-year-old process for the manufacture of L-asparaginase from Erwinia chrysanthemi.

PubMed

Gervais, David; Allison, Nigel; Jennings, Alan; Jones, Shane; Marks, Trevor

2013-04-01

A 30-year-old manufacturing process for the biologic product L-asparaginase from the plant pathogen Erwinia chrysanthemi was rigorously qualified and validated, with a high level of agreement between validation data and the 6-year process database. L-Asparaginase exists in its native state as a tetrameric protein and is used as a chemotherapeutic agent in the treatment regimen for Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia (ALL). The manufacturing process involves fermentation of the production organism, extraction and purification of the L-asparaginase to make drug substance (DS), and finally formulation and lyophilisation to generate drug product (DP). The extensive manufacturing experience with the product was used to establish ranges for all process parameters and product quality attributes. The product and in-process intermediates were rigorously characterised, and new assays, such as size-exclusion and reversed-phase UPLC, were developed, validated, and used to analyse several pre-validation batches. Finally, three prospective process validation batches were manufactured and product quality data generated using both the existing and the new analytical methods. These data demonstrated the process to be robust, highly reproducible and consistent, and the validation was successful, contributing to the granting of an FDA product license in November, 2011.

Solutions to microplastic pollution - Removal of microplastics from wastewater effluent with advanced wastewater treatment technologies.

PubMed

Talvitie, Julia; Mikola, Anna; Koistinen, Arto; Setälä, Outi

2017-10-15

Conventional wastewater treatment with primary and secondary treatment processes efficiently remove microplastics (MPs) from the wastewater. Despite the efficient removal, final effluents can act as entrance route of MPs, given the large volumes constantly discharged into the aquatic environments. This study investigated the removal of MPs from effluent in four different municipal wastewater treatment plants utilizing different advanced final-stage treatment technologies. The study included membrane bioreactor treating primary effluent and different tertiary treatment technologies (discfilter, rapid sand filtration and dissolved air flotation) treating secondary effluent. The MBR removed 99.9% of MPs during the treatment (from 6.9 to 0.005 MP L -1 ), rapid sand filter 97% (from 0.7 to 0.02 MP L -1 ), dissolved air flotation 95% (from 2.0 to 0.1 MP L -1 ) and discfilter 40-98.5% (from 0.5 - 2.0 to 0.03-0.3 MP L -1 ) of the MPs during the treatment. Our study shows that with advanced final-stage wastewater treatment technologies WWTPs can substantially reduce the MP pollution discharged from wastewater treatment plants into the aquatic environments. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A functional-structural model of rice linking quantitative genetic information with morphological development and physiological processes.

PubMed

Xu, Lifeng; Henke, Michael; Zhu, Jun; Kurth, Winfried; Buck-Sorlin, Gerhard

2011-04-01

Although quantitative trait loci (QTL) analysis of yield-related traits for rice has developed rapidly, crop models using genotype information have been proposed only relatively recently. As a first step towards a generic genotype-phenotype model, we present here a three-dimensional functional-structural plant model (FSPM) of rice, in which some model parameters are controlled by functions describing the effect of main-effect and epistatic QTLs. The model simulates the growth and development of rice based on selected ecophysiological processes, such as photosynthesis (source process) and organ formation, growth and extension (sink processes). It was devised using GroIMP, an interactive modelling platform based on the Relational Growth Grammar formalism (RGG). RGG rules describe the course of organ initiation and extension resulting in final morphology. The link between the phenotype (as represented by the simulated rice plant) and the QTL genotype was implemented via a data interface between the rice FSPM and the QTLNetwork software, which computes predictions of QTLs from map data and measured trait data. Using plant height and grain yield, it is shown how QTL information for a given trait can be used in an FSPM, computing and visualizing the phenotypes of different lines of a mapping population. Furthermore, we demonstrate how modification of a particular trait feeds back on the entire plant phenotype via the physiological processes considered. We linked a rice FSPM to a quantitative genetic model, thereby employing QTL information to refine model parameters and visualizing the dynamics of development of the entire phenotype as a result of ecophysiological processes, including the trait(s) for which genetic information is available. Possibilities for further extension of the model, for example for the purposes of ideotype breeding, are discussed.

Response and adaptation of photosynthesis, respiration, and antioxidant systems to elevated CO2 with environmental stress in plants

PubMed Central

Xu, Zhenzhu; Jiang, Yanling; Zhou, Guangsheng

2015-01-01

It is well known that plant photosynthesis and respiration are two fundamental and crucial physiological processes, while the critical role of the antioxidant system in response to abiotic factors is still a focus point for investigating physiological stress. Although one key metabolic process and its response to climatic change have already been reported and reviewed, an integrative review, including several biological processes at multiple scales, has not been well reported. The current review will present a synthesis focusing on the underlying mechanisms in the responses to elevated CO2 at multiple scales, including molecular, cellular, biochemical, physiological, and individual aspects, particularly, for these biological processes under elevated CO2 with other key abiotic stresses, such as heat, drought, and ozone pollution, as well as nitrogen limitation. The present comprehensive review may add timely and substantial information about the topic in recent studies, while it presents what has been well established in previous reviews. First, an outline of the critical biological processes, and an overview of their roles in environmental regulation, is presented. Second, the research advances with regard to the individual subtopics are reviewed, including the response and adaptation of the photosynthetic capacity, respiration, and antioxidant system to CO2 enrichment alone, and its combination with other climatic change factors. Finally, the potential applications for plant responses at various levels to climate change are discussed. The above issue is currently of crucial concern worldwide, and this review may help in a better understanding of how plants deal with elevated CO2 using other mainstream abiotic factors, including molecular, cellular, biochemical, physiological, and whole individual processes, and the better management of the ecological environment, climate change, and sustainable development. PMID:26442017

A functional–structural model of rice linking quantitative genetic information with morphological development and physiological processes

PubMed Central

Xu, Lifeng; Henke, Michael; Zhu, Jun; Kurth, Winfried; Buck-Sorlin, Gerhard

2011-01-01

Background and Aims Although quantitative trait loci (QTL) analysis of yield-related traits for rice has developed rapidly, crop models using genotype information have been proposed only relatively recently. As a first step towards a generic genotype–phenotype model, we present here a three-dimensional functional–structural plant model (FSPM) of rice, in which some model parameters are controlled by functions describing the effect of main-effect and epistatic QTLs. Methods The model simulates the growth and development of rice based on selected ecophysiological processes, such as photosynthesis (source process) and organ formation, growth and extension (sink processes). It was devised using GroIMP, an interactive modelling platform based on the Relational Growth Grammar formalism (RGG). RGG rules describe the course of organ initiation and extension resulting in final morphology. The link between the phenotype (as represented by the simulated rice plant) and the QTL genotype was implemented via a data interface between the rice FSPM and the QTLNetwork software, which computes predictions of QTLs from map data and measured trait data. Key Results Using plant height and grain yield, it is shown how QTL information for a given trait can be used in an FSPM, computing and visualizing the phenotypes of different lines of a mapping population. Furthermore, we demonstrate how modification of a particular trait feeds back on the entire plant phenotype via the physiological processes considered. Conclusions We linked a rice FSPM to a quantitative genetic model, thereby employing QTL information to refine model parameters and visualizing the dynamics of development of the entire phenotype as a result of ecophysiological processes, including the trait(s) for which genetic information is available. Possibilities for further extension of the model, for example for the purposes of ideotype breeding, are discussed. PMID:21247905

Comparison of Tobacco Host Cell Protein Removal Methods by Blanching Intact Plants or by Heat Treatment of Extracts.

PubMed

Buyel, Johannes F; Hubbuch, Jürgen; Fischer, Rainer

2016-08-08

Plants not only provide food, feed and raw materials for humans, but have also been developed as an economical production system for biopharmaceutical proteins, such as antibodies, vaccine candidates and enzymes. These must be purified from the plant biomass but chromatography steps are hindered by the high concentrations of host cell proteins (HCPs) in plant extracts. However, most HCPs irreversibly aggregate at temperatures above 60 °C facilitating subsequent purification of the target protein. Here, three methods are presented to achieve the heat precipitation of tobacco HCPs in either intact leaves or extracts. The blanching of intact leaves can easily be incorporated into existing processes but may have a negative impact on subsequent filtration steps. The opposite is true for heat precipitation of leaf extracts in a stirred vessel, which can improve the performance of downstream operations albeit with major changes in process equipment design, such as homogenizer geometry. Finally, a heat exchanger setup is well characterized in terms of heat transfer conditions and easy to scale, but cleaning can be difficult and there may be a negative impact on filter capacity. The design-of-experiments approach can be used to identify the most relevant process parameters affecting HCP removal and product recovery. This facilitates the application of each method in other expression platforms and the identification of the most suitable method for a given purification strategy.

A pilot study to characterize fine particles in the environment of an automotive machining facility.

PubMed

Sioutas, C

1999-04-01

The main goal of this study was to characterize fine particles (e.g., smaller than about 3 microns) in an automotive machining environment. The Toledo Machining Plant of Chrysler Corporation was selected for this purpose. The effect of local mechanical processes as aerosol sources was a major part of this investigation. To determine the size-dependent mass concentration of particles in the plant, the Micro-Orifice Uniform Deposit Impactor (MOUDI Model 100, MSP Corp., Minneapolis, Minnesota) was used. The MOUDI was placed at central locations in departments with sources inside the plant, so that the obtained information on the size distribution realistically represents the aerosol to which plant workers are exposed. Sampling was conducted over a 4-day period, and during three periods per day, each matching the work shifts. A special effort was made to place the MOUDI at a central location of a department with relatively homogeneous particle sources. The selected sampling sites included welding, grinding, steel machining, and heat treating processes. The average 24-hour mass concentrations of particles smaller than 3.2 microns in aerodynamic diameter were 167.8, 103.9, 201.7, and 112.7 micrograms/m3 for welding, grinding, mild steel, and heat treating processes, respectively. Finally, the mass median diameters of welding, heat treatment, machining, and grinding operations were approximately 0.5, 0.5, 0.6, and 0.8 micron, respectively.

Huanglongbing impairs the rhizosphere-to-rhizoplane enrichment process of the citrus root-associated microbiome.

PubMed

Zhang, Yunzeng; Xu, Jin; Riera, Nadia; Jin, Tao; Li, Jinyun; Wang, Nian

2017-08-10

Roots are the primary site for plant-microbe interactions. Among the three root-associated layers (i.e., rhizosphere, rhizoplane, and endorhiza), the rhizoplane is a key component serving a critical gating role that controls microbial entry into plant roots. The microbial communities colonizing the three layers are believed to be gradually enriched from the bulk soil inoculum. However, it is unknown how this enrichment process, particularly the rhizosphere to rhizoplane step, is affected by biotic stresses, such as disease. In this study, we address this question using the citrus root-associated microbiome as a model. We identified the rhizosphere-to-rhizoplane-enriched taxonomic and functional properties of the citrus root-associated microbiome and determined how they were affected by Huanglongbing (HLB), a severe systemic disease caused by Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus, using metagenomic and metatranscriptomic approaches. Multiple rhizoplane-enriched genera were identified, with Bradyrhizobium and Burkholderia being the most dominant. Plant-derived carbon sources are an important driving force for the enrichment process. The enrichment of functional attributes, such as motility, chemotaxis, secretion systems, and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) synthesis, demonstrated more active microbe-plant interactions on the rhizoplane than the rhizosphere. We observed that HLB impaired the rhizosphere-to-rhizoplane enrichment process of the citrus root-associated microbiome in three ways: (1) by decreasing the relative abundance of most rhizoplane-enriched genera; (2) by reducing the relative abundance and/or expression activity of the functional attributes involved in microbe-plant interactions; and (3) by recruiting more functional features involved in autotrophic life cycle adaptation, such as carbon fixation and nitrogen nitrification in the HLB rhizoplane microbiome. Finally, our data showed that inoculation of Burkholderia strains isolated from the healthy citrus root-associated microbiome could trigger the expression of genes involved in induced systemic resistance in inoculated plants. HLB causes decreased relative abundance and/or expression activity of rhizoplane-enriched taxonomic and functional properties, collectively resulting in impaired plant host-microbiome interactions. Manipulation of the citrus root-associated microbiome, for instance, by inoculating citrus roots with beneficial Burkholderia strains, has potential to promote plant health. Our results provide novel insights for understanding the contributions of the community enrichment process of the root-associated microbiome to the plant hosts.

Interspecific competition in plants: how well do current methods answer fundamental questions?

PubMed

Connolly, J; Wayne, P; Bazzaz, F A

2001-02-01

Accurately quantifying and interpreting the processes and outcomes of competition among plants is essential for evaluating theories of plant community organization and evolution. We argue that many current experimental approaches to quantifying competitive interactions introduce size bias, which may significantly impact the quantitative and qualitative conclusions drawn from studies. Size bias generally arises when estimates of competitive ability are erroneously influenced by the initial size of competing individuals. We employ a series of quantitative thought experiments to demonstrate the potential for size bias in analysis of four traditional experimental designs (pairwise, replacement series, additive series, and response surfaces) either when only final measurements are available or when both initial and final measurements are collected. We distinguish three questions relevant to describing competitive interactions: Which species dominates? Which species gains? and How do species affect each other? The choice of experimental design and measurements greatly influences the scope of inference permitted. Conditions under which the latter two questions can give biased information are tabulated. We outline a new approach to characterizing competition that avoids size bias and that improves the concordance between research question and experimental design. The implications of the choice of size metrics used to quantify both the initial state and the responses of elements in interspecific mixtures are discussed. The relevance of size bias in competition studies with organisms other than plants is also discussed.

Bacterial diversity at different stages of the composting process

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Composting is an aerobic microbiological process that is facilitated by bacteria and fungi. Composting is also a method to produce fertilizer or soil conditioner. Tightened EU legislation now requires treatment of the continuously growing quantities of organic municipal waste before final disposal. However, some full-scale composting plants experience difficulties with the efficiency of biowaste degradation and with the emission of noxious odours. In this study we examine the bacterial species richness and community structure of an optimally working pilot-scale compost plant, as well as a full-scale composting plant experiencing typical problems. Bacterial species composition was determined by isolating total DNA followed by amplifying and sequencing the gene encoding the 16S ribosomal RNA. Results Over 1500 almost full-length 16S rRNA gene sequences were analysed and of these, over 500 were present only as singletons. Most of the sequences observed in either one or both of the composting processes studied here were similar to the bacterial species reported earlier in composts, including bacteria from the phyla Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, Proteobacteria and Deinococcus-Thermus. In addition, a number of previously undetected bacterial phylotypes were observed. Statistical calculations estimated a total bacterial diversity of over 2000 different phylotypes in the studied composts. Conclusions Interestingly, locally enriched or evolved bacterial variants of familiar compost species were observed in both composts. A detailed comparison of the bacterial diversity revealed a large difference in composts at the species and strain level from the different composting plants. However, at the genus level, the difference was much smaller and illustrated a delay of the composting process in the full-scale, sub-optimally performing plants. PMID:20350306

Purification and proteomic analysis of plant plasma membranes.

PubMed

Alexandersson, Erik; Gustavsson, Niklas; Bernfur, Katja; Karlsson, Adine; Kjellbom, Per; Larsson, Christer

2008-01-01

All techniques needed for proteomic analyses of plant plasma membranes are described in detail, from isolation of plasma membranes to protein identification by mass spectrometry (MS). Plasma membranes are isolated by aqueous two-phase partitioning yielding vesicles with a cytoplasmic side-in orientation and a purity of about 95%. These vesicles are turned inside-out by treatment with Brij 58, which removes soluble contaminating proteins enclosed in the vesicles as well as loosely attached proteins. The final plasma membrane preparation thus retains all integral proteins and many peripheral proteins. Proteins are separated by one-dimensional sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), and protein bands are excised and digested with trypsin. Peptides in tryptic digests are separated by nanoflow liquid chromatography and either fed directly into an ESI-MS or spotted onto matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) plates for analysis with MALDI-MS. Finally, data processing and database searching are used for protein identification to define a plasma membrane proteome.

Storage peak gas-turbine power unit

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tsinkotski, B.

1980-01-01

A storage gas-turbine power plant using a two-cylinder compressor with intermediate cooling is studied. On the basis of measured characteristics of a .25 Mw compressor computer calculations of the parameters of the loading process of a constant capacity storage unit (05.3 million cu m) were carried out. The required compressor power as a function of time with and without final cooling was computed. Parameters of maximum loading and discharging of the storage unit were calculated, and it was found that for the complete loading of a fully unloaded storage unit, a capacity of 1 to 1.5 million cubic meters is required, depending on the final cooling.

76 FR 29279 - Prairie Island Nuclear Generating Plant, Units 1 and 2; Notice of Availability of the Final...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-05-20

... NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION NORTHERN STATES POWER COMPANY [Docket Numbers 50-282 and 50-306; NRC-2009-0507] Prairie Island Nuclear Generating Plant, Units 1 and 2; Notice of Availability of the Final Supplement 39 to the Generic Environmental Impact Statement for License Renewal of Nuclear Plants Regarding the License Renewal of Prairie Island...

Analysis of Combustion Process of Sewage Sludge in Reference to Coals and Biomass

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Środa, Katarzyna; Kijo-Kleczkowska, Agnieszka

2016-06-01

Production of sewage sludge is an inseparable part of the treatment process. The chemical and sanitary composition of sewage sludge flowing into the treatment plant is a very important factor determining the further use of the final product obtained in these plants. The sewage sludge is characterized by heterogeneity and multi-components properties, because they have characteristics of the classical and fertilizer wastes and energetic fuels. The thermal utilization of sewage sludge is necessary due to the unfavorable sanitary characteristics and the addition of the industrial sewage. This method ensures use of sewage sludge energy and return of expenditure incurred for the treatment of these wastes and their disposal. Sewage sludge should be analyzed in relation to conventional fuels (coals and biomass). They must comply with the applicable requirements, for example by an appropriate degree of dehydration, which guarantee the stable and efficient combustion. This paper takes the issue of the combustion process of the different sewage sludge and their comparison of the coal and biomass fuels.

Resource competition in plant invasions: emerging patterns and research needs

PubMed Central

Gioria, Margherita; Osborne, Bruce A.

2014-01-01

Invasions by alien plants provide a unique opportunity to examine competitive interactions among plants. While resource competition has long been regarded as a major mechanism responsible for successful invasions, given a well-known capacity for many invaders to become dominant and reduce plant diversity in the invaded communities, few studies have measured resource competition directly or have assessed its importance relative to that of other mechanisms, at different stages of an invasion process. Here, we review evidence comparing the competitive ability of invasive species vs. that of co-occurring native plants, along a range of environmental gradients, showing that many invasive species have a superior competitive ability over native species, although invasive congeners are not necessarily competitively superior over native congeners, nor are alien dominants are better competitors than native dominants. We discuss how the outcomes of competition depend on a number of factors, such as the heterogeneous distribution of resources, the stage of the invasion process, as well as phenotypic plasticity and evolutionary adaptation, which may result in increased or decreased competitive ability in both invasive and native species. Competitive advantages of invasive species over natives are often transient and only important at the early stages of an invasion process. It remains unclear how important resource competition is relative to other mechanisms (competition avoidance via phenological differences, niche differentiation in space associated with phylogenetic distance, recruitment and dispersal limitation, indirect competition, and allelopathy). Finally, we identify the conceptual and methodological issues characterizing competition studies in plant invasions, and we discuss future research needs, including examination of resource competition dynamics and the impact of global environmental change on competitive interactions between invasive and native species. PMID:25324851

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.

Resource competition in plant invasions: emerging patterns and research needs.

PubMed

Gioria, Margherita; Osborne, Bruce A

2014-01-01

Invasions by alien plants provide a unique opportunity to examine competitive interactions among plants. While resource competition has long been regarded as a major mechanism responsible for successful invasions, given a well-known capacity for many invaders to become dominant and reduce plant diversity in the invaded communities, few studies have measured resource competition directly or have assessed its importance relative to that of other mechanisms, at different stages of an invasion process. Here, we review evidence comparing the competitive ability of invasive species vs. that of co-occurring native plants, along a range of environmental gradients, showing that many invasive species have a superior competitive ability over native species, although invasive congeners are not necessarily competitively superior over native congeners, nor are alien dominants are better competitors than native dominants. We discuss how the outcomes of competition depend on a number of factors, such as the heterogeneous distribution of resources, the stage of the invasion process, as well as phenotypic plasticity and evolutionary adaptation, which may result in increased or decreased competitive ability in both invasive and native species. Competitive advantages of invasive species over natives are often transient and only important at the early stages of an invasion process. It remains unclear how important resource competition is relative to other mechanisms (competition avoidance via phenological differences, niche differentiation in space associated with phylogenetic distance, recruitment and dispersal limitation, indirect competition, and allelopathy). Finally, we identify the conceptual and methodological issues characterizing competition studies in plant invasions, and we discuss future research needs, including examination of resource competition dynamics and the impact of global environmental change on competitive interactions between invasive and native species.

Evaluation of the Removal of Indicator Bacteria from Domestic Sludge Processed by Autothermal Thermophilic Aerobic Digestion (ATAD)

PubMed Central

Piterina, Anna V.; Bartlett, John; Pembroke, Tony J.

2010-01-01

The degradation of sludge solids in an insulated reactor during Autothermal Thermophilic Aerobic Digestion (ATAD) processing results in auto-heating, thermal treatment and total solids reduction, however, the ability to eliminate pathogenic organisms has not been analysed under large scale process conditions. We evaluated the ATAD process over a period of one year in a two stage, full scale Irish ATAD plant established in Killarney and treating mixed primary and secondary sludge, by examining the sludge microbiologically at various stages during and following ATAD processing to determine its ability to eliminate indicator organisms. Salmonella spp. (pathogen) and fecal-coliform (indicator) densities were well below the limits used to validate class A biosolids in the final product. Enteric pathogens present at inlet were deactivated during the ATAD process and were not detected in the final product using both traditional microbial culture and molecular phylogenetic techniques. A high DNase activity was detected in the bulk sludge during the thermophilic digestion stage which may be responsible for the rapid turn over of DNA from lysed cells and the removal of mobile DNA. These results offer assurance for the safe use of ATAD sludge as a soil supplement following processing. PMID:20948933

Evaluation of the removal of indicator bacteria from domestic sludge processed by Autothermal Thermophilic Aerobic Digestion (ATAD).

PubMed

Piterina, Anna V; Bartlett, John; Pembroke, Tony J

2010-09-01

The degradation of sludge solids in an insulated reactor during Autothermal Thermophilic Aerobic Digestion (ATAD) processing results in auto-heating, thermal treatment and total solids reduction, however, the ability to eliminate pathogenic organisms has not been analysed under large scale process conditions. We evaluated the ATAD process over a period of one year in a two stage, full scale Irish ATAD plant established in Killarney and treating mixed primary and secondary sludge, by examining the sludge microbiologically at various stages during and following ATAD processing to determine its ability to eliminate indicator organisms. Salmonella spp. (pathogen) and fecal-coliform (indicator) densities were well below the limits used to validate class A biosolids in the final product. Enteric pathogens present at inlet were deactivated during the ATAD process and were not detected in the final product using both traditional microbial culture and molecular phylogenetic techniques. A high DNase activity was detected in the bulk sludge during the thermophilic digestion stage which may be responsible for the rapid turn over of DNA from lysed cells and the removal of mobile DNA. These results offer assurance for the safe use of ATAD sludge as a soil supplement following processing.

Ferns: the missing link in shoot evolution and development.

PubMed

Plackett, Andrew R G; Di Stilio, Verónica S; Langdale, Jane A

2015-01-01

Shoot development in land plants is a remarkably complex process that gives rise to an extreme diversity of forms. Our current understanding of shoot developmental mechanisms comes almost entirely from studies of angiosperms (flowering plants), the most recently diverged plant lineage. Shoot development in angiosperms is based around a layered multicellular apical meristem that produces lateral organs and/or secondary meristems from populations of founder cells at its periphery. In contrast, non-seed plant shoots develop from either single apical initials or from a small population of morphologically distinct apical cells. Although developmental and molecular information is becoming available for non-flowering plants, such as the model moss Physcomitrella patens, making valid comparisons between highly divergent lineages is extremely challenging. As sister group to the seed plants, the monilophytes (ferns and relatives) represent an excellent phylogenetic midpoint of comparison for unlocking the evolution of shoot developmental mechanisms, and recent technical advances have finally made transgenic analysis possible in the emerging model fern Ceratopteris richardii. This review compares and contrasts our current understanding of shoot development in different land plant lineages with the aim of highlighting the potential role that the fern C. richardii could play in shedding light on the evolution of underlying genetic regulatory mechanisms.

Water reduction in waste-activated sludge by resettling and filtration in batch. Phase (1): pilot-scale experiments to optimize performance.

PubMed

Trapote, Arturo; Jover, Margarita; Cartagena, Pablo; El Kaddouri, Marouane; Prats, Daniel

2014-08-01

This article describes an effective procedure for reducing the water content of excess sludge production from a wastewater treatment plant by increasing its concentration and, as a consequence, minimizing the volume of sludge to be managed. It consists of a pre-dewatering sludge process, which is used as a preliminary step or alternative to the thickening. It is made up of two discontinuous sequential stages: the first is resettling and the second, filtration through a porous medium. The process is strictly physical, without any chemical additives or electromechanical equipment intervening. The experiment was carried out in a pilot-scale system, consisting of a column of sedimentation that incorporates a filter medium. Different sludge heights were tested over the filter to verify the influence ofhydrostatic pressure on the various final concentrations of each stage. The results show that the initial sludge concentration may increase by more than 570% by the end of the process with the final volume of sludge being reduced in similar proportions and hydrostatic pressure having a limited effect on this final concentration. Moreover, the value of the hydrostatic pressure at which critical specific cake resistance is reached is established.

Physiological mechanisms to cope with Cr(VI) toxicity in lettuce: can lettuce be used in Cr phytoremediation?

PubMed

Dias, Maria Celeste; Moutinho-Pereira, José; Correia, Carlos; Monteiro, Cristina; Araújo, Márcia; Brüggemann, Wolfgang; Santos, Conceição

2016-08-01

This research aims at identifying the main deleterious effects of Cr(VI) on the photosynthetic apparatus and at selecting the most sensitive endpoints related to photosynthesis. To achieve this goal, we used lettuce (Lactuca sativa), a sensible ecotoxicological crop model. Three-week-old plants were exposed to 0, 50, 150 and 200 mg L(-1) of Cr(VI). These concentrations ranged from levels admitted in irrigation waters to values found in several Cr industry effluents and heavily contaminated environments. After 30 days of exposure, plants accumulated Cr preferably in roots and showed nutritional impairment, with decreases of K, Mg, Fe and Zn in both roots and leaves. Cr(VI)-exposed plants showed decreased levels of chlorophyll (Chl) a and anthocyanins, as well as decreased effective quantum yield of photostystem II (ΦPSII) and photochemical Chl fluorescence quenching (qp), but increases in the non-photochemical Chl fluorescence quenching (NPQ) and in the de-epoxidation state (DEP) of the xanthophyll cycle. Net CO2 assimilation rate (P N ) and RuBisCO activity were mostly impaired in the highest Cr(VI) concentration tested. Concerning the final products of photosynthesis, starch content was not affected, while soluble sugar contents increased. These alterations were accompanied by a reduction in protein content and in plant growth. Our results support that endpoints related to the photosynthesis photochemical processes (ΦPSII and the qp) and the content of anthocyanins are sensitive predictors of Cr(VI) toxicity. The advantages of using these parameters as biomarkers for Cr toxicity in plants are discussed. Finally, we report that, despite showing physiological disorders, L. sativa plants survived and accumulated high doses of Cr, and their use in environmental/decontamination studies is open to debate.

Biomarker-indicated extent of oxidation of plant-derived organic carbon (OC) in relation to geomorphology in an arsenic contaminated Holocene aquifer, Cambodia.

PubMed

Magnone, Daniel; Richards, Laura A; Polya, David A; Bryant, Charlotte; Jones, Merren; van Dongen, Bart E

2017-10-12

The poisoning of rural populations in South and Southeast Asia due to high groundwater arsenic concentrations is one of the world's largest ongoing natural disasters. It is important to consider environmental processes related to the release of geogenic arsenic, including geomorphological and organic geochemical processes. Arsenic is released from sediments when iron-oxide minerals, onto which arsenic is adsorbed or incorporated, react with organic carbon (OC) and the OC is oxidised. In this study we build a new geomorphological framework for Kandal Province, a highly studied arsenic affected region of Cambodia, and tie this into wider regional environmental change throughout the Holocene. Analyses shows that the concentration of OC in the sediments is strongly inversely correlated to grainsize. Furthermore, the type of OC is also related to grain size with the clay containing mostly (immature) plant derived OC and sand containing mostly thermally mature derived OC. Finally, analyses indicate that within the plant derived OC relative oxidation is strongly grouped by stratigraphy with the older bound OC more oxidised than younger OC.

Counteracting foaming caused by lipids or proteins in biogas reactors using rapeseed oil or oleic acid as antifoaming agents.

PubMed

Kougias, P G; Boe, K; Einarsdottir, E S; Angelidaki, I

2015-08-01

Foaming is one of the major operational problems in biogas plants, and dealing with foaming incidents is still based on empirical practices. Various types of antifoams are used arbitrarily to combat foaming in biogas plants, but without any scientific support this action can lead to serious deterioration of the methanogenic process. Many commercial antifoams are derivatives of fatty acids or oils. However, it is well known that lipids can induce foaming in manure based biogas plants. This study aimed to elucidate the effect of rapeseed oil and oleic acid on foam reduction and process performance in biogas reactors fed with protein or lipid rich substrates. The results showed that both antifoams efficiently suppressed foaming. Moreover rapeseed oil resulted in stimulation of the biogas production. Finally, it was reckoned that the chemical structure of lipids, and more specifically their carboxylic ends, is responsible for their foam promoting or foam counteracting behaviour. Thus, it was concluded that the fatty acids and oils could suppress foaming, while salt of fatty acids could generate foam. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Solar thermal repowering systems integration. Final report

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

Dubberly, L. J.; Gormely, J. E.; McKenzie, A. W.

1979-08-01

This report is a solar repowering integration analysis which defines the balance-of-plant characteristics and costs associated with the solar thermal repowering of existing gas/oil-fired electric generating plants. Solar repowering interface requirements for water/steam and salt or sodium-cooled central receivers are defined for unit sizes ranging from 50 MWe non-reheat to 350 MWe reheat. Finally balance-of-plant cost estimates are presented for each of six combinations of plant type, receiver type and percent solar repowering.

Research of interaction between technological and material parameters during densification of sunflower hulls

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Križan, Peter; Matúš, Miloš; Beniak, Juraj; Šooš, Ľubomír

2018-01-01

During the biomass densification can be recognized various technological variables and also material parameters which significantly influences the final solid biofuels (pellets) quality. In this paper, we will present the research findings concerning relationships between technological and material variables during densification of sunflower hulls. Sunflower hulls as an unused source is a typical product of agricultural industry in Slovakia and belongs to the group of herbaceous biomass. The main goal of presented experimental research is to determine the impact of compression pressure, compression temperature and material particle size distribution on final biofuels quality. Experimental research described in this paper was realized by single-axis densification, which was represented by experimental pressing stand. The impact of mentioned investigated variables on the final briquettes density and briquettes dilatation was determined. Mutual interactions of these variables on final briquettes quality are showing the importance of mentioned variables during the densification process. Impact of raw material particle size distribution on final biofuels quality was also proven by experimental research on semi-production pelleting plant.

Somatic Embryogenesis: Still a Relevant Technique in Citrus Improvement.

PubMed

Omar, Ahmad A; Dutt, Manjul; Gmitter, Frederick G; Grosser, Jude W

2016-01-01

The genus Citrus contains numerous fresh and processed fruit cultivars that are economically important worldwide. New cultivars are needed to battle industry threatening diseases and to create new marketing opportunities. Citrus improvement by conventional methods alone has many limitations that can be overcome by applications of emerging biotechnologies, generally requiring cell to plant regeneration. Many citrus genotypes are amenable to somatic embryogenesis, which became a key regeneration pathway in many experimental approaches to cultivar improvement. This chapter provides a brief history of plant somatic embryogenesis with focus on citrus, followed by a discussion of proven applications in biotechnology-facilitated citrus improvement techniques, such as somatic hybridization, somatic cybridization, genetic transformation, and the exploitation of somaclonal variation. Finally, two important new protocols that feature plant regeneration via somatic embryogenesis are provided: protoplast transformation and Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of embryogenic cell suspension cultures.

Cultivation and breeding of Chinese medicinal plants in Germany.

PubMed

Heuberger, Heidi; Bauer, Rudolf; Friedl, Fritz; Heubl, Günther; Hummelsberger, Josef; Nögel, Rainer; Seidenberger, Rebecca; Torres-Londoño, Paula

2010-12-01

Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) is increasingly used in Germany and Europe. Due to the need for herbal drugs of consistent quality and reliable supply, methods for commercial field cultivation and post-harvest processing under south German conditions have been developed for selected plant species used in CHM since 1999. The project used an interdisciplinary approach covering all aspects from seed sourcing to medicinal application. This paper describes the outcome of the agricultural seed and field experiments, breeding program, botanical and chemical characterization of the experimental material, comparison of experimental and imported herbal material with respect to their pharmaceutical quality, transfer of production methods and plant material to specialized farmers, medicinal application and, finally, information for users along the chain of distribution about the benefits of the locally produced herbal material. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Modeling of phytoextraction efficiency of microbially stimulated Salix dasyclados L. in the soils with different speciation of heavy metals.

PubMed

Złoch, Michał; Kowalkowski, Tomasz; Tyburski, Jarosław; Hrynkiewicz, Katarzyna

2017-12-02

Bioaugmentation of soils with selected microorganisms during phytoextraction can be the key solution for successful bioremediation and should be accurately calculated for different physicochemical soil properties and heavy metal availability to guarantee the universality of this method. Equally important is the development of an accurate prediction tool to manage phytoremediation process. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the role of three metallotolerant siderophore-producing Streptomyces sp. B1-B3 strains in the phytoremediation of heavy metals with the use of S. dasyclados L. growing in four metalliferrous soils as well as modeling the efficiency of this process based on physicochemical and microbiological properties of the soils using artificial neural network (ANN) analysis. The bacterial inoculation of plants significantly stimulated plant biomass and reduced oxidative stress. Moreover, the bacteria affected the speciation of heavy metals and finally their mobility, thereby enhancing the uptake and bioaccumulation of Zn, Cd, and Pb in the biomass. The best capacity for phytoextraction was noted for strain B1, which had the highest siderophore secretion ability. Finally, ANN model permitted to predict efficiency of phytoextraction based on both the physicochemical properties of the soils and the activity of the soil microbiota with high precision.

Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Signaling in Plant-Interacting Fungi: Distinct Messages from Conserved Messengers[W

PubMed Central

Hamel, Louis-Philippe; Nicole, Marie-Claude; Duplessis, Sébastien; Ellis, Brian E.

2012-01-01

Mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) are evolutionarily conserved proteins that function as key signal transduction components in fungi, plants, and mammals. During interaction between phytopathogenic fungi and plants, fungal MAPKs help to promote mechanical and/or enzymatic penetration of host tissues, while plant MAPKs are required for activation of plant immunity. However, new insights suggest that MAPK cascades in both organisms do not operate independently but that they mutually contribute to a highly interconnected molecular dialogue between the plant and the fungus. As a result, some pathogenesis-related processes controlled by fungal MAPKs lead to the activation of plant signaling, including the recruitment of plant MAPK cascades. Conversely, plant MAPKs promote defense mechanisms that threaten the survival of fungal cells, leading to a stress response mediated in part by fungal MAPK cascades. In this review, we make use of the genomic data available following completion of whole-genome sequencing projects to analyze the structure of MAPK protein families in 24 fungal taxa, including both plant pathogens and mycorrhizal symbionts. Based on conserved patterns of sequence diversification, we also propose the adoption of a unified fungal MAPK nomenclature derived from that established for the model species Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Finally, we summarize current knowledge of the functions of MAPK cascades in phytopathogenic fungi and highlight the central role played by MAPK signaling during the molecular dialogue between plants and invading fungal pathogens. PMID:22517321

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.

Diel plant water use and competitive soil cation exchange interact to enhance NH 4 + and K + availability in the rhizosphere

DOE PAGES

Espeleta, Javier F.; Cardon, Zoe G.; Mayer, K. Ulrich; ...

2016-11-12

Hydro-biogeochemical processes in the rhizosphere regulate nutrient and water availability, and thus ecosystem productivity. We hypothesized that two such processes often neglected in rhizosphere models — diel plant water use and competitive cation exchange — could interact to enhance availability of K + and NH 4 +, both high-demand nutrients. A rhizosphere model with competitive cation exchange was used to investigate how diel plant water use (i.e., daytime transpiration coupled with no nighttime water use, with nighttime root water release, and with nighttime transpiration) affects competitive ion interactions and availability of K + and NH 4 +. Competitive cation exchangemore » enabled lowdemand cations that accumulate against roots (Ca 2+, Mg 2+, Na +) to desorb NH 4 + and K + from soil, generating non-monotonic dissolved concentration profiles (i.e. ‘hotspots’ 0.1–1 cm from the root). Cation accumulation and competitive desorption increased with net root water uptake. Daytime transpiration rate controlled diel variation in NH 4 + and K + aqueous mass, nighttime water use controlled spatial locations of ‘hotspots’, and day-to-night differences in water use controlled diel differences in ‘hotspot’ concentrations. Finally, diel plant water use and competitive cation exchange enhanced NH 4 + and K + availability and influenced rhizosphere concentration dynamics. Demonstrated responses have implications for understanding rhizosphere nutrient cycling and plant nutrient uptake.« less

Endoreduplication and fruit growth in tomato: evidence in favour of the karyoplasmic ratio theory.

PubMed

Chevalier, Christian; Bourdon, Matthieu; Pirrello, Julien; Cheniclet, Catherine; Gévaudant, Frédéric; Frangne, Nathalie

2014-06-01

The growth of a plant organ depends upon the developmental processes of cell division and cell expansion. The activity of cell divisions sets the number of cells that will make up the organ; the cell expansion activity then determines its final size. Among the various mechanisms that may influence the determination of cell size, endopolyploidy by means of endoreduplication appears to be of great importance in plants. Endoreduplication is widespread in plants and supports the process of differentiation of cells and organs. Its functional role in plant cells is not fully understood, although it is commonly associated with ploidy-dependent cell expansion. During the development of tomato fruit, cells from the (fleshy) pericarp tissue become highly polyploid, reaching a DNA content barely encountered in other plant species (between 2C and 512C). Recent investigations using tomato fruit development as a model provided new data in favour of the long-standing karyoplasmic ratio theory, stating that cells tend to adjust their cytoplasmic volume to the nuclear DNA content. By establishing a highly structured cellular system where multiple physiological functions are integrated, endoreduplication does act as a morphogenetic factor supporting cell growth during tomato fruit development. © The Author 2013. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Experimental Biology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Respiration Traits as Novel Markers for Plant Robustness Under the Threat of Climate Change: A Protocol for Validation.

PubMed

Arnholdt-Schmitt, Birgit

2017-01-01

Respiration traits allow calculating temperature-dependent carbon use efficiency and prediction of growth rates. This protocol aims (1) to enable validation of respiration traits as non-DNA biomarkers for breeding on robust plants in support of sustainable and healthy plant production; (2) to provide an efficient, novel way to identify and predict functionality of DNA-based markers (genes, polymorphisms, edited genes, transgenes, genomes, and hologenomes), and (3) to directly help farmers select robust material appropriate for a specified region. The protocol is based on applying isothermal calorespirometry and consists of four steps: plant tissue preparation, calorespirometry measurements, data processing, and final validation through massive field-based data.The methodology can serve selection and improvement for a wide range of crops. Several of them are currently being tested in the author's lab. Among them are important cereals, such as wheat, barley, and rye, and diverse vegetables. However, it is critical that the protocol for measuring respiration traits be well adjusted to the plant species by considering deep knowledge on the specific physiology and functional cell biology behind the final target trait for production. Here, Daucus carota L. is chosen as an advanced example to demonstrate critical species-specific steps for protocol development. Carrot is an important global vegetable that is grown worldwide and in all climate regions (moderate, subtropical, and tropical). Recently, this species is also used in my lab as a model for studies on alternative oxidase (AOX) gene diversity and evolutionary dynamics in interaction with endophytes.

Grid-connected integrated community energy system. Phase II, Stage 2, final report. Preliminary design pyrolysis facility. [Andco-Torrax system

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

Not Available

The University of Minnesota is studying and planning a grid connected integrated community energy system to include disposal of wastes from health centers and utilizing the heat generated. The University of Minnesota has purchased the so called Southeast Generating Station from the Northern States Power Company. This plant contains two coal-fired boilers that will be retrofitted to burn low-sulfur Montana coal. Building modifications and additions will be made to support the components of the Andco-Torrax system and integrate the system with the rest of the plant. The Andco-Torrax system is a new high-temperature refuse-conversion process known technically as slagging pyrolysis.more » Although the pyrolysis of solid waste is a relatively new innovation, pyrolysis processes have been used for years by industry. This report covers the preliminary design and operation of the system. (MCW)« less

A kinetic model of municipal sludge degradation during non-catalytic wet oxidation.

PubMed

Prince-Pike, Arrian; Wilson, David I; Baroutian, Saeid; Andrews, John; Gapes, Daniel J

2015-12-15

Wet oxidation is a successful process for the treatment of municipal sludge. In addition, the resulting effluent from wet oxidation is a useful carbon source for subsequent biological nutrient removal processes in wastewater treatment. Owing to limitations with current kinetic models, this study produced a kinetic model which predicts the concentrations of key intermediate components during wet oxidation. The model was regressed from lab-scale experiments and then subsequently validated using data from a wet oxidation pilot plant. The model was shown to be accurate in predicting the concentrations of each component, and produced good results when applied to a plant 500 times larger in size. A statistical study was undertaken to investigate the validity of the regressed model parameters. Finally the usefulness of the model was demonstrated by suggesting optimum operating conditions such that volatile fatty acids were maximised. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Smart Screening System (S3) In Taconite Processing

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

Daryoush Allaei; Ryan Wartman; David Tarnowski

2006-03-01

The conventional screening machines used in processing plants have had undesirable high noise and vibration levels. They also have had unsatisfactorily low screening efficiency, high energy consumption, high maintenance cost, low productivity, and poor worker safety. These conventional vibrating machines have been used in almost every processing plant. Most of the current material separation technology uses heavy and inefficient electric motors with an unbalanced rotating mass to generate the shaking. In addition to being excessively noisy, inefficient, and high-maintenance, these vibrating machines are often the bottleneck in the entire process. Furthermore, these motors, along with the vibrating machines and supportingmore » structure, shake other machines and structures in the vicinity. The latter increases maintenance costs while reducing worker health and safety. The conventional vibrating fine screens at taconite processing plants have had the same problems as those listed above. This has resulted in lower screening efficiency, higher energy and maintenance cost, and lower productivity and workers safety concerns. The focus of this work is on the design of a high performance screening machine suitable for taconite processing plants. SmartScreens{trademark} technology uses miniaturized motors, based on smart materials, to generate the shaking. The underlying technologies are Energy Flow Control{trademark} and Vibration Control by Confinement{trademark}. These concepts are used to direct energy flow and confine energy efficiently and effectively to the screen function. The SmartScreens{trademark} technology addresses problems related to noise and vibration, screening efficiency, productivity, and maintenance cost and worker safety. Successful development of SmartScreens{trademark} technology will bring drastic changes to the screening and physical separation industry. The final designs for key components of the SmartScreens{trademark} have been developed. The key components include smart motor and associated electronics, resonators, and supporting structural elements. It is shown that the smart motors have an acceptable life and performance. Resonator (or motion amplifier) designs are selected based on the final system requirement and vibration characteristics. All the components for a fully functional prototype are fabricated. The development program is on schedule. The last semi-annual report described the completion of the design refinement phase. This phase resulted in a Smart Screen design that meets performance targets both in the dry condition and with taconite slurry flow using PZT motors. This system was successfully demonstrated for the DOE and partner companies at the Coleraine Mineral Research Laboratory in Coleraine, Minnesota. Since then, the fabrication of the dry application prototype (incorporating an electromagnetic drive mechanism and a new deblinding concept) has been completed and successfully tested at QRDC's lab.« less

Proposed plan for final 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

2003-08-06

This Proposed Plan (PP) presents the preferred alternative for addressing contaminated groundwater and springs at the Chemical Plant area of the Weldon Spring site, in Weldon Spring, Missouri. The site is located about 30 mi west of St. Louis, in St. Charles County (Figure 1). This proposed action constitutes the final remedial action for the Weldon Spring site. The residual contamination in groundwater and springs at the Chemical Plant area is the only remaining contamination that needs to be addressed for the site. All other contamination has been addressed by previous remedial actions. After this remedial action is implemented, long-termmore » surveillance and maintenance activities will maintain the effectiveness of all remedial actions conducted at the Weldon Spring site, including this final remedial action for groundwater and springs that is being proposed in this plan. DOE complies with the requirements of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) in conducting remedial activities at the site. National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) values have been incorporated into the CERCLA process; that is, the analysis conducted and presented in the remedial investigation/feasibility study (RI/FS) reports included an evaluation of environmental impacts that is comparable to that performed under NEPA. This PP is required under CERCLA to (1) notify the public and present a brief analysis of the remedial action alternatives, (2) identify and present the rationale for the preferred remedial action alternative identified in the PP, (3) summarize key information from the RI/FS evaluations, including the Baseline Risk Assessment (BRA), and (4) inform the public of its role in the remedy selection process and give the public the opportunity to participate in the process. Remediation activities at the Weldon Spring site have been coordinated with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (MDNR). The EPA has overall oversight and approval authority, with consultation provided by the MDNR. A range of alternatives was considered in identifying the preferred alternative. The alternatives were developed after careful analysis of geological, environmental, and human health and ecological risk data and an evaluation of the effectiveness, implementability, and cost of the various technologies available for groundwater remediation at the Chemical Plant area. Monitored natural attenuation (MNA) coupled with institutional controls (ICs) and contingency activities has been selected as the preferred alternative.« less

Robotics in a controlled, ecological life support system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miles, Gaines E.; Krom, Kimberly J.

1993-01-01

Controlled, Ecological Life Support Systems (CELSS) that utilize plants to provide food, water and oxygen could consume considerable amounts of labor unless crop production, recovery and processing are automated. Robotic manipulators equipped with special end-effectors and programmed to perform the sensing and materials handling tasks would minimize the amount of astronaut labor required. The Human Rated Test Facility (HRTF) planned for Johnson Space Center could discover and demonstrate techniques of crop production which can be reliably integrated with machinery to minimize labor requirements. Before the physical components (shelves, lighting fixtures, etc.) can be selected, a systems analysis must be performed to determine which alternative processes should be followed and how the materials handling tasks should be automated. Given that the current procedures used to grow crops in a CELSS may not be the best methods to automate, then what are the alternatives? How may plants be grown, harvested, processed for food, and the inedible components recycled? What commercial technologies current exist? What research efforts are underway to develop new technologies which might satisfy the need for automation in a CELSS? The answers to these questions should prove enlightening and provide some of the information necessary to perform the systems analysis. The planting, culturing, gathering, threshing and separation, food processing, and recovery of inedible portions of wheat were studied. The basic biological and materials handling processes of each task are defined and discussed. Current practices at Johnson Space Center and other NASA centers are described and compared to common production practices in the plant production industry. Technologies currently being researched which might be applicable are identified and illustrated. Finally, based on this knowledge, several scenarios are proposed for automating the tasks for wheat.

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.

Evaluation of gasification and novel thermal processes for the treatment of municipal solid waste

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

Niessen, W.R.; Marks, C.H.; Sommerlad, R.E.

1996-08-01

This report identifies seven developers whose gasification technologies can be used to treat the organic constituents of municipal solid waste: Energy Products of Idaho; TPS Termiska Processor AB; Proler International Corporation; Thermoselect Inc.; Battelle; Pedco Incorporated; and ThermoChem, Incorporated. Their processes recover heat directly, produce a fuel product, or produce a feedstock for chemical processes. The technologies are on the brink of commercial availability. This report evaluates, for each technology, several kinds of issues. Technical considerations were material balance, energy balance, plant thermal efficiency, and effect of feedstock contaminants. Environmental considerations were the regulatory context, and such things as composition,more » mass rate, and treatability of pollutants. Business issues were related to likelihood of commercialization. Finally, cost and economic issues such as capital and operating costs, and the refuse-derived fuel preparation and energy c onversion costs, were considered. The final section of the report reviews and summarizes the information gathered during the study.« less

Efficacy, safety, quality control, marketing and regulatory guidelines for herbal medicines (phytotherapeutic agents).

PubMed

Calixto, J B

2000-02-01

This review highlights the current advances in knowledge about the safety, efficacy, quality control, marketing and regulatory aspects of botanical medicines. Phytotherapeutic agents are standardized herbal preparations consisting of complex mixtures of one or more plants which contain as active ingredients plant parts or plant material in the crude or processed state. A marked growth in the worldwide phytotherapeutic market has occurred over the last 15 years. For the European and USA markets alone, this will reach about $7 billion and $5 billion per annum, respectively, in 1999, and has thus attracted the interest of most large pharmaceutical companies. Insufficient data exist for most plants to guarantee their quality, efficacy and safety. The idea that herbal drugs are safe and free from side effects is false. Plants contain hundreds of constituents and some of them are very toxic, such as the most cytotoxic anti-cancer plant-derived drugs, digitalis and the pyrrolizidine alkaloids, etc. However, the adverse effects of phytotherapeutic agents are less frequent compared with synthetic drugs, but well-controlled clinical trials have now confirmed that such effects really exist. Several regulatory models for herbal medicines are currently available including prescription drugs, over-the-counter substances, traditional medicines and dietary supplements. Harmonization and improvement in the processes of regulation is needed, and the general tendency is to perpetuate the German Commission E experience, which combines scientific studies and traditional knowledge (monographs). Finally, the trend in the domestication, production and biotechnological studies and genetic improvement of medicinal plants, instead of the use of plants harvested in the wild, will offer great advantages, since it will be possible to obtain uniform and high quality raw materials which are fundamental to the efficacy and safety of herbal drugs.

Through the eye of the needle: a review of isotope approaches to quantify microbial processes mediating soil carbon balance.

PubMed

Paterson, Eric; Midwood, Andrew J; Millard, Peter

2009-01-01

For soils in carbon balance, losses of soil carbon from biological activity are balanced by organic inputs from vegetation. Perturbations, such as climate or land use change, have the potential to disrupt this balance and alter soil-atmosphere carbon exchanges. As the quantification of soil organic matter stocks is an insensitive means of detecting changes, certainly over short timescales, there is a need to apply methods that facilitate a quantitative understanding of the biological processes underlying soil carbon balance. We outline the processes by which plant carbon enters the soil and critically evaluate isotopic methods to quantify them. Then, we consider the balancing CO(2) flux from soil and detail the importance of partitioning the sources of this flux into those from recent plant assimilate and those from native soil organic matter. Finally, we consider the interactions between the inputs of carbon to soil and the losses from soil mediated by biological activity. We emphasize the key functional role of the microbiota in the concurrent processing of carbon from recent plant inputs and native soil organic matter. We conclude that quantitative isotope labelling and partitioning methods, coupled to those for the quantification of microbial community substrate use, offer the potential to resolve the functioning of the microbial control point of soil carbon balance in unprecedented detail.

Treatment of olefin plant spent caustic by combination of neutralization and Fenton reaction.

PubMed

Sheu, S H; Weng, H S

2001-06-01

Spent caustic from olefin plants contains much H2S and some mercaptans, phenols and oil. A new treatment process of spent caustic by neutralization followed by oxidation with Fenton's reagent (Fe2+/H2O2) was successfully developed. Over 90% of dissolved H2S were converted to gas phase by neutralization at pH = 5 and T = 70 degrees, and the vent gas stream could be introduced to sulfur recovery plant. The neutralized liquid was oxidized with OH. free radical, which was provided by a Fenton's reagent. The residual sulfides in the neutralized spent caustic were oxidized to less than 0.1 mg/L. The total COD removal of spent caustic is over 99.5% and the final COD value of the effluent can be lower than 100 mg/L under the following oxidation conditions: reaction time = 50 min, T = 90 degrees, Fe2+ = 100 mg/L, and a stoichiometric H2O2/COD = 1.1. The value is better than the 800 mg/L value obtained by common WAO process. The optimum pH of the Fenton reaction is around 2 for this process, and the oxidation step can maintain a pH value in the range of 1.8-2.4. Moreover, the iron catalyst can be recycled without affecting process effectiveness thus preventing secondary pollution.

Cold Test Operation of the German VEK Vitrification Plant

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

Fleisch, J.; Schwaab, E.; Weishaupt, M.

2008-07-01

In 2007 the German High-Level Liquid Waste (HLLW) Vitrification plant VEK (Verglasungseinrichtung Karlsruhe) has passed a three months integral cold test operation as final step before entering the hot phase. The overall performance of the vitrification process equipment with a liquid-fed ceramic glass melter as main component proved to be completely in line with the requirements of the regulatory body. The retention efficiency of main radioactive-bearing elements across melter and wet off-gas treatment system exceeded the design values distinctly. The strategy to produce a specified waste glass could be successfully demonstrated. The results of the cold test operation allow enteringmore » the next step of hot commissioning, i.e. processing of approximately 2 m{sup 3} of diluted HLLW. In summary: An important step of the VEK vitrification plant towards hot operation has been the performance of the cold test operation from April to July 2007. This first integral operation was carried out under boundary conditions and rules established for radioactive operation. Operation and process control were carried out following the procedure as documented in the licensed operational manuals. The function of the process technology and the safe operation could be demonstrated. No severe problems were encountered. Based on the positive results of the cold test, application of the license for hot operation has been initiated and is expected in the near future. (authors)« less

Mechanisms and strategies of plant defense against Botrytis cinerea.

PubMed

AbuQamar, Synan; Moustafa, Khaled; Tran, Lam Son

2017-03-01

Biotic factors affect plant immune responses and plant resistance to pathogen infections. Despite the considerable progress made over the past two decades in manipulating genes, proteins and their levels from diverse sources, no complete genetic tolerance to environmental stresses has been developed so far in any crops. Plant defense response to pathogens, including Botrytis cinerea, is a complex biological process involving various changes at the biochemical, molecular (i.e. transcriptional) and physiological levels. Once a pathogen is detected, effective plant resistance activates signaling networks through the generation of small signaling molecules and the balance of hormonal signaling pathways to initiate defense mechanisms to the particular pathogen. Recently, studies using Arabidopsis thaliana and crop plants have shown that many genes are involved in plant responses to B. cinerea infection. In this article, we will review our current understanding of mechanisms regulating plant responses to B. cinerea with a particular interest on hormonal regulatory networks involving phytohormones salicylic acid (SA), jasmonic acid (JA), ethylene (ET) and abscisic acid (ABA). We will also highlight some potential gene targets that are promising for improving crop resistance to B. cinerea through genetic engineering and breeding programs. Finally, the role of biological control as a complementary and alternative disease management will be overviewed.

Aromatic metabolism of filamentous fungi in relation to the presence of aromatic compounds in plant biomass.

PubMed

Mäkelä, Miia R; Marinović, Mila; Nousiainen, Paula; Liwanag, April J M; Benoit, Isabelle; Sipilä, Jussi; Hatakka, Annele; de Vries, Ronald P; Hildén, Kristiina S

2015-01-01

The biological conversion of plant lignocellulose plays an essential role not only in carbon cycling in terrestrial ecosystems but also is an important part of the production of second generation biofuels and biochemicals. The presence of the recalcitrant aromatic polymer lignin is one of the major obstacles in the biofuel/biochemical production process and therefore microbial degradation of lignin is receiving a great deal of attention. Fungi are the main degraders of plant biomass, and in particular the basidiomycete white rot fungi are of major importance in converting plant aromatics due to their ability to degrade lignin. However, the aromatic monomers that are released from lignin and other aromatic compounds of plant biomass are toxic for most fungi already at low levels, and therefore conversion of these compounds to less toxic metabolites is essential for fungi. Although the release of aromatic compounds from plant biomass by fungi has been studied extensively, relatively little attention has been given to the metabolic pathways that convert the resulting aromatic monomers. In this review we provide an overview of the aromatic components of plant biomass, and their release and conversion by fungi. Finally, we will summarize the applications of fungal systems related to plant aromatics. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Stressor Identification (Si) at Contaminated Sites: Upper Arkansas River, Colorado (Final)

EPA Science Inventory

EPA announced the availability of the final report, Stressor Identification (SI) at Contaminated Sites: Upper Arkansas River, Colorado. This report describes a causal assessment for impairments of plant growth and plant species richness at a terrestrial contaminated site ...

Hydrothermal Liquefaction and Upgrading of Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant Sludge: A Preliminary Techno-Economic Analysis, Rev.1

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

Snowden-Swan, Lesley J.; Zhu, Yunhua; Jones, Susanne B.

A preliminary process model and techno-economic analysis (TEA) was completed for fuel produced from hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) of sludge waste from a municipal wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) and subsequent biocrude upgrading. The model is adapted from previous work by Jones et al. (2014) for algae HTL, using experimental data generated in fiscal year 2015 (FY15) bench-scale HTL testing of sludge waste streams. Testing was performed on sludge samples received from Metro Vancouver’s Annacis Island WWTP (Vancouver, B.C.) as part of a collaborative project with the Water Environment and Reuse Foundation (WERF). The full set of sludge HTL testing data frommore » this effort will be documented in a separate report to be issued by WERF. This analysis is based on limited testing data and therefore should be considered preliminary. In addition, the testing was conducted with the goal of successful operation, and therefore does not represent an optimized process. Future refinements are necessary to improve the robustness of the model, including a cross-check of modeled biocrude components with the experimental GCMS data and investigation of equipment costs most appropriate at the relatively small scales used here. Environmental sustainability metrics analysis is also needed to understand the broader impact of this technology pathway. The base case scenario for the analysis consists of 10 HTL plants, each processing 100 dry U.S. ton/day (92.4 ton/day on a dry, ash-free basis) of sludge waste and producing 234 barrel per stream day (BPSD) biocrude, feeding into a centralized biocrude upgrading facility that produces 2,020 barrel per standard day of final fuel. This scale was chosen based upon initial wastewater treatment plant data collected by PNNL’s resource assessment team from the EPA’s Clean Watersheds Needs Survey database (EPA 2015a) and a rough estimate of what the potential sludge availability might be within a 100-mile radius. In addition, we received valuable feedback from the wastewater treatment industry as part of the WERF collaboration that helped form the basis for the selected HTL and upgrading plant scales and feedstock credit (current cost of disposal). It is assumed that the sludge is currently disposed of at $16.20/wet ton ($46/dry ton at 35% solids; $50/ton dry, ash-free basis) and this is included as a feedstock credit in the operating costs. The base case assumptions result in a minimum biocrude selling price of $3.8/gge and a minimum final upgraded fuel selling price of $4.9/gge. Several areas of process improvement and refinements to the analysis have the potential to significantly improve economics relative to the base case: •Optimization of HTL sludge feed solids content •Optimization of HTL biocrude yield •Optimization of HTL reactor liquid hourly space velocity (LHSV) •Optimization of fuel yield from hydrotreating •Combined large and small HTL scales specific to regions (e.g., metropolitan and suburban plants) Combined improvements believed to be achievable in these areas can potentially reduce the minimum selling price of biocrude and final upgraded fuel by about 50%. Further improvements may be possible through recovery of higher value components from the HTL aqueous phase, as being investigated under separate PNNL projects. Upgrading the biocrude at an existing petroleum refinery could also reduce the MFSP, although this option requires further testing to ensure compatibility and mitigation of risks to a refinery. And finally, recycling the HTL aqueous phase product stream back to the headworks of the WWTP (with no catalytic hydrothermal gasification treatment) can significantly reduce cost. This option is uniquely appropriate for application at a water treatment facility but also requires further investigation to determine any technical and economic challenges related to the extra chemical oxygen demand (COD) associated with the recycled water.« less

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

Espeleta, Javier F.; Cardon, Zoe G.; Mayer, K. Ulrich

Hydro-biogeochemical processes in the rhizosphere regulate nutrient and water availability, and thus ecosystem productivity. We hypothesized that two such processes often neglected in rhizosphere models — diel plant water use and competitive cation exchange — could interact to enhance availability of K + and NH 4 +, both high-demand nutrients. A rhizosphere model with competitive cation exchange was used to investigate how diel plant water use (i.e., daytime transpiration coupled with no nighttime water use, with nighttime root water release, and with nighttime transpiration) affects competitive ion interactions and availability of K + and NH 4 +. Competitive cation exchangemore » enabled lowdemand cations that accumulate against roots (Ca 2+, Mg 2+, Na +) to desorb NH 4 + and K + from soil, generating non-monotonic dissolved concentration profiles (i.e. ‘hotspots’ 0.1–1 cm from the root). Cation accumulation and competitive desorption increased with net root water uptake. Daytime transpiration rate controlled diel variation in NH 4 + and K + aqueous mass, nighttime water use controlled spatial locations of ‘hotspots’, and day-to-night differences in water use controlled diel differences in ‘hotspot’ concentrations. Finally, diel plant water use and competitive cation exchange enhanced NH 4 + and K + availability and influenced rhizosphere concentration dynamics. Demonstrated responses have implications for understanding rhizosphere nutrient cycling and plant nutrient uptake.« less

The dynamics of gas bubbles in conduits of vascular plants and implications for embolism repair.

PubMed

Konrad, W; Roth-Nebelsick, A

2003-09-07

Pressure-induced tensions in the xylem, the water conducting tissue of vascular plants, can lead to embolism in the water-conducting cells. The details and mechanisms of embolism repair in vascular plants are still not well understood. In particular, experimental results which indicate that embolism repair may occur during xylem tension cause great problems with respect to current paradigms of plant water transport. The present paper deals with a theoretical analysis of interfacial effects at the pits (pores in the conduit walls), because it was suggested that gas-water interfaces at the pit pores may be involved in the repair process by hydraulically isolating the embolized conduit. The temporal behaviour of bubbles at the pit pores was especially studied since the question of whether these pit bubbles are able to persist is of crucial importance for the suggested mechanism to work. The results indicate that (1) the physical preconditions which are necessary for the suggested mechanism appear to be satisfied, (2) pit bubbles can achieve temporal stability and therefore persist and (3) dissolving of bubbles in the conduit lumen may lead to the final breakdown of the hydraulic isolation. The whole process is, however, complex and strongly dependent on the detailed anatomy of the pit and the contact angle.

A unique invertase is important for sugar absorption of an obligate biotrophic pathogen during infection.

PubMed

Chang, Qing; Liu, Jie; Lin, Xiaohong; Hu, Shoujun; Yang, Yang; Li, Dan; Chen, Liyang; Huai, Baoyu; Huang, Lili; Voegele, Ralf T; Kang, Zhensheng

2017-09-01

An increased invertase activity in infected plant tissue has been observed in many plant-pathogen interactions. However, the origin of this increased invertase activity (plant and/or pathogen) is still under debate. In addition, the role of pathogen invertases in the infection process is also unclear. We identified and cloned a gene with homology to invertases from Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici (Pst). Transcript levels of PsINV were analyzed by quantitative reverse transcription PCR in both compatible and incompatible Pst-wheat interactions . Function of the gene product was confirmed by heterologous expression, and its function in Pst infection was analyzed by host-induced gene silencing (HIGS). Pst abundantly secretes invertase during its invasion attempts whether in a compatible or incompatible interaction with wheat. Further research into the different domains of this protein indicated that the rust-specific sequence contributes to a higher efficiency of sucrose hydrolysis. With PsINV silenced by HIGS during the infection process, growth of Pst is inhibited and conidial fructification incomplete. Finally, pathogenicity of Pst is impaired and spore yield significantly reduced. Our results clearly demonstrate that this Pst invertase plays a pivotal role in this plant-pathogen interaction probably by boosting sucrose hydrolysis to secure the pathogen's sugar absorption. © 2017 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2017 New Phytologist Trust.

Revisiting the Holy Grail: using plant functional traits to understand ecological processes.

PubMed

Funk, Jennifer L; Larson, Julie E; Ames, Gregory M; Butterfield, Bradley J; Cavender-Bares, Jeannine; Firn, Jennifer; Laughlin, Daniel C; Sutton-Grier, Ariana E; Williams, Laura; Wright, Justin

2017-05-01

One of ecology's grand challenges is developing general rules to explain and predict highly complex systems. Understanding and predicting ecological processes from species' traits has been considered a 'Holy Grail' in ecology. Plant functional traits are increasingly being used to develop mechanistic models that can predict how ecological communities will respond to abiotic and biotic perturbations and how species will affect ecosystem function and services in a rapidly changing world; however, significant challenges remain. In this review, we highlight recent work and outstanding questions in three areas: (i) selecting relevant traits; (ii) describing intraspecific trait variation and incorporating this variation into models; and (iii) scaling trait data to community- and ecosystem-level processes. Over the past decade, there have been significant advances in the characterization of plant strategies based on traits and trait relationships, and the integration of traits into multivariate indices and models of community and ecosystem function. However, the utility of trait-based approaches in ecology will benefit from efforts that demonstrate how these traits and indices influence organismal, community, and ecosystem processes across vegetation types, which may be achieved through meta-analysis and enhancement of trait databases. Additionally, intraspecific trait variation and species interactions need to be incorporated into predictive models using tools such as Bayesian hierarchical modelling. Finally, existing models linking traits to community and ecosystem processes need to be empirically tested for their applicability to be realized. © 2016 Cambridge Philosophical Society.

Contamination Revealed by Indicator Microorganism Levels during Veal Processing.

PubMed

Bosilevac, Joseph M; Wang, Rong; Luedtke, Brandon E; Wheeler, Tommy L; Koohmaraie, Mohammad

2016-08-01

During site visits of veal processors, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) has reported processing deficiencies that likely contribute to increased levels of veal contamination. Here, we report the results of measuring aerobic plate count bacteria (APC), Enterobacteriaceae, coliforms (CF), and Escherichia coli during eight sample collections at five veal processors to assess contamination during the harvest of bob veal and formula-fed veal before (n = 5 plants) and after (n = 3 plants) changes to interventions and processing practices. Hides of veal calves at each plant had mean log CFU/100 cm(2) APC, Enterobacteriaceae, CF, and E. coli of 6.02 to 8.07, 2.95 to 5.24, 3.28 to 5.83, and 3.08 to 5.59, respectively. Preintervention carcasses had mean log CFU/100 cm(2) APC, Enterobacteriaceae, CF, and E. coli of 3.08 to 5.22, 1.16 to 3.47, 0.21 to 3.06, and -0.07 to 3.10, respectively, before and 2.72 to 4.50, 0.99 to 2.76, 0.69 to 2.26, and 0.33 to 2.12, respectively, after changes were made to improve sanitary dressing procedures. Final veal carcasses had mean log CFU/100 cm(2) APC, Enterobacteriaceae, CF, and E. coli of 0.36 to 2.84, -0.21 to 1.59, -0.23 to 1.59, and -0.38 to 1.45 before and 0.44 to 2.64, -0.16 to 1.33, -0.42 to 1.20, and 0.48 to 1.09 after changes were made to improve carcass-directed interventions. Whereas the improved dressing procedures resulted in improved carcass cleanliness, the changes to carcass-directed interventions were less successful, and veal processors are urged to use techniques that ensure uniform and consistent delivery of antimicrobials to carcasses. Analysis of results comparing bob veal to formula-fed veal found bob veal hides, preintervention carcasses, and final carcasses to have increased (P < 0.05) APC, Enterobacteriaceae, CF, and E. coli (with the exception of hide Enterobacteriaceae; P > 0.05) relative to formula fed veal. When both veal categories were harvested at the same plant on the same day, similar results were observed. Since identification by FSIS, the control of contamination during veal processing has started to improve, but challenges still persist.

Identifying Plant Part Composition of Forest Logging Residue Using Infrared Spectral Data and Linear Discriminant Analysis

PubMed Central

Acquah, Gifty E.; Via, Brian K.; Billor, Nedret; Fasina, Oladiran O.; Eckhardt, Lori G.

2016-01-01

As new markets, technologies and economies evolve in the low carbon bioeconomy, forest logging residue, a largely untapped renewable resource will play a vital role. The feedstock can however be variable depending on plant species and plant part component. This heterogeneity can influence the physical, chemical and thermochemical properties of the material, and thus the final yield and quality of products. Although it is challenging to control compositional variability of a batch of feedstock, it is feasible to monitor this heterogeneity and make the necessary changes in process parameters. Such a system will be a first step towards optimization, quality assurance and cost-effectiveness of processes in the emerging biofuel/chemical industry. The objective of this study was therefore to qualitatively classify forest logging residue made up of different plant parts using both near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIRS) together with linear discriminant analysis (LDA). Forest logging residue harvested from several Pinus taeda (loblolly pine) plantations in Alabama, USA, were classified into three plant part components: clean wood, wood and bark and slash (i.e., limbs and foliage). Five-fold cross-validated linear discriminant functions had classification accuracies of over 96% for both NIRS and FTIRS based models. An extra factor/principal component (PC) was however needed to achieve this in FTIRS modeling. Analysis of factor loadings of both NIR and FTIR spectra showed that, the statistically different amount of cellulose in the three plant part components of logging residue contributed to their initial separation. This study demonstrated that NIR or FTIR spectroscopy coupled with PCA and LDA has the potential to be used as a high throughput tool in classifying the plant part makeup of a batch of forest logging residue feedstock. Thus, NIR/FTIR could be employed as a tool to rapidly probe/monitor the variability of forest biomass so that the appropriate online adjustments to parameters can be made in time to ensure process optimization and product quality. PMID:27618901

Engineering and economic analysis for the utilization of geothermal fluids in a cane sugar processing plant. Final report

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

Humme, J.T.; Tanaka, M.T.; Yokota, M.H.

1979-07-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the feasibility of geothermal resource utilization at the Puna Sugar Company cane sugar processing plant, located in Keaau, Hawaii. A proposed well site area was selected based on data from surface exploratory surveys. The liquid dominated well flow enters a binary thermal arrangement, which results in an acceptable quality steam for process use. Hydrogen sulfide in the well gases is incinerated, leaving sulfur dioxide in the waste gases. The sulfur dioxide in turn is recovered and used in the cane juice processing at the sugar factory. The clean geothermal steam from themore » binary system can be used directly for process requirements. It replaces steam generated by the firing of the waste fibrous product from cane sugar processing. The waste product, called bagasse, has a number of alternative uses, but an evaluation clearly indicated it should continue to be employed for steam generation. This steam, no longer required for process demands, can be directed to increased electric power generation. Revenues gained by the sale of this power to the utility, in addition to other savings developed through the utilization of geothermal energy, can offset the costs associated with hydrothermal utilization.« less

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

Thomas, Kenneth; Oxstrand, Johanna

The Digital Architecture effort is a part of the Department of Energy (DOE) sponsored Light-Water Reactor Sustainability (LWRS) Program conducted at Idaho National Laboratory (INL). The LWRS program is performed in close collaboration with industry research and development (R&D) programs that provides the technical foundations for licensing and managing the long-term, safe, and economical operation of current nuclear power plants (NPPs). One of the primary missions of the LWRS program is to help the U.S. nuclear industry adopt new technologies and engineering solutions that facilitate the continued safe operation of the plants and extension of the current operating licenses. Therefore,more » a major objective of the LWRS program is the development of a seamless digital environment for plant operations and support by integrating information from plant systems with plant processes for nuclear workers through an array of interconnected technologies. In order to get the most benefits of the advanced technology suggested by the different research activities in the LWRS program, the nuclear utilities need a digital architecture in place to support the technology. A digital architecture can be defined as a collection of information technology (IT) capabilities needed to support and integrate a wide-spectrum of real-time digital capabilities for nuclear power plant performance improvements. It is not hard to imagine that many processes within the plant can be largely improved from both a system and human performance perspective by utilizing a plant wide (or near plant wide) wireless network. For example, a plant wide wireless network allows for real time plant status information to easily be accessed in the control room, field workers’ computer-based procedures can be updated based on the real time plant status, and status on ongoing procedures can be incorporated into smart schedules in the outage command center to allow for more accurate planning of critical tasks. The goal of the digital architecture project is to provide a long-term strategy to integrate plant systems, plant processes, and plant workers. This include technologies to improve nuclear worker efficiency and human performance; to offset a range of plant surveillance and testing activities with new on-line monitoring technologies; improve command, control, and collaboration in settings such as outage control centers and work execution centers; and finally to improve operator performance with new operator aid technologies for the control room. The requirements identified through the activities in the Digital Architecture project will be used to estimate the amount of traffic on the network and hence estimating the minimal bandwidth needed.« less

Co-composting of palm oil mill sludge-sawdust.

PubMed

Yaser, Abu Zahrim; Abd Rahman, Rakmi; Kalil, Mohd Sahaid

2007-12-15

Composting of Palm Oil Mill Sludge (POMS) with sawdust was conducted in natural aerated reactor. Composting using natural aerated reactor is cheap and simple. The goal of this study is to observe the potential of composting process and utilizing compost as media for growing Cymbopogun citratus, one of Malaysia herbal plant. The highest maximum temperature achieved is about 40 degrees C and to increase temperature bed, more biodegradable substrate needs to be added. The pH value decrease along the process with final pH compost is acidic (pH 5.7). The highest maximum organic losses are about 50% with final C/N ratio of the compost is about 19. Final compost also showed some fertilizing value but need to be adjusted to obtain an ideal substrate. Addition of about 70% sandy soil causes highest yield and excellent root development for C. citratus in potted media. Beside that, compost from POMS-sawdust also found to have fertilizer value and easy to handle. Composting of POMS with sawdust shows potential as an alternative treatment to dispose and recycle waste components.

A dynamical systems model for nuclear power plant risk

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hess, Stephen Michael

The recent transition to an open access generation marketplace has forced nuclear plant operators to become much more cost conscious and focused on plant performance. Coincidentally, the regulatory perspective also is in a state of transition from a command and control framework to one that is risk-informed and performance-based. Due to these structural changes in the economics and regulatory system associated with commercial nuclear power plant operation, there is an increased need for plant management to explicitly manage nuclear safety risk. Application of probabilistic risk assessment techniques to model plant hardware has provided a significant contribution to understanding the potential initiating events and equipment failures that can lead to core damage accidents. Application of the lessons learned from these analyses has supported improved plant operation and safety over the previous decade. However, this analytical approach has not been nearly as successful in addressing the impact of plant processes and management effectiveness on the risks of plant operation. Thus, the research described in this dissertation presents a different approach to address this issue. Here we propose a dynamical model that describes the interaction of important plant processes among themselves and their overall impact on nuclear safety risk. We first provide a review of the techniques that are applied in a conventional probabilistic risk assessment of commercially operating nuclear power plants and summarize the typical results obtained. The limitations of the conventional approach and the status of research previously performed to address these limitations also are presented. Next, we present the case for the application of an alternative approach using dynamical systems theory. This includes a discussion of previous applications of dynamical models to study other important socio-economic issues. Next, we review the analytical techniques that are applicable to analysis of these models. Details of the development of the mathematical risk model are presented. This includes discussion of the processes included in the model and the identification of significant interprocess interactions. This is followed by analysis of the model that demonstrates that its dynamical evolution displays characteristics that have been observed at commercially operating plants. The model is analyzed using the previously described techniques from dynamical systems theory. From this analysis, several significant insights are obtained with respect to the effective control of nuclear safety risk. Finally, we present conclusions and recommendations for further research.

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

Large-Scale SNP Discovery and Genotyping for Constructing a High-Density Genetic Map of Tea Plant Using Specific-Locus Amplified Fragment Sequencing (SLAF-seq)

PubMed Central

Ma, Chun-Lei; Jin, Ji-Qiang; Li, Chun-Fang; Wang, Rong-Kai; Zheng, Hong-Kun; Yao, Ming-Zhe; Chen, Liang

2015-01-01

Genetic maps are important tools in plant genomics and breeding. The present study reports the large-scale discovery of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) for genetic map construction in tea plant. We developed a total of 6,042 valid SNP markers using specific-locus amplified fragment sequencing (SLAF-seq), and subsequently mapped them into the previous framework map. The final map contained 6,448 molecular markers, distributing on fifteen linkage groups corresponding to the number of tea plant chromosomes. The total map length was 3,965 cM, with an average inter-locus distance of 1.0 cM. This map is the first SNP-based reference map of tea plant, as well as the most saturated one developed to date. The SNP markers and map resources generated in this study provide a wealth of genetic information that can serve as a foundation for downstream genetic analyses, such as the fine mapping of quantitative trait loci (QTL), map-based cloning, marker-assisted selection, and anchoring of scaffolds to facilitate the process of whole genome sequencing projects for tea plant. PMID:26035838

Plant Immune Responses Against Viruses: How Does a Virus Cause Disease?[OA

PubMed Central

Mandadi, Kranthi K.; Scholthof, Karen-Beth G.

2013-01-01

Plants respond to pathogens using elaborate networks of genetic interactions. Recently, significant progress has been made in understanding RNA silencing and how viruses counter this apparently ubiquitous antiviral defense. In addition, plants also induce hypersensitive and systemic acquired resistance responses, which together limit the virus to infected cells and impart resistance to the noninfected tissues. Molecular processes such as the ubiquitin proteasome system and DNA methylation are also critical to antiviral defenses. Here, we provide a summary and update of advances in plant antiviral immune responses, beyond RNA silencing mechanisms—advances that went relatively unnoticed in the realm of RNA silencing and nonviral immune responses. We also document the rise of Brachypodium and Setaria species as model grasses to study antiviral responses in Poaceae, aspects that have been relatively understudied, despite grasses being the primary source of our calories, as well as animal feed, forage, recreation, and biofuel needs in the 21st century. Finally, we outline critical gaps, future prospects, and considerations central to studying plant antiviral immunity. To promote an integrated model of plant immunity, we discuss analogous viral and nonviral immune concepts and propose working definitions of viral effectors, effector-triggered immunity, and viral pathogen-triggered immunity. PMID:23709626

Plant polyadenylation factors: conservation and variety in the polyadenylation complex in plants.

PubMed

Hunt, Arthur G; Xing, Denghui; Li, Qingshun Q

2012-11-20

Polyadenylation, an essential step in eukaryotic gene expression, requires both cis-elements and a plethora of trans-acting polyadenylation factors. The polyadenylation factors are largely conserved across mammals and fungi. The conservation seems also extended to plants based on the analyses of Arabidopsis polyadenylation factors. To extend this observation, we systemically identified the orthologs of yeast and human polyadenylation factors from 10 plant species chosen based on both the availability of their genome sequences and their positions in the evolutionary tree, which render them representatives of different plant lineages. The evolutionary trajectories revealed several interesting features of plant polyadenylation factors. First, the number of genes encoding plant polyadenylation factors was clearly increased from "lower" to "higher" plants. Second, the gene expansion in higher plants was biased to some polyadenylation factors, particularly those involved in RNA binding. Finally, while there are clear commonalities, the differences in the polyadenylation apparatus were obvious across different species, suggesting an ongoing process of evolutionary change. These features lead to a model in which the plant polyadenylation complex consists of a conserved core, which is rather rigid in terms of evolutionary conservation, and a panoply of peripheral subunits, which are less conserved and associated with the core in various combinations, forming a collection of somewhat distinct complex assemblies. The multiple forms of plant polyadenylation complex, together with the diversified polyA signals may explain the intensive alternative polyadenylation (APA) and its regulatory role in biological functions of higher plants.

Telephone Flat Geothermal Development Project Environmental Impact Statement Environmental Impact Report. Final

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

None

This Final Environmental Impact Statement and Environmental Impact Report (Final EIS/EIR) has been prepared to meet the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The Proposed Action includes the construction, operation, and decommissioning of a 48 megawatt (gross) geothermal power plant with ancillary facilities (10-12 production well pads and 3-5 injection well pads, production and injection pipelines), access roads, and a 230-kilovolt (kV) transmission line in the Modoc National Forest in Siskiyou County, California. Alternative locations for the power plant site within a reasonable distance of the middle of the wellfield weremore » determined to be technically feasible. Three power plant site alternatives are evaluated in the Final EIS/EIR.« less

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).

Recovery. Oxygen Transport Membrane-Based OxyCombustion for CO 2 Capture from Power Plants

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

Kelly, Sean; Geary, Joan; Chakravrti, Shrikar

2015-12-22

This Final report documents and summarizes all of the work performed for the DOE award DE-FC26-07NT43088 during the period from April 2007 - June 2012. This report outlines accomplishments for the following tasks: Task 1 – Process and Systems Engineering, Task 2 – OTM Performance Improvement, Task 3 – OTM Manufacturing Development, Task 4 - Laboratory Scale Testing and Task 5 – Project Management.

Estimating plant distance in maize using Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV).

PubMed

Zhang, Jinshui; Basso, Bruno; Price, Richard F; Putman, Gregory; Shuai, Guanyuan

2018-01-01

Distance between rows and plants are essential parameters that affect the final grain yield in row crops. This paper presents the results of research intended to develop a novel method to quantify the distance between maize plants at field scale using an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV). Using this method, we can recognize maize plants as objects and calculate the distance between plants. We initially developed our method by training an algorithm in an indoor facility with plastic corn plants. Then, the method was scaled up and tested in a farmer's field with maize plant spacing that exhibited natural variation. The results of this study demonstrate that it is possible to precisely quantify the distance between maize plants. We found that accuracy of the measurement of the distance between maize plants depended on the height above ground level at which UAV imagery was taken. This study provides an innovative approach to quantify plant-to-plant variability and, thereby final crop yield estimates.

Integration between chemical oxidation and membrane thermophilic biological process.

PubMed

Bertanza, G; Collivignarelli, M C; Crotti, B M; Pedrazzani, R

2010-01-01

Full scale applications of activated sludge thermophilic aerobic process for treatment of liquid wastes are rare. This experimental work was carried out at a facility, where a thermophilic reactor (1,000 m(3) volume) is operated. In order to improve the global performance of the plant, it was decided to upgrade it, by means of two membrane filtration units (ultrafiltration -UF-, in place of the final sedimentation, and nanofiltration -NF-). Subsequently, the integration with chemical oxidation (O(3) and H(2)O(2)/UV processes) was taken into consideration. Studied solutions dealt with oxidation of both the NF effluents (permeate and concentrate). Based on experimental results and economic evaluation, an algorithm was proposed for defining limits of convenience of this process.

Sewage Treatment Plants: Standards of Performance for New Stationary Sources 1989 Final Rule (54 FR 6660)

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This document includes a copy of the Federal Register publication of the February 14, 1989 Final Rule for the Standards of Performance of New Stationary Sources for Sewage Treatment Plants. This document is provided courtesy of HeinOnline.

Ecological studies on the revegetation process of surface coal mined areas in North Dakota. 4. Soil and vegetation development on topsoiled areas. Final report Aug 75-Jun 82

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

Iverson, L.R.; Wali, M.K.

1982-06-01

Four North Dakota reclaimed mined sites one to four years in age were studied for patterns of species colonization, biochemical interaction among species, competitive phenomena, and management applications. Kochia scoparia, a colonizer, was the dominant species for the first two years, but was completely eliminated by the fourth year; the planted Agropyron grasses concomitantly increased during this four year period. Competition experiments between Kochia and Agropyron revealed that Kochia initially acted as a 'nurse' crop for Agropyron establishment. Mowing of the first year colonizing species (especially Kochia) just prior to seed set proved to be very effective at reducing weedmore » populations and improving planted Agropyron populations in the second year. This method is highly recommended for use in hastening the establishment of planted species after mining.« less

Cell-to-cell communication in plants, animals, and fungi: a comparative review.

PubMed

Bloemendal, Sandra; Kück, Ulrich

2013-01-01

Cell-to-cell communication is a prerequisite for differentiation and development in multicellular organisms. This communication has to be tightly regulated to ensure that cellular components such as organelles, macromolecules, hormones, or viruses leave the cell in a precisely organized way. During evolution, plants, animals, and fungi have developed similar ways of responding to this biological challenge. For example, in higher plants, plasmodesmata connect adjacent cells and allow communication to regulate differentiation and development. In animals, two main general structures that enable short- and long-range intercellular communication are known, namely gap junctions and tunneling nanotubes, respectively. Finally, filamentous fungi have also developed specialized structures called septal pores that allow intercellular communication via cytoplasmic flow. This review summarizes the underlying mechanisms for intercellular communication in these three eukaryotic groups and discusses its consequences for the regulation of differentiation and developmental processes.

An arduino based control system for a brackish water desalination plant

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Caraballo, Ginna

Water scarcity for agriculture is one of the most important challenges to improve food security worldwide. In this thesis we study the potential to develop a low-cost controller for a small scale brackish desalination plant that consists of proven water treatment technologies, reverse osmosis, cation exchange, and nanofiltration to treat groundwater into two final products: drinking water and irrigation water. The plant is powered by a combination of wind and solar power systems. The low-cost controller uses Arduino Mega, and Arduino DUE, which consist of ATmega2560 and Atmel SAM3X8E ARM Cortex-M3 CPU microcontrollers. These are widely used systems characterized for good performance and low cost. However, Arduino also requires drivers and interfaces to allow the control and monitoring of sensors and actuators. The thesis explains the process, as well as the hardware and software implemented.

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.

Regulatory requirements for nuclear power plant site selection in Malaysia-a review.

PubMed

Basri, N A; Hashim, S; Ramli, A T; Bradley, D A; Hamzah, K

2016-12-01

Malaysia has initiated a range of pre-project activities in preparation for its planned nuclear power programme. Clearly one of the first steps is the selection of sites that are deemed suitable for the construction and operation of a nuclear power plant. Here we outline the Malaysian regulatory requirements for nuclear power plant site selection, emphasizing details of the selection procedures and site characteristics needed, with a clear focus on radiation safety and radiation protection in respect of the site surroundings. The Malaysia Atomic Energy Licensing Board (AELB) site selection guidelines are in accord with those provided in International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and United Stated Nuclear Regulatory Commission (USNRC) documents. To enhance the suitability criteria during selection, as well as to assist in the final decision making process, possible assessments using the site selection characteristics and information are proposed.

Cell-to-cell communication in plants, animals, and fungi: a comparative review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bloemendal, Sandra; Kück, Ulrich

2013-01-01

Cell-to-cell communication is a prerequisite for differentiation and development in multicellular organisms. This communication has to be tightly regulated to ensure that cellular components such as organelles, macromolecules, hormones, or viruses leave the cell in a precisely organized way. During evolution, plants, animals, and fungi have developed similar ways of responding to this biological challenge. For example, in higher plants, plasmodesmata connect adjacent cells and allow communication to regulate differentiation and development. In animals, two main general structures that enable short- and long-range intercellular communication are known, namely gap junctions and tunneling nanotubes, respectively. Finally, filamentous fungi have also developed specialized structures called septal pores that allow intercellular communication via cytoplasmic flow. This review summarizes the underlying mechanisms for intercellular communication in these three eukaryotic groups and discusses its consequences for the regulation of differentiation and developmental processes.

Portable plant chlorophyll fluorimeter based on blue LED rapid induced technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheng, Yibo; Mi, Ting; Zhang, Lei; Zhao, Jun

2018-01-01

Fluorimeter is an effective device for detecting chlorophyll a content in plants. In order to realize real-time nondestructive detection of plant blades, a camera based fluorescence instrument based on two color mirrors has been developed. The blue light LED is used as the excitation light source, and the lens is used for shaping and focusing the excitation light to ensure the excitation intensity and uniform illumination of the light source. The device uses a 45 degree two color mirror to separate the chlorophyll a excited light path and the fluorescence receiving light path. Finally, the fluorescent signal is collected by the silicon photocell, and the signal is processed by the circuit to transmit the digital information to the display. Through the analysis of the experimental data, the device has the advantages of small size, easy to carry, fast induction, etc., and can be widely applied in outdoor teaching and field investigation.

Bacterial community structure and variation in a full-scale seawater desalination plant for drinking water production.

PubMed

Belila, A; El-Chakhtoura, J; Otaibi, N; Muyzer, G; Gonzalez-Gil, G; Saikaly, P E; van Loosdrecht, M C M; Vrouwenvelder, J S

2016-05-01

Microbial processes inevitably play a role in membrane-based desalination plants, mainly recognized as membrane biofouling. We assessed the bacterial community structure and diversity during different treatment steps in a full-scale seawater desalination plant producing 40,000 m(3)/d of drinking water. Water samples were taken over the full treatment train consisting of chlorination, spruce media and cartridge filters, de-chlorination, first and second pass reverse osmosis (RO) membranes and final chlorine dosage for drinking water distribution. The water samples were analyzed for water quality parameters (total bacterial cell number, total organic carbon, conductivity, pH, etc.) and microbial community composition by 16S rRNA gene pyrosequencing. The planktonic microbial community was dominated by Proteobacteria (48.6%) followed by Bacteroidetes (15%), Firmicutes (9.3%) and Cyanobacteria (4.9%). During the pretreatment step, the spruce media filter did not impact the bacterial community composition dominated by Proteobacteria. In contrast, the RO and final chlorination treatment steps reduced the Proteobacterial relative abundance in the produced water where Firmicutes constituted the most dominant bacterial group. Shannon and Chao1 diversity indices showed that bacterial species richness and diversity decreased during the seawater desalination process. The two-stage RO filtration strongly reduced the water conductivity (>99%), TOC concentration (98.5%) and total bacterial cell number (>99%), albeit some bacterial DNA was found in the water after RO filtration. About 0.25% of the total bacterial operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were present in all stages of the desalination plant: the seawater, the RO permeates and the chlorinated drinking water, suggesting that these bacterial strains can survive in different environments such as high/low salt concentration and with/without residual disinfectant. These bacterial strains were not caused by contamination during water sample filtration or from DNA extraction protocols. Control measurements for sample contamination are important for clean water studies. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Report on Lessons Learned from the NP 2010 Early Site Permit Program FINAL REPORT

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

None, None

2008-03-26

This report provides a summary of lessons learned from the demonstration of the licensing process for three Early Site Permit (ESP) applications supported as part of the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Nuclear Power 2010 (NP 2010) program. The ESP process was established by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to enable completion of the site evaluation component of nuclear power plant licensing under 10 CFR Part 52 before a utility makes a decision to build a plant. Early Site Permits are valid for 10 to 20 years and can be renewed for an additional 10 to 20 years. NRC review ofmore » an ESP application addresses site safety issues, environmental protection issues, and plans for coping with emergencies. Successful completion of the ESP process will establish that a site is suitable for possible future construction and operation of a nuclear power plant. Most importantly, an ESP resolves significant site-related safety and environmental issues early in the decision process and helps achieve acceptance by the public. DOE competitively selected Dominion Nuclear Energy North Anna, LLC (Dominion); System Energy Resources, Inc. (an Entergy subsidiary); and Exelon Generation Company, LLC (Exelon) in 2002 to demonstrate the ESP process and provided cost-shared support through the NP 2010 program. Dominion pursued an ESP for the North Anna site in Virginia; System Energy Resources, Inc. pursued an ESP for the Grand Gulf site in Mississippi; and Exelon pursued an ESP for the Clinton site in Illinois. After successfully demonstrating the process, the NRC issued an ESP for Clinton on March 17, 2007; Grand Gulf on April 5, 2007; and North Anna on November 27, 2007. As with all successful projects, there are lessons to be learned from the NP 2010 early site permitting demonstration that can help improve future implementation guidance documents and regulatory review standards. In general, these lessons pertain to the effectiveness of the regulatory process, experience related to guidance for developing and reviewing ESP applications, issues involving ESP plant parameters, and suggestions for future ESP applicants. The development, submittal, and issuance of these first ESPs under DOE’s NP 2010 program started the momentum to exercise NRC’s new 10 CFR Part 52 licensing process. Several key questions that define critical issues regarding the effectiveness of regulations pertaining to ESPs have been identified and summarized in this report. However, the final resolution of whether the ESP component of the Part 52 process significantly contributes to the predictability in nuclear power plant licensing requires more experience and time, such as the completion of the ongoing combined Construction and Operating License (COL) process for the North Anna and Grand Gulf sites. The three ESP project participants prepared and submitted to DOE lessons learned reports from their experience in developing, submitting, and receiving an ESP. This document summarizes these reports, which are appended hereto. The Nuclear Energy Institute (http://www.nei.org/) and NRC (http://www.nrc.gov/) have also prepared reports regarding their perspectives on lessons learned during the ESP process. Their documents can be accessed on their respective web sites. Following is a summary of the lessons learned from the NP 2010 ESP projects. Effectiveness of the ESP Process: In general, the ESP process is expected (subject to demonstration of the ESP finality provisions in the North Anna and Grand Gulf ESPs) to provide high value for applicants as a site banking and risk mitigation strategy. However, several aspects of the initial process, such as NRC hearings and determining an acceptable approach to the NRC’s Emergency Planning requirements, proved challenging for the applicants. Project Execution: Initial regulatory and industry guidance for planning and executing an ESP application program proved to be insufficient to address NRC’s document review expectations. However, continuous communication between NRC and the applicants helped establish an acceptable framework for the applications and resulted in the successful issuance of three ESPs. Still, formal guidance from both NRC and industry is needed for issues involving merchant plants; data collection issues; and interactions between NRC, the public, and the applicants. Specific Plant Parameter Issues: The use of the Plant Parameter Envelope (PPE) approach, when the applicant has not yet chosen a reactor technology, proved to be a major source of confusion between applicants and NRC. This issue had also been a topic of discussion during the NRC ESP hearings. Based upon North Anna and Grand Gulf COLA experiences, the need should be evaluated for future NRC guidance pertaining to the PPE approach to clarify these issues. In addition, NRC, applicants, and industry spent considerable time and resources deciding how to employ new seismic analysis approaches. Future guidance in this area would also be very useful. Best Project Practices: A variety of good practices were identified, such as using specific project tracking and milestone items, handling very large documents electronically, employing a formal and rigorous document review process, and sharing large files across organizational sites. This report also includes a set of general recommendations to assist future ESP applicants. Several recommendations highlight the need for NRC and industry to continue to work together to improve the ESP process.« less

Longitudinal study on the sources of Listeria monocytogenes contamination in cold-smoked salmon and its processing environment in Italy.

PubMed

Di Ciccio, Pierluigi; Meloni, Domenico; Festino, Anna Rita; Conter, Mauro; Zanardi, Emanuela; Ghidini, Sergio; Vergara, Alberto; Mazzette, Rina; Ianieri, Adriana

2012-08-01

The aim of the present study was to investigate the sources of Listeria monocytogenes contamination in a cold smoked salmon processing environment over a period of six years (2003-2008). A total of 170 samples of raw material, semi-processed, final product and processing surfaces at different production stages were tested for the presence of L. monocytogenes. The L. monocytogenes isolates were characterized by multiplex PCR for the analysis of virulence factors and for serogrouping. The routes of contamination over the six year period were traced by PFGE. L. monocytogenes was isolated from 24% of the raw salmon samples, 14% of the semi-processed products and 12% of the final products. Among the environmental samples, 16% were positive for L. monocytogenes. Serotyping yielded three serovars: 1/2a, 1/2b, 4b, with the majority belonging to serovars 1/2a (46%) and 1/2b (39%). PFGE yielded 14 profiles: two of them were repeatedly isolated in 2005-2006 and in 2007-2008 mainly from the processing environment and final products but also from raw materials. The results of this longitudinal study highlighted that contamination of smoked salmon occurs mainly during processing rather than originating from raw materials, even if raw fish can be a contamination source of the working environment. Molecular subtyping is critical for the identification of the contamination routes of L. monocytogenes and its niches into the production plant when control strategies must be implemented with the aim to reduce its prevalence during manufacturing. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Increasing the capacity for treatment of chemical plant wastewater by replacing existing suspended carrier media with Kaldnes Moving Bed media at a plant in Singapore.

PubMed

Wessman, F G; Yan Yuegen, E; Zheng, Q; He, G; Welander, T; Rusten, B

2004-01-01

The Kaldnes biomedia K1, which is used in the patented Kaldnes Moving Bed biofilm process, has been tested along with other types of biofilm carriers for biological pretreatment of a complex chemical industry wastewater. The main objective of the test was to find a biofilm carrier that could replace the existing suspended carrier media and at the same time increase the capacity of the existing roughing filter-activated sludge plant by 20% or more. At volumetric organic loads of 7.1 kg COD/m3/d the Kaldnes Moving Bed process achieved much higher removal rates and much lower effluent concentrations than roughing filters using other carriers. The Kaldnes roughing stage achieved more than 85% removal of organic carbon and more than 90% removal of BOD5 at the tested organic load, which was equivalent to a specific biofilm surface area load of 24 g COD/m2/d. Even for the combined roughing filter-activated sludge process, the Kaldnes carriers outperformed the other carriers, with 98% removal of organic carbon and 99.6% removal of BOD5. The Kaldnes train final effluent concentrations were only 22 mg FOC/L and 7 mg BOD5/L. Based on the successful pilot testing, the full-scale plant was upgraded with Kaldnes Moving Bed roughing filters. During normal operation the upgraded plant has easily met the discharge limits of 100 mg COD/L and 50 mg SS/L. For the month of September 2002, with organic loads between 100 and 115% of the design load for the second half of the month, average effluent concentrations were as low as 9 mg FOC/L, 51 mg COD/L and 12 mg SS/L.

B Plant Complex preclosure work plan

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

ADLER, J.G.

1999-02-02

This preclosure work plan describes the condition of the dangerous waste treatment storage, and/or disposal (TSD) unit after completion of the B Plant Complex decommissioning Transition Phase preclosure activities. This description includes waste characteristics, waste types, locations, and associated hazards. The goal to be met by the Transition Phase preclosure activities is to place the TSD unit into a safe and environmentally secure condition for the long-term Surveillance and Maintenance (S&M) Phase of the facility decommissioning process. This preclosure work plan has been prepared in accordance with Section 8.0 of the Hanford Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order (Tri-Party Agreement)more » (Ecology et al. 1996). The preclosure work plan is one of three critical Transition Phase documents, the other two being: B Plant End Points Document (WHC-SD-WM-TPP-054) and B Plant S&M plan. These documents are prepared by the U.S. Department of Energy, Richland Operations Office (DOE-RL) and its contractors with the involvement of Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology). The tanks and vessels addressed by this preclosure work plan are limited to those tanks end vessels included on the B Plant Complex Part A, Form 3, Permit Application (DOE/RL-88-21). The criteria for determining which tanks or vessels are in the Part A, Form 3, are discussed in the following. The closure plan for the TSD unit will not be prepared until the Disposition Phase of the facility decommissioning process is initiated, which follows the long-term S&M Phase. Final closure will occur during the Disposition Phase of the facility decommissioning process. The Waste Encapsulation Storage Facility (WESF) is excluded from the scope of this preclosure work plan.« less

Effect of artificial electric fields on plants grown under microgravity conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nechitailo, G.; Gordeev, A.

2001-01-01

Ionic and structural hetorogeneity of cells, tissues, and organs of plants are associated with a spectrum of electric characteristics such as bioelectric potentials, electrical conductance, and bioelectric permeability. An important determinant for the plant function is electric properties of the cell membranes and organelles which maintain energy and substance exchange with the environment. Enzymes and other biologically active substances have a powerful charge at the molecular level. Finally, all molecules, including those of water, represent dipoles, and this determines their reactive capacity. A major determinant is the bioelectric polarity of a plant is genetically predetermined and cannot be modified. It is an intrinsic structural feature of the organism whose evolution advent was mediated by gravity. An illustrative presentation of polarity is the downward growth of the roots and upward growth of stems in the Earth's gravitation field. However, gravity is a critical, but not the sole determinant of the plant organism polarization. Potent polarizing effects are exerted by light, the electromagnetic field, moisture, and other factors. It is known that plant cultivation in an upturned position is associated with impairment of water and nutrient uptake, resulting in dyscoordination of physiological processes, growth and developmental retardation. These abnormalities were characteristic when early attempts were made to grow plants in weightlessness conditions.

Ferns: the missing link in shoot evolution and development

PubMed Central

Plackett, Andrew R. G.; Di Stilio, Verónica S.; Langdale, Jane A.

2015-01-01

Shoot development in land plants is a remarkably complex process that gives rise to an extreme diversity of forms. Our current understanding of shoot developmental mechanisms comes almost entirely from studies of angiosperms (flowering plants), the most recently diverged plant lineage. Shoot development in angiosperms is based around a layered multicellular apical meristem that produces lateral organs and/or secondary meristems from populations of founder cells at its periphery. In contrast, non-seed plant shoots develop from either single apical initials or from a small population of morphologically distinct apical cells. Although developmental and molecular information is becoming available for non-flowering plants, such as the model moss Physcomitrella patens, making valid comparisons between highly divergent lineages is extremely challenging. As sister group to the seed plants, the monilophytes (ferns and relatives) represent an excellent phylogenetic midpoint of comparison for unlocking the evolution of shoot developmental mechanisms, and recent technical advances have finally made transgenic analysis possible in the emerging model fern Ceratopteris richardii. This review compares and contrasts our current understanding of shoot development in different land plant lineages with the aim of highlighting the potential role that the fern C. richardii could play in shedding light on the evolution of underlying genetic regulatory mechanisms. PMID:26594222

Image-Based Quantification of Plant Immunity and Disease.

PubMed

Laflamme, Bradley; Middleton, Maggie; Lo, Timothy; Desveaux, Darrell; Guttman, David S

2016-12-01

Measuring the extent and severity of disease is a critical component of plant pathology research and crop breeding. Unfortunately, existing visual scoring systems are qualitative, subjective, and the results are difficult to transfer between research groups, while existing quantitative methods can be quite laborious. Here, we present plant immunity and disease image-based quantification (PIDIQ), a quantitative, semi-automated system to rapidly and objectively measure disease symptoms in a biologically relevant context. PIDIQ applies an ImageJ-based macro to plant photos in order to distinguish healthy tissue from tissue that has yellowed due to disease. It can process a directory of images in an automated manner and report the relative ratios of healthy to diseased leaf area, thereby providing a quantitative measure of plant health that can be statistically compared with appropriate controls. We used the Arabidopsis thaliana-Pseudomonas syringae model system to show that PIDIQ is able to identify both enhanced plant health associated with effector-triggered immunity as well as elevated disease symptoms associated with effector-triggered susceptibility. Finally, we show that the quantitative results provided by PIDIQ correspond to those obtained via traditional in planta pathogen growth assays. PIDIQ provides a simple and effective means to nondestructively quantify disease from whole plants and we believe it will be equally effective for monitoring disease on excised leaves and stems.

Hydraulic redistribution: limitations for plants in saline soils.

PubMed

Bazihizina, Nadia; Veneklaas, Erik J; Barrett-Lennard, Edward G; Colmer, Timothy D

2017-10-01

Hydraulic redistribution (HR), the movement of water from wet to dry patches in the soil via roots, occurs in different ecosystems and plant species. By extension of the principle that HR is driven by gradients in soil water potential, HR has been proposed to occur for plants in saline soils. Despite the inherent spatial patchiness and salinity gradients in these soils, the lack of direct evidence of HR in response to osmotic gradients prompted us to ask the question: are there physical or physiological constraints to HR for plants in saline environments? We propose that build-up of ions in the root xylem sap and in the leaf apoplast, with the latter resulting in a large predawn disequilibrium of water potential in shoots compared with roots and soil, would both impede HR. We present a conceptual model that illustrates how processes in root systems in heterogeneous salinity with water potential gradients, even if equal to those in non-saline soils, will experience a dampened magnitude of water potential gradients in the soil-plant continuum, minimizing or preventing HR. Finally, we provide an outlook for understanding the relevance of HR for plants in saline environments by addressing key research questions on plant salinity tolerance. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Validation and implementation of model based control strategies at an industrial wastewater treatment plant.

PubMed

Demey, D; Vanderhaegen, B; Vanhooren, H; Liessens, J; Van Eyck, L; Hopkins, L; Vanrolleghem, P A

2001-01-01

In this paper, the practical implementation and validation of advanced control strategies, designed using model based techniques, at an industrial wastewater treatment plant is demonstrated. The plant under study is treating the wastewater of a large pharmaceutical production facility. The process characteristics of the wastewater treatment were quantified by means of tracer tests, intensive measurement campaigns and the use of on-line sensors. In parallel, a dynamical model of the complete wastewater plant was developed according to the specific kinetic characteristics of the sludge and the highly varying composition of the industrial wastewater. Based on real-time data and dynamic models, control strategies for the equalisation system, the polymer dosing and phosphorus addition were established. The control strategies are being integrated in the existing SCADA system combining traditional PLC technology with robust PC based control calculations. The use of intelligent control in wastewater treatment offers a wide spectrum of possibilities to upgrade existing plants, to increase the capacity of the plant and to eliminate peaks. This can result in a more stable and secure overall performance and, finally, in cost savings. The use of on-line sensors has a potential not only for monitoring concentrations, but also for manipulating flows and concentrations. This way the performance of the plant can be secured.

Ancient class of translocated oomycete effectors targets the host nucleus.

PubMed

Schornack, Sebastian; van Damme, Mireille; Bozkurt, Tolga O; Cano, Liliana M; Smoker, Matthew; Thines, Marco; Gaulin, Elodie; Kamoun, Sophien; Huitema, Edgar

2010-10-05

Pathogens use specialized secretion systems and targeting signals to translocate effector proteins inside host cells, a process that is essential for promoting disease and parasitism. However, the amino acid sequences that determine host delivery of eukaryotic pathogen effectors remain mostly unknown. The Crinkler (CRN) proteins of oomycete plant pathogens, such as the Irish potato famine organism Phytophthora infestans, are modular proteins with predicted secretion signals and conserved N-terminal sequence motifs. Here, we provide direct evidence that CRN N termini mediate protein transport into plant cells. CRN host translocation requires a conserved motif that is present in all examined plant pathogenic oomycetes, including the phylogenetically divergent species Aphanomyces euteiches that does not form haustoria, specialized infection structures that have been implicated previously in delivery of effectors. Several distinct CRN C termini localized to plant nuclei and, in the case of CRN8, required nuclear accumulation to induce plant cell death. These results reveal a large family of ubiquitous oomycete effector proteins that target the host nucleus. Oomycetes appear to have acquired the ability to translocate effector proteins inside plant cells relatively early in their evolution and before the emergence of haustoria. Finally, this work further implicates the host nucleus as an important cellular compartment where the fate of plant-microbe interactions is determined.

7 CFR 407.16 - Area risk protection insurance for soybean.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... contained in the Area Risk Protection Insurance Basic Provisions, land on which seed is initially spread... planting date and reported on or before the acreage reporting date; (c) Planted with the intent to be.... Payment Dates (a) Unless otherwise specified in the Special Provisions final county revenues and final...

77 FR 22361 - Energy Northwest, Columbia Generating Station; Final Supplement 47 to the Generic Environmental...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-04-13

...) solar power; (9) wind power; (10) biomass waste; (11) hydroelectric power; (12) ocean wave and current... Nuclear Plants AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission. ACTION: Final Supplement 47 to the Generic Environmental Impact Statement for License Renewal of Nuclear Plants; issuance. SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given...

Tuning of PID controller using optimization techniques for a MIMO process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thulasi dharan, S.; Kavyarasan, K.; Bagyaveereswaran, V.

2017-11-01

In this paper, two processes were considered one is Quadruple tank process and the other is CSTR (Continuous Stirred Tank Reactor) process. These are majorly used in many industrial applications for various domains, especially, CSTR in chemical plants.At first mathematical model of both the process is to be done followed by linearization of the system due to MIMO process and controllers are the major part to control the whole process to our desired point as per the applications so the tuning of the controller plays a major role among the whole process. For tuning of parameters we use two optimizations techniques like Particle Swarm Optimization, Genetic Algorithm. The above techniques are majorly used in different applications to obtain which gives the best among all, we use these techniques to obtain the best tuned values among many. Finally, we will compare the performance of the each process with both the techniques.

Food processing strategies to enhance phenolic compounds bioaccessibility and bioavailability in plant-based foods.

PubMed

Ribas-Agustí, Albert; Martín-Belloso, Olga; Soliva-Fortuny, Robert; Elez-Martínez, Pedro

2017-06-13

Phenolic compounds are important constituents of plant-based foods, as their presence is related to protective effects on health. To exert their biological activity, phenolic compounds must be released from the matrix during digestion in an absorbable form (bioaccessible) and finally absorbed and transferred to the bloodstream (bioavailable). Chemical structure and matrix interactions are some food-related factors that hamper phenolic compounds bioaccessibility and bioavailability, and that can be counteracted by food processing. It has been shown that food processing can induce chemical or physical modifications in food that enhance phenolic compounds bioaccessibility and bioavailability. These changes include: (i) chemical modifications into more bioaccessible and bioavailable forms; (ii) cleavage of covalent or hydrogen bonds or hydrophobic forces that attach phenolic compounds to matrix macromolecules; (iii) damaging microstructural barriers such as cell walls that impede the release from the matrix; and (iv) create microstructures that protect phenolic compounds until they are absorbed. Indeed, food processing can produce degradation of phenolic compounds, however, it is possible to counteract it by modulating the operating conditions in favor of increased bioaccessibility and bioavailability. This review compiles the current knowledge on the effects of processing on phenolic compounds bioaccessibility or bioavailability, while suggesting new guidelines in the search of optimal processing conditions as a step forward towards the design of healthier foods.

Vitamins for enhancing plant resistance.

PubMed

Boubakri, Hatem; Gargouri, Mahmoud; Mliki, Ahmed; Brini, Faiçal; Chong, Julie; Jbara, Moez

2016-09-01

This paper provides an overview on vitamins with inducing activities in plants, the molecular and cellular mechanisms implicated, and the hormonal signalling-network regulating this process. Moreover, it reports how vitamins might be part of the molecular events linked to induced resistance by the conventional elicitors. Induced resistance (IR), exploiting the plant innate-defense system is a sustainable strategy for plant disease control. In the last decade, vitamins have been proven to act as inducers of disease resistance, and these findings have received an important attention owing to their safety and cost effectiveness. Vitamins, including thiamine (TH, vitamin B1), riboflavin (RF, vitamin B2), menadione sodium bisulfite (MSB, vitamin K3), Para-aminobenzoic acid (PABA, vitamin Bx), and folic acid (FA, vitamin B9) provided an efficient protection against a wide range of pathogens through the modulation of specific host-defense facets. However, other vitamins, such as ascorbic acid (AA, vitamin C) and tocopherols (vitamin E), have been shown to be a part of the molecular mechanisms associated to IR. The present review is the first to summarize what vitamins are acting as inducers of disease resistance in plants and how could they be modulated by the conventional elicitors. Thus, this report provides an overview on the protective abilities of vitamins and the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying their activities. Moreover, it describes the hormonal-signalling network regulating vitamin-signal transduction during IR. Finally, a biochemical model describing how vitamins are involved in the establishment of IR process is discussed.

Involvement of NRAMP1 from Arabidopsis thaliana in iron transport.

PubMed Central

Curie, C; Alonso, J M; Le Jean, M; Ecker, J R; Briat, J F

2000-01-01

Nramp genes code for a widely distributed class of proteins involved in a variety of processes, ranging from the control of susceptibility to bacterial infection in mammalian cells and taste behaviour in Drosophila to manganese uptake in yeast. Some of the NRAMP proteins in mammals and in yeast are capable of transporting metal ions, including iron. In plants, iron transport was shown to require a reduction/Fe(II) transport system. In Arabidopsis thaliana this process involves the IRT1 and Fro2 genes. Here we report the sequence of five NRAMP proteins from A. thaliana. Sequence comparison suggests that there are two classes of NRAMP proteins in plants: A. thaliana (At) NRAMP1 and Oriza sativa (Os) NRAMP1 and 3 (two rice isologues) represent one class, and AtNRAMP2-5 and OsNRAMP2 the other. AtNramp1 and OsNramp1 are able to complement the fet3fet4 yeast mutant defective both in low- and high-affinity iron transports, whereas AtNramp2 and OsNramp2 fail to do so. In addition, AtNramp1 transcript, but not AtNramp2 transcript, accumulates in response to iron deficiency in roots but not in leaves. Finally, overexpression of AtNramp1 in transgenic A. thaliana plants leads to an increase in plant resistance to toxic iron concentration. Taken together, these results demonstrate that AtNramp1 participates in the control of iron homoeostasis in plants. PMID:10769179

THE FINAL DEMISE OF EAST TENNESSEE TECHNOLOGY PARK BUILDING K-33 Health Physics Society Annual Meeting West Palm Beach, Florida June 27, 2011

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

David A. King

2011-06-27

Building K-33 was constructed in 1954 as the final section of the five-stage uranium enrichment cascade at the Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant (ORGDP). The two original building (K-25 and K-27) were used to produce weapons grade highly enriched uranium (HEU). Building K-29, K-31, and K-33 were added to produce low enriched uranium (LEU) for nuclear power plant fuel. During ORGDP operations K-33 produced a peak enrichment of 2.5%. Thousands of tons of reactor tails fed into gaseous diffusion plants in the 1950s and early 1960s introducing some fission products and transuranics. Building K-33 was a two-story, 25-meters (82-feet) tallmore » structure with approximately 30 hectare (64 acres) of floor space. The Operations (first) Floor contained offices, change houses, feed vaporization rooms, and auxiliary equipment to support enrichment operations. The Cell (second) Floor contained the enrichment process equipment and was divided into eight process units (designated K-902-1 through K-902-8). Each unit contained ten cells, and each cell contained eight process stages (diffusers) for a total of 640 enrichment stages. 1985: LEU buildings were taken off-line after the anticipated demand for uranium enrichment failed to materialize. 1987: LEU buildings were placed in permanent shutdown. Process equipment were maintained in a shutdown state. 1997: DOE signed an Action Memorandum for equipment removal and decontamination of Buildings K-29, K-31, K-33; BNFL awarded contract to reindustrialize the buildings under the Three Buildings D&D and Recycle Project. 2002: Equipment removal complete and effort shifts to vacuuming, chemical cleaning, scabbling, etc. 2005: Decontamination efforts in K-33 cease. Building left with significant {sup 99}Tc contamination on metal structures and PCB contamination in concrete. Uranium, transuranics, and fission products also present on building shell. 2009: DOE targets Building K-33 for demolition. 2010: ORAU contracted to characterize Building K-33 for final disposition at the Environmental Management Waste Management Facility (EMWMF) in Oak Ridge. ORAU collected 439 samples from May and June. LATA Sharp started removing transite panels in September. 2011: LATA Sharp began demolition in January and expects the last waste shipment to EMWMF in September. Approximately 237,000 m{sup 3} (310,000 yd{sup 3}, bulked) of waste taken to EMWMF in 23,000 truckloads expected by project completion.« less

Mechanisms control the soil organic carbon loss with grassland degradation in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peng, Fei; Xian, Xue; You, Quangang; Huang, Cuihua; Dong, Siyang; Liao, Jie; Duan, Hanchen; Wang, Tao

2017-04-01

Grassland in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP) provides tremendous carbon (C) sinks and is the important ground for grazing. Grassland degradation, the loss of plant coverage and the emergence of sand activities, results in substantial reduction in soil organic carbon (SOC). To demonstrate the specific degradation pattern of SOC and elucidate underlying mechanisms, a sequence of five degradation stages over the whole grassland in the QTP were investigated. The survey and laboratory data were analyzed by three structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis. One of the analysis focused on the biological processes while the other two included both the biological and physical processes. Soil temperature had no significant change but soil moisture decreased in all layers. The above and the below-ground plant production decreased and the dominant plant functional group shifted from sedge and grass to forbs. The SOC concentration declined about 40-50% in the very severely degraded comparing with intact alpine grassland.All the three models were successfully fitted with R2 about 0.50. Three biological processes can explain the SOC change. The decrease in soil moisture suppressed C output through soil respiration (Rs) thus lower the SOC loss with land degradation. Decline in the plant production due to a decrease in coverage or to the change in relative abundance of sedge, forbs and grass directly or indirectly reduce the C input and finally lead to the 40-50% loss in SOC. The significant pathways from soil microclimate and soil properties to SOC in the black box model, only one significant pathway from soil properties to SOC indicate that physical processes like the wind and water erosion might control the SOC loss with land degradation in the alpine grassland in the QTP.

Measurement of attitudes toward commercial development of geothermal energy in Federal Region IX. Final report

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

Not Available

1981-06-01

A survey was conducted of ten target study groups and subgroups for Klamath Falls, Oregon, and Susanville, California: local government, current and potential industry at the site, relocators to the site, current and potential financial community, regulators, and current and potential promoters and developers. The results of benchmark attitudinal measurement is presented separately for each target group. A literature review was conducted and Macro-environmental attitudes of a sample of local government and industry personnel at the sites were assessed. An assessment of capabilities was made which involved two measurements. The first was a measurement of a sample of promoters, developers,more » and industrial service companies active at the site to determine infrastructure capabilities required by industry for geothermal plants. The second measurement involved analyzing a sample of industry management in the area and defining their requirements for plant retrofit and expansion. Finally, the processes used by the study group to analyze information to reach commitment and regulatory decisions that significantly impact on geothermal energy projects at the site were identified and defined.« less

Treatment of Radioactive Metallic Waste from Operation of Nuclear Power Plants by Melting - The German Way for a Consistent Recycling to Minimize the Quantity of Radioactive Waste from Operation and Dismantling for Disposal - 12016

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

Wegener, Dirk; Kluth, Thomas

2012-07-01

During maintenance of nuclear power plants, and during their decommissioning period, a large quantity of radioactive metallic waste will accrue. On the other hand the capacity for final disposal of radioactive waste in Germany is limited as well as that in the US. That is why all procedures related to this topic should be handled with a maximum of efficiency. The German model of consistent recycling of the radioactive metal scrap within the nuclear industry therefore also offers high capabilities for facilities in the US. The paper gives a compact overview of the impressive results of melting treatment, the currentmore » potential and further developments. Thousands of cubic metres of final disposal capacity have been saved. The highest level of efficiency and safety by combining general surface decontamination by blasting and nuclide specific decontamination by melting associated with the typical effects of homogenization. An established process - nationally and internationally recognized. Excellent connection between economy and ecology. (authors)« less

Implementation of Lean System on Erbium Doped Fibre Amplifier Manufacturing Process to Reduce Production Time

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maneechote, T.; Luangpaiboon, P.

2010-10-01

A manufacturing process of erbium doped fibre amplifiers is complicated. It needs to meet the customers' requirements under a present economic status that products need to be shipped to customers as soon as possible after purchasing orders. This research aims to study and improve processes and production lines of erbium doped fibre amplifiers using lean manufacturing systems via an application of computer simulation. Three scenarios of lean tooled box systems are selected via the expert system. Firstly, the production schedule based on shipment date is combined with a first in first out control system. The second scenario focuses on a designed flow process plant layout. Finally, the previous flow process plant layout combines with production schedule based on shipment date including the first in first out control systems. The computer simulation with the limited data via an expected value is used to observe the performance of all scenarios. The most preferable resulted lean tooled box systems from a computer simulation are selected to implement in the real process of a production of erbium doped fibre amplifiers. A comparison is carried out to determine the actual performance measures via an analysis of variance of the response or the production time per unit achieved in each scenario. The goodness of an adequacy of the linear statistical model via experimental errors or residuals is also performed to check the normality, constant variance and independence of the residuals. The results show that a hybrid scenario of lean manufacturing system with the first in first out control and flow process plant lay out statistically leads to better performance in terms of the mean and variance of production times.

CRADA No. BNL-C-97-10 between BNL and Cotton, Inc. Final abstract and final report [Final Report of Research carried out under DOE CRADA No. BNL-C-97-10 - "Prediction of Yield in Cotton"

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

None, None

The objectives of this work were to determine if the numbér of fiber cell initials varied genetically and to compare the number of initials with that of mature fibers obtained at harvest time. The method used to count the number of fiber cell initials is direct, simple, quick and done while the plant is growing. In contrast, the currently used commercial process is indirect and needs large amount mature fibers gathered at harvest time. However, all current work on cotton yield is based on fiber numbers obtained by the indirect commercial process. Consequently, it was necessary to compare results obtainedmore » from the two methods using the same plants as the source of material. The results show that the number of fiber initials per ovule differed significantly (P>0.05) for seven cultivars in 1995 and 1996. AIso, a 1997 study shows the number of fiber initials varied by 15% over boll positions and environments, with rankings among cultivars generally consistent across boll positions and sampling times. Finally, although there were differences among cultivars for initial fiber cell number, all cultivars had nearly the same number of mature lint fibers per seed. This last finding is significant. It indicates that the rate of fiber cell initiation varies among cultivars; the lower the rate, the greater the difference between the number of initials and the number of mature fiber cells. If the rate of fiber initiation is relatively high, the number of initials and mature fibers differs by about 11%; if it is low, the difference is as high as 31%. Cotton breeders may be able to use genetic differences for the number of fiber initials and/or the rate of fiber cell initiation in crop improvement programs.« less

54 FR 38044: National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants; Benzene Emissions From Maleic Anhydride Plants, Ethylbenzene/Styrene Plants, Benzene Storage Vessels, Benzene Equipment Leaks, and Coke By- Product Recovery Plants

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Final Rule on National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants; Benzene Emissions From Maleic Anhydride Plants, Ethylbenzene/Styrene Plants, Benzene Storage Vessels, Benzene Equipment Leaks, and Coke By-Product Recovery Plants.

Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, Part B Permit Application [for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP)]. Volume 5, Chapter D, Appendix D1 (conclusion), Revision 3

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

Cook, Neville G.W.; Heuze, Francois E.; Miller, Hamish D.S.

1993-03-01

The reference design for the underground facilities at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant was developed using the best criteria available at initiation of the detailed design effort. These design criteria are contained in the US Department of Energy document titled Design Criteria, Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP). Revised Mission Concept-IIA (RMC-IIA), Rev. 4, dated February 1984. The validation process described in the Design Validation Final Report has resulted in validation of the reference design of the underground openings based on these criteria. Future changes may necessitate modification of the Design Criteria document and/or the reference design. Validation of the referencemore » design as presented in this report permits the consideration of future design or design criteria modifications necessitated by these changes or by experience gained at the WIPP. Any future modifications to the design criteria and/or the reference design will be governed by a DOE Standard Operation Procedure (SOP) covering underground design changes. This procedure will explain the process to be followed in describing, evaluating and approving the change.« less

Infection processes of xylem-colonizing pathogenic bacteria: possible explanations for the scarcity of qualitative disease resistance genes against them in crops.

PubMed

Bae, Chungyun; Han, Sang Wook; Song, Yu-Rim; Kim, Bo-Young; Lee, Hyung-Jin; Lee, Je-Min; Yeam, Inhwa; Heu, Sunggi; Oh, Chang-Sik

2015-07-01

Disease resistance against xylem-colonizing pathogenic bacteria in crops. Plant pathogenic bacteria cause destructive diseases in many commercially important crops. Among these bacteria, eight pathogens, Ralstonia solanacearum, Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae, X. campestris pv. campestris, Erwinia amylovora, Pantoea stewartii subsp. stewartii, Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis, Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae, and Xylella fastidiosa, infect their host plants through different infection sites and paths and eventually colonize the xylem tissues of their host plants, resulting in wilting symptoms by blocking water flow or necrosis of xylem tissues. Noticeably, only a relatively small number of resistant cultivars in major crops against these vascular bacterial pathogens except X. oryzae pv. oryzae have been found or generated so far, although these pathogens threaten productivity of major crops. In this review, we summarize the lifestyles of major xylem-colonizing bacterial pathogens and then discuss the progress of current research on disease resistance controlled by qualitative disease resistance genes or quantitative trait loci against them. Finally, we propose infection processes of xylem-colonizing bacterial pathogens as one of possible reasons for why so few qualitative disease resistance genes against these pathogens have been developed or identified so far in crops.

Risk based inspection for atmospheric storage tank

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nugroho, Agus; Haryadi, Gunawan Dwi; Ismail, Rifky; Kim, Seon Jin

2016-04-01

Corrosion is an attack that occurs on a metallic material as a result of environment's reaction.Thus, it causes atmospheric storage tank's leakage, material loss, environmental pollution, equipment failure and affects the age of process equipment then finally financial damage. Corrosion risk measurement becomesa vital part of Asset Management at the plant for operating any aging asset.This paper provides six case studies dealing with high speed diesel atmospheric storage tank parts at a power plant. A summary of the basic principles and procedures of corrosion risk analysis and RBI applicable to the Process Industries were discussed prior to the study. Semi quantitative method based onAPI 58I Base-Resource Document was employed. The risk associated with corrosion on the equipment in terms of its likelihood and its consequences were discussed. The corrosion risk analysis outcome used to formulate Risk Based Inspection (RBI) method that should be a part of the atmospheric storage tank operation at the plant. RBI gives more concern to inspection resources which are mostly on `High Risk' and `Medium Risk' criteria and less on `Low Risk' shell. Risk categories of the evaluated equipment were illustrated through case study analysis outcome.

7 CFR 613.3 - NRCS responsibilities in plant materials.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... comparative field plantings for final testing of promising plants and techniques in cooperation with... allocation to conservation districts, experiment stations, other Federal and State research agencies, State...

7 CFR 613.3 - NRCS responsibilities in plant materials.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... comparative field plantings for final testing of promising plants and techniques in cooperation with... allocation to conservation districts, experiment stations, other Federal and State research agencies, State...

7 CFR 613.3 - NRCS responsibilities in plant materials.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... comparative field plantings for final testing of promising plants and techniques in cooperation with... allocation to conservation districts, experiment stations, other Federal and State research agencies, State...

7 CFR 613.3 - NRCS responsibilities in plant materials.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... comparative field plantings for final testing of promising plants and techniques in cooperation with... allocation to conservation districts, experiment stations, other Federal and State research agencies, State...

7 CFR 613.3 - NRCS responsibilities in plant materials.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... comparative field plantings for final testing of promising plants and techniques in cooperation with... allocation to conservation districts, experiment stations, other Federal and State research agencies, State...

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.

SLUDGE TREATMENT PROJECT PHASE 1 SLUDGE STORAGE OPTIONS ASSESSMENT OF T PLANT VERSUS ALTERNATE STORAGE FACILITY

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

RUTHERFORD WW; GEUTHER WJ; STRANKMAN MR

2009-04-29

The CH2M HILL Plateau Remediation Company (CHPRC) has recommended to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) a two phase approach for removal and storage (Phase 1) and treatment and packaging for offsite shipment (Phase 2) of the sludge currently stored within the 105-K West Basin. This two phased strategy enables early removal of sludge from the 105-K West Basin by 2015, allowing remediation of historical unplanned releases of waste and closure of the 100-K Area. In Phase 1, the sludge currently stored in the Engineered Containers and Settler Tanks within the 105-K West Basin will be transferred into sludge transportmore » and storage containers (STSCs). The STSCs will be transported to an interim storage facility. In Phase 2, sludge will be processed (treated) to meet shipping and disposal requirements and the sludge will be packaged for final disposal at a geologic repository. The purpose of this study is to evaluate two alternatives for interim Phase 1 storage of K Basin sludge. The cost, schedule, and risks for sludge storage at a newly-constructed Alternate Storage Facility (ASF) are compared to those at T Plant, which has been used previously for sludge storage. Based on the results of the assessment, T Plant is recommended for Phase 1 interim storage of sludge. Key elements that support this recommendation are the following: (1) T Plant has a proven process for storing sludge; (2) T Plant storage can be implemented at a lower incremental cost than the ASF; and (3) T Plant storage has a more favorable schedule profile, which provides more float, than the ASF. Underpinning the recommendation of T Plant for sludge storage is the assumption that T Plant has a durable, extended mission independent of the K Basin sludge interim storage mission. If this assumption cannot be validated and the operating costs of T Plant are borne by the Sludge Treatment Project, the conclusions and recommendations of this study would change. The following decision-making strategy, which is dependent on the confidence that DOE has in the long term mission for T Plant, is proposed: (1) If the confidence level in a durable, extended T Plant mission independent of sludge storage is high, then the Sludge Treatment Project (STP) would continue to implement the path forward previously described in the Alternatives Report (HNF-39744). Risks to the sludge project can be minimized through the establishment of an Interface Control Document (ICD) defining agreed upon responsibilities for both the STP and T Plant Operations regarding the transfer and storage of sludge and ensuring that the T Plant upgrade and operational schedule is well integrated with the sludge storage activities. (2) If the confidence level in a durable, extended T Plant mission independent of sludge storage is uncertain, then the ASF conceptual design should be pursued on a parallel path with preparation of T Plant for sludge storage until those uncertainties are resolved. (3) Finally, if the confidence level in a durable, extended T Plant mission independent of sludge storage is low, then the ASF design should be selected to provide independence from the T Plant mission risk.« less

Toxicity of heavy metals and metal-containing nanoparticles on plants.

PubMed

Mustafa, Ghazala; Komatsu, Setsuko

2016-08-01

Plants are under the continual threat of changing climatic conditions that are associated with various types of abiotic stresses. In particular, heavy metal contamination is a major environmental concern that restricts plant growth. Plants absorb heavy metals along with essential elements from the soil and have evolved different strategies to cope with the accumulation of heavy metals. The use of proteomic techniques is an effective approach to investigate and identify the biological mechanisms and pathways affected by heavy metals and metal-containing nanoparticles. The present review focuses on recent advances and summarizes the results from proteomic studies aimed at understanding the response mechanisms of plants under heavy metal and metal-containing nanoparticle stress. Transport of heavy metal ions is regulated through the cell wall and plasma membrane and then sequestered in the vacuole. In addition, the role of different metal chelators involved in the detoxification and sequestration of heavy metals is critically reviewed, and changes in protein profiles of plants exposed to metal-containing nanoparticles are discussed in detail. Finally, strategies for gaining new insights into plant tolerance mechanisms to heavy metal and metal-containing nanoparticle stress are presented. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Plant Proteomics--a bridge between fundamental processes and crop production, edited by Dr. Hans-Peter Mock. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Spatial profiling of maytansine during the germination process of Maytenus senegalensis seeds.

PubMed

Eckelmann, Dennis; Kusari, Souvik; Spiteller, Michael

2017-06-01

The ecological role of maytansine, an important antineoplastic and antimicrobial compound with high cytotoxicity, particularly as a chemical defense compound has remained elusive since its discovery in the 1970s in Maytenus and Putterlickia plants. In the present study, we have used MALDI-imaging-HRMS to visualize the occurrence as well as spatial and temporal distribution of maytansine in a Maytenus senegalensis plant, seeds obtained from the mother plant during seeding stage, through the germination of the seeds, and finally up to the establishment of seedlings (or daughter plants). Although the mother plant was devoid of maytansine, the bioactive compound was found to be distributed in the cotyledons and the endosperm of the seeds with an augmented accretion towards the seed coat. Furthermore, maytansine was always detected in the emerging seedlings, particularly the cortex encompassing the radicle, hypocotyl, and epicotyl. The typical pattern of accumulation of maytansine not only in the seeds but also during germination provides a proof-of-concept that M. senegalensis is ecologically primed to trigger the production of maytansine in vulnerable tissues such as seeds during plant reproduction. By utilizing maytansine as chemical defense compound against predators and/or pathogens, the plant can ensure viability of the seeds and successful germination, thus leading to the next generation of daughter plants. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

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

Experimental identification of Ca isotopic fractionations in higher plants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cobert, Florian; Schmitt, Anne-Désirée; Bourgeade, Pascale; Labolle, François; Badot, Pierre-Marie; Chabaux, François; Stille, Peter

2011-10-01

Hydroponic experiments have been performed in order to identify the co-occurring geochemical and biological processes affecting the Ca isotopic compositions within plants. To test the influence of the Ca concentration and pH of the nutritive solution on the Ca isotopic composition of the different plant organs, four experimental conditions were chosen combining two different Ca concentrations (5 and 60 ppm) and two pHs (4 and 6). The study was performed on rapid growing bean plants in order to have a complete growth cycle. Several organs (root, stem, leaf, reproductive) were sampled at two different growth stages (10 days and 6 weeks of culture) and prepared for Ca isotopic measurements. The results allow to identify three Ca isotopic fractionation levels. The first one takes place when Ca enters the lateral roots, during Ca adsorption on cation-exchange binding sites in the apoplasm. The second one takes place when Ca is bound to the polygalacturonic acids (pectins) of the middle lamella of the xylem cell wall. Finally, the last fractionation occurs in the reproductive organs, also caused by cation-exchange processes with pectins. However, the cell wall structures of these organs and/or number of available exchange sites seem to be different to those of the xylem wall. These three physico-chemical fractionation mechanisms allow to enrich the organs in the light 40Ca isotope. The amplitude of the Ca isotopic fractionation within plant organs is highly dependent on the composition of the nutritive solution: low pH (4) and Ca concentrations (5 ppm) have no effect on the biomass increase of the plants but induce smaller fractionation amplitudes compared to those obtained from other experimental conditions. Thus, Ca isotopic signatures of bean plants are controlled by the external nutritive medium. This study highlights the potential of Ca isotopes to be applied in plant physiology (to identify Ca uptake, circulation and storage mechanisms within plants) and in biogeochemistry (to identify Ca recycling, Ca content and pH evolutions in soil solutions through time).

An Arsenal Ship Design

DTIC Science & Technology

1996-12-01

151 B. PROPULSION PLANT SELECTION....................................................................... 152 ix C. PROPULSION PLANT LAYOUT...155 D. ELECTRICAL PLANT SELECTION...designed into the hull and power plant and once finalized is only a function of how many miles the ship is to be driven. Decision trade- offs are to

Treatment of municipal wastewater in a hybrid process using a new suspended carrier with large surface area.

PubMed

Christensson, M; Welander, T

2004-01-01

An activated sludge/biofilm hybrid process treating municipal wastewater was studied in pilot plant trials. A new type of suspended carrier, with large effective surface area, was employed in the process with the aim of enhancing nitrification. The pilot plant was operated for 1.5 years in five different configurations including pre-denitrification in all five and enhanced biological phosphorus removal in the final two. The wastewater temperature ranged between 11 degrees C and 20 degrees C, and the nominal dissolved oxygen (DO) level was 5-6 mg/L. The nitrification rate obtained on the new carrier within the hybrid stage was in the range of 0.9-1.2 g NH4-N/m2/d corresponding to a volumetric rate of 19-23 g NH4-N/m3/h (total nitrification including nitrification in the suspended solids). More than 80% of the total nitrification took place on the carrier (and the remainder in the suspended solids). The nitrification rate was shown to correlate with DO, decreasing when the DO was decreased. The results supported the idea of using the new carrier as a tool to upgrade plants not having nitrification today or improve nitrification in activated sludge processes not reaching necessary discharge levels. The large surface area present for nitrification makes it possible to obtain high nitrification rates within limited volumes. The possibility to keep the total suspended solid content low (< 3 g/L) and avoiding problems with the filament Microthrix parvicella, are other beneficial properties of the hybrid process.

Optimization of animal manure vermicomposting based on biomass production of earthworms and higher plants.

PubMed

Borges, Yan V; Alves, Luciano; Bianchi, Ivan; Espíndola, Jonas C; Oliveira, Juahil M De; Radetski, Claudemir M; Somensi, Cleder A

2017-11-02

The goal of this study was to optimize the mixture of swine manure (SM) and cattle manure (CM) used in the vermicomposting process, seeking to increase the manure biodegradation rate and enhance the biomass production of both earthworms and higher plants. To achieve this goal, physico-chemical parameters were determined to assess the final compost quality after 50 days of vermicomposting. The different manure ratios used to produce the composts (C) were as follows (SM:CM, % m/m basis): C1 100:0, C2 (75:25), C3 (50:50), C4 (25:75), and C5 (0:100). In addition, the earthworm biomass and the phytoproductivity of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) plants grown in mixtures (1:1) of natural soil and the most viable vermicomposts were investigated. The C1 and C2 compost compositions were associated with high earthworm mortality rates. The C3 compost provided the highest mineral concentrations and C5 showed the highest lettuce yield (wet biomass). The results verify that stabilized cattle manure is an excellent substrate for the vermicomposting process and that fresh swine manure must be mixed with pre-stabilized cattle manure to ensure an optimized vermicomposting process, which must be controlled in terms of temperature and ammonia levels. It is concluded that small livestock farmers could add value to swine manure by applying the vermicomposting process, without the need for high investments and with a minimal requirement for management of the biodegradation process. These are important technical aspects to be considered when circular economy principles are applied to small farms.

Flexibility of CCS Power Plants and Transport Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nimtz, Michael; Krautz, Hans-Joachim

2013-04-01

Growing shares of renewable energy in the German power grid urge fossil fuelled power plants to reduce load or to shut down completely with increasing frequency and amplitude. Shut down, load changes and the following restart or ramp-up often have to be carried out as fast as possible. To realize such fast transitions is already complicated and expensive for conventional power plants - if further measures for CO2 reduction are applied, the task is even harder. Capture equipment and transport systems will add further process steps as well as additional masses of fluids and construction material. This will result in a change of time constants and a generally slower system reaction on changes in parameters like load, temperature and pressure in the power plant components and capture units. On the other hand there is only limited time to earn money by selling electricity - if there is a chance to sell more electricity in a short term, efficiencies should be as high as possible. Any capture unit that would reduce the efficiency causes economic conflicts. Therefore measures are analysed to offset the power generation from the capture process in time or to reduce the capture load temporarily. The poster will present a case study for different CCS power plant configurations and load scenarios representing typical grid load from renewable energies. Approaches to balance the load and/or the CO2 output of these power plants will be presented. These approaches comprise: bypassing of flue gas, intermediate storage of heat and/or fluids. Amounts of additional steam, electrical energy and other process fluids (e.g. scrubbing fluids like MEA) and size of auxiliary equipment will be shown .Finally, effects on the transport system (e.g. cooling down of CO2 in the pipeline and changes in mass and volume flow) will be presented and discussed.

Copper Oxide Nanoparticle Foliar Uptake, Phytotoxicity, and Consequences for Sustainable Urban Agriculture.

PubMed

Xiong, TianTian; Dumat, Camille; Dappe, Vincent; Vezin, Hervé; Schreck, Eva; Shahid, Muhammad; Pierart, Antoine; Sobanska, Sophie

2017-05-02

Throughout the world, urban agriculture supplies fresh local vegetables to city populations. However, the increasing anthropogenic uses of metal-containing nanoparticles (NPs) such as CuO-NPs in urban areas may contaminate vegetables through foliar uptake. This study focused on the CuO-NP transfer processes in leafy edible vegetables (i.e., lettuce and cabbage) to assess their potential phytotoxicity. Vegetables were exposed via leaves for 5, 10, or 15 days to various concentrations of CuO-NPs (0, 10, or 250 mg per plant). Biomass and gas exchange values were determined in relation to the Cu uptake rate, localization, and Cu speciation within the plant tissues. High foliar Cu uptake occurred after exposure for 15 days for lettuce [3773 mg (kg of dry weight) -1 ] and cabbage [4448 mg (kg of dry weight) -1 ], along with (i) decreased plant weight, net photosynthesis level, and water content and (ii) necrotic Cu-rich areas near deformed stomata containing CuO-NPs observed by scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis. Analysis of the CuO-NP transfer rate (7.8-242 μg day -1 ), translocation of Cu from leaves to roots and Cu speciation biotransformation in leaf tissues using electron paramagnetic resonance, suggests the involvement of plant Cu regulation processes. Finally, a potential health risk associated with consumption of vegetables contaminated with CuO-NPs was highlighted.

Fly ash carbon burn-out at TVA`s Colbert and Shawnee Stations: Site specific application study. Final report

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

Cochran, J.W.; Kirkconnell, S.F.

1996-04-01

Many power plants, particularly after conversion to low-NOx burners, produce fly ash that is too high in carbon content to be successfully marketed as a concrete admixture. Fly ash beneficiation using Carbon Burn-Out (CBO) technology offers the opportunity to market fly ash that was previously landfilled. This site application study of beneficiating pulverized coal boiler fly ash at Tennessee Valley Authority`s Colbert and Shawnee Stations indicates this process is a cost effective solution for decreasing solid waste disposal, increasing landfill life, improving boiler heat rate, and generating a positive revenue stream. Results indicate that the Colbert Station has the flymore » ash market, site integration potential, and positive economics to support construction and operation of a CBO plant with an annual production rate of approximately 150,000 tons. As the market for fly ash increases, this capacity may be expanded to handle the majority of fly ash generated at Colbert. Results of the Shawnee Station analysis indicate that site integration constraints combined with the lack of near term local area fly ash market growth do not support construction and operation of a CBO plant. CBO commercial process design work in developing a generic commercial design resulted in a major improvement to the heat recovery portion of the process. This development resulted in the elimination of five major equipment items, with a corresponding reduction in plant complexity and costs. The design change is now considered part of the commercial offering.« less

A single-stage biological process for municipal sewage treatment in tourist areas.

PubMed

Di Iaconi, C; De Sanctis, M; Lopez, A

2014-11-01

This pilot scale study aims to test the effectiveness of an innovative compact biological system (SBBGR - Sequencing Batch Biofilter Granular Reactor) for treating municipal wastewater in tourist areas characterised by intense seasonal water demand and wastewater discharge. The results obtained after a long term operation of 463 days have shown that the proposed system is able to assure average removal efficiencies higher than 90% for COD (chemical oxygen demand), total suspended solids and TKN (total Kjeldahl nitrogen) independently of the influent concentration values and organic loading, which ranged from 0.2 to 5.1 kgCOD/m(3)biofilter.d Furthermore, the plant showed a high degree of operation flexibility and stability in response to the organic load variations occurring in tourist areas. In fact, no significant deterioration in the plant's effluent quality was observed even during a sudden several-fold increase in organic loading. High nitrogen removal efficiencies (80%, on average) were also achieved thanks to the establishment of simultaneous nitrification-denitrification process favoured by the plant's high biomass concentration and operating conditions. Finally, the system was characterized by an excess sludge production much lower (60-80% lower) than that of conventional biological systems operating without a primary clarifier. An acceptable level of stabilization of excess sludge was also obtained so that a further stabilization process was no longer required. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Andrographis paniculata (Burm. f.) Wall. ex Nees: A Review of Ethnobotany, Phytochemistry, and Pharmacology

PubMed Central

Sule, Abubakar; Rahman, K. M. Hafizur

2014-01-01

As aboriginal sources of medications, medicinal plants are used from the ancient times. Andrographis paniculata is one of the highly used potential medicinal plants in the world. This plant is traditionally used for the treatment of common cold, diarrhoea, fever due to several infective cause, jaundice, as a health tonic for the liver and cardiovascular health, and as an antioxidant. It is also used to improve sexual dysfunctions and serve as a contraceptive. All parts of this plant are used to extract the active phytochemicals, but the compositions of phytoconstituents widely differ from one part to another and with place, season, and time of harvest. Our extensive data mining of the phytoconstituents revealed more than 55 ent-labdane diterpenoids, 30 flavonoids, 8 quinic acids, 4 xanthones, and 5 rare noriridoids. In this review, we selected only those compounds that pharmacology has already reported. Finally we focused on around 46 compounds for further discussion. We also discussed ethnobotany of this plant briefly. Recommendations addressing extraction process, tissue culture, and adventitious rooting techniques and propagation under abiotic stress conditions for improvement of phytoconstituents are discussed concisely in this paper. Further study areas on pharmacology are also proposed where needed. PMID:25950015

Growth and physiological responses of some Capsicum frutescens varieties to copper stress

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jadid, Nurul; Maziyah, Rizka; Nurcahyani, Desy Dwi; Mubarokah, Nilna Rizqiyah

2017-06-01

Copper (Cu) is an essential micronutrient participating in various physiological processes. However, excessive uptake of this micronutrient could potentially affect plant growth and development as well as plant productivity. In this present work, growth and physiological responses of some Capsicum frustescens varieties to Cu stress were determined. Three C. frutescens varieties used in this work were var. Bara, CF 291, and Genie. In addition, these varieties were treated with different concentration of Cu (0, 30, 70, and 120 ppm). The growth and physiological responses measured in this work included plant height, root length, malondialdehyde (MDA), and chlorophyll. The result showed that all varieties tested relatively displayed plant growth reduction including plant height and root length. Likewise, an increase of MDA level, a major bioindicator for oxidative damage was also found in all varieties following exposure to elevated Cu concentration. Finally, the chlorophyll content was also affected indicated by a decreased amount of chlorophyll, especially in var. CF291. The overall results demonstrated that elevated Cu concentration might decrease C. frutescens productivity where among the three varieties tested, var CF 291 seemed to be the most sensitive varieties to Cu stress.

Plant Resistance Inducers against Pathogens in Solanaceae Species—From Molecular Mechanisms to Field Application

PubMed Central

Alexandersson, Erik; Mulugeta, Tewodros; Lankinen, Åsa; Liljeroth, Erland; Andreasson, Erik

2016-01-01

This review provides a current summary of plant resistance inducers (PRIs) that have been successfully used in the Solanaceae plant family to protect against pathogens by activating the plant’s own defence. Solanaceous species include many important crops such as potato and tomato. We also present findings regarding the molecular processes after application of PRIs, even if the number of such studies still remains limited in this plant family. In general, there is a lack of patterns regarding the efficiency of induced resistance (IR) both between and within solanaceous species. In many cases, a hypersensitivity-like reaction needs to form in order for the PRI to be efficient. “-Omics” studies have already given insight in the complexity of responses, and can explain some of the differences seen in efficacy of PRIs between and within species as well as towards different pathogens. Finally, examples of field applications of PRIs for solanaceous crops are presented and discussed. We predict that PRIs will play a role in future plant protection strategies in Solanaceae crops if they are combined with other means of disease control in different spatial and temporal combinations. PMID:27706100

Cysteine proteases and wheat (Triticum aestivum L) under drought: A still greatly unexplored association.

PubMed

Botha, Anna-Maria; Kunert, Karl J; Cullis, Christopher A

2017-09-01

Bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) provides about 19% of global dietary energy. Environmental stress, such as drought, affects wheat growth causing premature plant senescence and ultimately plant death. A plant response to drought is an increase in protease-mediated proteolysis with rapid degradation of proteins required for metabolic processes. Among the plant proteases that are increased in their activity following stress, cysteine proteases are the best characterized. Very little is known about particular wheat cysteine protease sequences, their expression and also localization. The current knowledge on wheat cysteine proteases belonging to the five clans (CA, CD, CE, CF and CP) is outlined, in particular their expression and possible function under drought. The first successes in establishing an annotated wheat genome database are further highlighted which has allowed more detailed mining of cysteine proteases. We also share our thoughts on future research directions considering the growing availability of genomic resources of this very important food crop. Finally, we also outline future application of developed knowledge in transgenic wheat plants for environmental stress protection and also as senescence markers to monitor wheat growth under environmental stress conditions. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Validation of a multi-phase plant-wide model for the description of the aeration process in a WWTP.

PubMed

Lizarralde, I; Fernández-Arévalo, T; Beltrán, S; Ayesa, E; Grau, P

2018-02-01

This paper introduces a new mathematical model built under the PC-PWM methodology to describe the aeration process in a full-scale WWTP. This methodology enables a systematic and rigorous incorporation of chemical and physico-chemical transformations into biochemical process models, particularly for the description of liquid-gas transfer to describe the aeration process. The mathematical model constructed is able to reproduce biological COD and nitrogen removal, liquid-gas transfer and chemical reactions. The capability of the model to describe the liquid-gas mass transfer has been tested by comparing simulated and experimental results in a full-scale WWTP. Finally, an exploration by simulation has been undertaken to show the potential of the mathematical model. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Global pattern of plant utilization across different organisms: Does plant apparency or plant phylogeny matter?

PubMed

Dai, Xiaohua; Zhang, Wei; Xu, Jiasheng; Duffy, Kevin J; Guo, Qingyun

2017-04-01

The present study is the first to consider human and nonhuman consumers together to reveal several general patterns of plant utilization. We provide evidence that at a global scale, plant apparency and phylogenetic isolation can be important predictors of plant utilization and consumer diversity. Using the number of species or genera or the distribution area of each plant family as the island "area" and the minimum phylogenetic distance to common plant families as the island "distance", we fitted presence-area relationships and presence-distance relationships with a binomial GLM (generalized linear model) with a logit link. The presence-absence of consumers among each plant family strongly depended on plant apparency (family size and distribution area); the diversity of consumers increased with plant apparency but decreased with phylogenetic isolation. When consumers extended their host breadth, unapparent plants became more likely to be used. Common uses occurred more often on common plants and their relatives, showing higher host phylogenetic clustering than uncommon uses. On the contrary, highly specialized uses might be related to the rarity of plant chemicals and were therefore very species-specific. In summary, our results provide a global illustration of plant-consumer combinations and reveal several general patterns of plant utilization across humans, insects and microbes. First, plant apparency and plant phylogenetic isolation generally govern plant utilization value, with uncommon and isolated plants suffering fewer parasites. Second, extension of the breadth of utilized hosts helps explain the presence of consumers on unapparent plants. Finally, the phylogenetic clustering structure of host plants is different between common uses and uncommon uses. The strength of such consistent plant utilization patterns across a diverse set of usage types suggests that the persistence and accumulation of consumer diversity and use value for plant species are determined by similar ecological and evolutionary processes.

Forest ecosystems in the Alaskan taiga

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

Van Cleve, K.; Chapin, F.S. III; Flanagan, P.W.

1986-01-01

This volume in the series ''Ecological Studies'' provides an overview and synthesis of research on the structure and function of taiga forest ecosystems of interior Alaska. The first section discusses the nature of the taiga environment and covers climate, forest ecosystem distribution, natural regeneration of vegetation, and the role of fire. The second edition focuses on environmental controls over organism activity with discussions on growth and nutrient use, nitrogen fixation, physiological ecology of mosses, and microbial activity and element availability. The final section considers environmental controls over ecosystem processes with discussions of processes, plant-animal interactions, and a model of forestmore » growth and yield.« less

Model of a Generic Natural Uranium Conversion Plant ? Suggested Measures to Strengthen International Safeguards

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

Raffo-Caiado, Ana Claudia; Begovich, John M; Ferrada, Juan J

This is the final report that closed a joint collaboration effort between DOE and the National Nuclear Energy Commission of Brazil (CNEN). In 2005, DOE and CNEN started a collaborative effort to evaluate measures that can strengthen the effectiveness of international safeguards at a natural uranium conversion plant (NUCP). The work was performed by DOE s Oak Ridge National Laboratory and CNEN. A generic model of a NUCP was developed and typical processing steps were defined. Advanced instrumentation and techniques for verification purposes were identified and investigated. The scope of the work was triggered by the International Atomic Energy Agencymore » s 2003 revised policy concerning the starting point of safeguards at uranium conversion facilities. Prior to this policy only the final products of the uranium conversion plant were considered to be of composition and purity suitable for use in the nuclear fuel cycle and therefore, subject to the IAEA safeguards control. DOE and CNEN have explored options for implementing the IAEA policy, although Brazil understands that the new policy established by the IAEA is beyond the framework of the Quadripartite Agreement of which it is one of the parties, together with Argentina, the Brazilian-Argentine Agency for Accounting and Control of Nuclear Materials (ABACC) and the IAEA. Two technical papers on this subject were published at the 2005 and 2008 INMM Annual Meetings.« less

Modelling of thermal behaviour of iron oxide layers on boiler tubes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Angelo, J. D.; Bennecer, A.; Kaczmarczyk, S.; Picton, P.

2016-05-01

Slender boiler tubes are subject to localised swelling when they are expose to excessive heat. The latter is due to the formation of an oxide layer, which acts as an insulation barrier. This excessive heat can lead to microstructural changes in the material that would reduce the mechanical strength and would eventually lead to critical and catastrophic failure. Detecting such creep damage remains a formidable challenge for boiler operators. It involves a costly process of shutting down the plant, performing electromagnetic and ultrasonic non-destructive inspection, repairing or replacing damaged tubes and finally restarting the plant to resume its service. This research explores through a model developed using a finite element computer simulation platform the thermal behaviour of slender tubes under constant temperature exceeding 723 °K. Our simulation results demonstrate that hematite layers up to 15 μm thickness inside the tubes do not act as insulation. They clearly show the process of long term overheating on the outside of boiler tubes which in turn leads to initiation of flaws.

Occurrence and removal of NDMA and NDMA formation potential in wastewater treatment plants.

PubMed

Yoon, Suchul; Nakada, Norihide; Tanaka, Hiroaki

2011-06-15

N-Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) is a potent carcinogen that is formed during disinfection by chlorination or ozonation in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). At present, little is known about the occurrence and fate of NDMA and its formation potential (FP) during wastewater treatment. We investigated the fate of NDMA and NDMA FP in 12 WWTPs. NDMA occurred in the influents at a concentration ranging from below the limit of quantification (LOQ <10 ng/L) to 80 ng/L, and in the final discharges from below the LOQ to 73 ng/L. In three WWTPs located in industrial areas, the influent had a high NDMA FP (up to 8230 ng/L). The rate of NDMA FP reduction from influent to secondary effluent varied between 85 and 98%, regardless of treatment process. The rate of NDMA removal is due more to the influent properties than to the type of biological treatment process. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Poultry slaughterhouse wastewater treatment plant for high quality effluent.

PubMed

Del Nery, V; Damianovic, M H Z; Moura, R B; Pozzi, E; Pires, E C; Foresti, E

2016-01-01

This paper assesses a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) regarding the technology used, as well as organic matter and nutrient removal efficiencies aiming to optimize the treatment processes involved and wastewater reclamation. The WWTP consists of a dissolved air flotation (DAF) system, an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor, an aerated-facultative pond (AFP) and a chemical-DAF system. The removal efficiencies of chemical oxygen demand (COD) (97.9 ± 1.0%), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) (98.6 ± 1.0%) and oil and grease (O&G) (91.1 ± 5.2%) at the WWTP, the nitrogen concentration of 17 ± 11 mg N-NH3 and phosphorus concentration of 1.34 ± 0.93 mg PO4(-3)/L in the final effluent indicate that the processes used are suitable to comply with discharge standards in water bodies. Nitrification and denitrification tests conducted using biomass collected at three AFP points indicated that nitrification and denitrification could take place in the pond.

Thermal hydrolysis integration in the anaerobic digestion process of different solid wastes: energy and economic feasibility study.

PubMed

Cano, R; Nielfa, A; Fdz-Polanco, M

2014-09-01

An economic assessment of thermal hydrolysis as a pretreatment to anaerobic digestion has been achieved to evaluate its implementation in full-scale plants. Six different solid wastes have been studied, among them municipal solid waste (MSW). Thermal hydrolysis has been tested with batch lab-scale tests, from which an energy and economic assessment of three scenarios is performed: with and without energy integration (recovering heat to produce steam in a cogeneration plant), finally including the digestate management costs. Thermal hydrolysis has lead to an increase of the methane productions (up to 50%) and kinetics parameters (even double). The study has determined that a proper energy integration design could lead to important economic savings (5 €/t) and thermal hydrolysis can enhance up to 40% the incomes of the digestion plant, even doubling them when digestate management costs are considered. In a full-scale MSW treatment plant (30,000 t/year), thermal hydrolysis would provide almost 0.5 M€/year net benefits. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Implementation of Sensor and Control Designs for Bioregenerative Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rodriguez, Pedro R. (Editor)

1990-01-01

The goal of the Spring 1990 EGM 4001 Design class was to design, fabricate, and test sensors and control systems for a closed loop life support system (CLLSS). The designs investigated were to contribute to the development of NASA's Controlled Ecological Life Support System (CELSS) at Kennedy Space Center (KSC). Designs included a seed moisture content sensor, a porous medium wetness sensor, a plant health sensor, and a neural network control system. The seed group focused on the design and implementation of a sensor that could detect the moisture content of a seed batch. The porous medium wetness group concentrated on the development of a sensor to monitor the amount of nutrient solution within a porous plate incorporating either infrared reflectance or thermal conductance properties. The plant health group examined the possibility of remotely monitoring the health of the plants within the Biomass Production Chamber (BPC) using infrared reflectance properties. Finally, the neural network group concentrated on the ability to use parallel processing in order to control a robot arm and analyze the data from the health sensor to detect regions of a plant.

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.

The Role of RUB (related to ubiquitin) Family of Proteins in the Hormone Response. Final Report.

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

Callis, Judy

2013-03-22

The Rub pathway is a conserved protein modification pathway. RUB (called Rubp1 in budding yeast, Nedd8 in animals and RUB in plants) is a ubiquitin-like 76-amino acid protein. It covalently attaches to protein using an enzymatic machinery analogous to the enzymes that attach ubiquitin to its substrate proteins. However, the nature of the complement of Rub-modified proteins in organisms was not clear. From bioinformatics analyses, one can identify a Rub activating enzymes and Rub conjugating enzymes. However, in many cases, their biochemical properties were not described. In DOE-funded work, we made major advances in our understanding of the Rub pathwaymore » in yeast and plants, work that is applicable to other organisms as well. There is a multi-subunit enzyme called SCF in all eukaryotes. The SCF consists of several subunits that serve as a scaffold (the cullin, SKP and RBX subunits) and one subunit that interacts with the substrate. This cullin protein (called Cdc53p in yeast and CULLIN 1 in plants and animals) was a known Rub target. In this work, we identified additional Rub targets in yeast as the other cullin-like proteins Cul3p and Rtt101p. Additionally we described the conservation of the Rub pathway because plant RUB1 can conjugated to yeast Cdc53p- in yeast. In the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana, we characterized the Rub activating enzymes and showed that they are not biochemically equivalent. We also showed that the Rub pathway is essential in plants and characterized plants with reduced levels of rub proteins. These plants are affected in multiple developmental processes. We discovered that they over-produce ethylene as dark-grown seedlings. We characterized a mutant allele of CULLIN1 in Arabidopsis with impaired interaction with RBX and showed that it is unstable in vivo. We used our knowledge of monitoring protein degradation to map the degradation determinants in a plant transcription factor. Finally, we took a mass spectrometric approach to identify novel Rub targets in plants and identified DDB1a, a subunit of an different ubiquitin ligase as a potential Rub-modified protein. Altogether, these studies have advanced our knowledge of the Rub pathway in all organisms.« less

Development of Advanced Technologies to Reduce Design, Fabrication and Construction Costs for Future Nuclear Power Plants

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

DiNunzio, Camillo A.; Gupta, Abhinav; Golay, Michael

2002-11-30

This report presents a summation of the third and final year of a three-year investigation into methods and technologies for substantially reducing the capital costs and total schedule for future nuclear plants. In addition, this is the final technical report for the three-year period of studies.

76 FR 29278 - Luminant Generation Company LLC.; Notice of Availability of the Final Environmental Impact...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-05-20

... Comanche Peak Nuclear Power Plant Units 3 and 4 Notice is hereby given that the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory... Combined Licenses (COLs) for Comanche Peak Nuclear Power Plant Units 3 and 4: Final Report.'' The site comprises approximately 7,950 acres in Hood and Somervell Counties, Texas on the [[Page 29279

Technical Report Cellulosic Based Black Liquor Gasification and Fuels Plant Final Technical Report

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

Fornetti, Micheal; Freeman, Douglas

2012-10-31

The Cellulosic Based Black Liquor Gasification and Fuels Plant Project was developed to construct a black liquor to Methanol biorefinery in Escanaba, Michigan. The biorefinery was to be co-located at the existing pulp and paper mill, NewPage’s Escanaba Paper Mill and when in full operation would: • Generate renewable energy for Escanaba Paper Mill • Produce Methanol for transportation fuel of further refinement to Dimethyl Ether • Convert black liquor to white liquor for pulping. Black liquor is a byproduct of the pulping process and as such is generated from abundant and renewable lignocellulosic biomass. The biorefinery would serve tomore » validate the thermochemical pathway and economic models for black liquor gasification. It was a project goal to create a compelling new business model for the pulp and paper industry, and support the nation’s goal for increasing renewable fuels production and reducing its dependence on foreign oil. NewPage Corporation planned to replicate this facility at other NewPage Corporation mills after this first demonstration scale plant was operational and had proven technical and economic feasibility. An overview of the process begins with black liquor being generated in a traditional Kraft pulping process. The black liquor would then be gasified to produce synthesis gas, sodium carbonate and hydrogen sulfide. The synthesis gas is then cleaned with hydrogen sulfide and carbon dioxide removed, and fed into a Methanol reactor where the liquid product is made. The hydrogen sulfide is converted into polysulfide for use in the Kraft pulping process. Polysulfide is a known additive to the Kraft process that increases pulp yield. The sodium carbonate salts are converted to caustic soda in a traditional recausticizing process. The caustic soda is then part of the white liquor that is used in the Kraft pulping process. Cellulosic Based Black Liquor Gasification and Fuels Plant project set out to prove that black liquor gasification could produce transportation fuels and produce pulp at the same time. This has the added advantage of reducing or eliminating the need for a recovery boiler. The recovery boiler is an extremely expensive unit operation in the Kraft process and is key to the chemical recovery system that makes the Kraft process successful. Going to a gasification process with potentially higher energy efficiency, improve the pulping process and be more efficient with the use of wood. At the same time a renewable fuel product can be made. Cellulosic Based Black Liquor Gasification and Fuels Plant progressed with the design of the mill as Chemrec continued to work on their pilot plant data gathering. The design information helped to guide the pilot plant and vice versa. In the end, the design details showed that the process was technically feasible. However, at the relatively small size of this plant the specific capital cost was very high and could only be considered if the pulp operation needed to replace the recovery boiler. Some of the reasons for the costs being high are attributed to the many constraints that needed to be addressed in the pulping process. Additionally, the Methanol product did not have a vehicle fuel supply chain to enter into. A different product selection could have eliminated this issue. However, with the selected design, the installation at Escanaba Paper Mill was not economically feasible and the project was not pursued further.« less

Bio-effectors from waste materials as growth promoters, an agronomic and metabolomic study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alwanney, Deaa; Chami, Ziad Al; Angelica De Pascali, Sandra; Cavoski, Ivana; Fanizzi, Francesco Paolo

2014-05-01

Nowadays, improving plant performance by providing growth promoters is a main concern of the organic agriculture. As a consequence of increased food demands, more efficient and alternatives of the current plant nutrition strategies are becoming urgent. Recently, a novel concept "bio-effectors" raised on to describe a group of products that are able to improve plant performance and do not belong to fertilizers or pesticides. Agro-Food processing residues are promising materials as bio-effector. Three plant-derived materials: brewers' spent grain (BSG), fennel processing residues (FPR) and lemon processing residues (LPR) were chosen as bio-effector candidates. Plant-derived materials were characterized in term of total macro and micronutrients content. Green extraction methodology and solvent choice (aqueous; ethanol; and aqueous: ethanol mixture 1:1) was based on the extraction yield as main factor. Optimum extracts, to be used on the tomato test plant, were determined using phytotoxicity test (seed germination test) as main constraint. Thereafter, selected extracts were characterized and secondary metabolites profiling were detected by NMR technique. Selected extracts were applied on tomato in a growth chamber at different doses in comparison to humic-like substances as positive control (Ctrl+) and to a Hoagland solution as negative control (Ctrl-). At the end of the experiment, agronomical parameters were determined and NMR-metabolomic profiling were conducted on tomato seedlings. Results are summarized as follow: (i) raw showed an interesting content, either at nutritional or biological level; (ii) aqueous extraction resulted higher yield than other used solvent; (iii) at high extraction ratio (1:25 for BSG; 1:100 for FPR; and 1:200 for LPR) aqueous extracts were not phytotoxic on the tomato test plant; (iv) all aqueous extract are differently rich in nutrients, aminoacids, sugars and low molecular weight molecules; (v) all extract exhibited a growth promotion at low application doses; (vi) regarding plant metabolomics study, all treatments showed a different metabolites in respect to Ctrl- treatment. BSG, LPR and Ctrl+ treatments had similar metabolic profile. Finally, Metabolomic study provided an efficient tool and a key reporter about bio-effectors impact on plants. The visible effect and measured agronomical parameters was emphasized and demonstrated by metabolic profiling which offer insights into the affected plant metabolic pathways. As conclusion, our results supported the prediction that plant derived materials may interfere again in plant production regardless their nutritional content. Keywords: Bio-effectors; Metabolomics; Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR); Barley; Fennel; Lemon; Tomato.

75 FR 68945 - Update of Noxious Weed Regulations

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-11-10

... DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service 7 CFR Parts 319, 352, 360... and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA. ACTION: Final rule. SUMMARY: We are amending the... 20737-1236; (301) 734-5225; or Dr. Arnold Tschanz, Senior Plant Pathologist, Risk Management and Plants...

CRISPR/Cas9 and TALENs generate heritable mutations for genes involved in small RNA processing of Glycine max and Medicago truncatula.

PubMed

Curtin, Shaun J; Xiong, Yer; Michno, Jean-Michel; Campbell, Benjamin W; Stec, Adrian O; Čermák, Tomas; Starker, Colby; Voytas, Daniel F; Eamens, Andrew L; Stupar, Robert M

2018-06-01

Processing of double-stranded RNA precursors into small RNAs is an essential regulator of gene expression in plant development and stress response. Small RNA processing requires the combined activity of a functionally diverse group of molecular components. However, in most of the plant species, there are insufficient mutant resources to functionally characterize each encoding gene. Here, mutations in loci encoding protein machinery involved in small RNA processing in soya bean and Medicago truncatula were generated using the CRISPR/Cas9 and TAL-effector nuclease (TALEN) mutagenesis platforms. An efficient CRISPR/Cas9 reagent was used to create a bi-allelic double mutant for the two soya bean paralogous Double-stranded RNA-binding2 (GmDrb2a and GmDrb2b) genes. These mutations, along with a CRISPR/Cas9-generated mutation of the M. truncatula Hua enhancer1 (MtHen1) gene, were determined to be germ-line transmissible. Furthermore, TALENs were used to generate a mutation within the soya bean Dicer-like2 gene. CRISPR/Cas9 mutagenesis of the soya bean Dicer-like3 gene and the GmHen1a gene was observed in the T 0 generation, but these mutations failed to transmit to the T 1 generation. The irregular transmission of induced mutations and the corresponding transgenes was investigated by whole-genome sequencing to reveal a spectrum of non-germ-line-targeted mutations and multiple transgene insertion events. Finally, a suite of combinatorial mutant plants were generated by combining the previously reported Gmdcl1a, Gmdcl1b and Gmdcl4b mutants with the Gmdrb2ab double mutant. Altogether, this study demonstrates the synergistic use of different genome engineering platforms to generate a collection of useful mutant plant lines for future study of small RNA processing in legume crops. © 2017 The Authors. Plant Biotechnology Journal published by Society for Experimental Biology and The Association of Applied Biologists and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Use of geothermal energy for desalination in New Mexico: a feasibility study. Final report, January 1, 1977-May 30, 1979

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

Chaturvedi, L.; Keyes, C.G. Jr.; Swanberg, C.A.

The water requirements and availability for New Mexico are described. The possibility of using geothermal resources for desalination of the state's saline water sources is discussed. The following aspects of the problem are covered: resource evaluation, geothermal desalination technology, potential geothermal desalination sites, saline and geothermal aquifer well fields design, geothermal desalination plant waste brine disposal, process water pumping and brine disposal unit costs, environmental considerations, and legal and institutional considerations. (MHR)

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

Fishkind, H.H.

The overall environmental impact of the eucalyptus to methanol energy system in Florida is assessed. The environmental impacts associated with the following steps of the process are considered: (1) the greenhouse and laboratory; (2) the eucalyptus plantation; (3) transporting the mature logs; (4) the hammermill; and (5) the methanol synthesis plant. Next, the environmental effects of methanol as an undiluted motor fuel, methanol as a gasoline blend, and gasoline as motor fuels are compared. Finally, the environmental effects of the eucalypt gasification/methanol synthesis system are compared to the coal liquefaction and conversion system.

Investigation of the In-Situ Oxidation of Methanol in Fuel Cells.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-09-01

ability of the catalyst to tolerate carbon monoxide. Finally, a performance curve was obtained for the anodic oxidation of methanol : CH3OH ... CH3OH + H20 •» C02 + 3H2 In present methanol -air fuel cell power plants , the steam reforming process is usually carried out in a unit which is...KCY YIO"(CS (Continue on reverse ride it neeessnry and identity ay block number) Fuel Cell Platinum Catalysts Methanol Direct Oxidation Internal

AFSOC Urban Operations Training & Capabilities Final Environmental Assessment

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-12-01

Purple pitcher plant ( Sarracenia purpurea ). The purple pitcher plant is a native, carnivorous herb. In its southern distribution, this pitcher plant...associated with seepage slopes and bogs. ● Sweet (Red-Flowered) Pitcherplant ( Sarracenia rubra). The red-flowered pitcher plant, also known as the sweet...soils. ● Parrot Pitcher Plant ( Sarracenia psittacina). Another carnivorous plant that occurs in south Georgia, north Florida, and extreme

Removal rate and releases of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in two wastewater treatment plants, Korea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Hyo Jin; Kim, Gi Beum

2017-06-01

Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) play an important role in minimizing the release of many pollutants into the environment. Nineteen congeners in two WWTPs in Korea were determined to investigate the occurrence and fate of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) during wastewater treatment processes. The concentration of total PBDEs was 69.6 and 183 ng/L in influent, which declined to 1.59 and 2.34 ng/L in the final effluent, respectively (Tongyeong and Jinhae WWTPs). PBDEs were found to exist mostly in the particulate phase of wastewater, which rendered sedimentation efficient for the removal of PBDEs. BDE-209 was the predominant congener in the influent and sludge. Most of the PBDEs entering the WWTPs presumably ended up in the sludge, with < 2% being discharged with the final effluent. According to the mass loading estimation, every day 2.55-9.29 g PBDEs entered the two WWTPs, 2.8-10.4 g were disposed to landfill sites in sludge form and 0.06-0.12 g were discharged to the surrounding water through final effluent, respectively. Preliminary results indicated that the ecological risk to organisms in soil exposed to PBDEs through the usage of sludge application to agricultural land was relatively low. To our knowledge, this study is the first to report on the removal efficiency of PBDEs in a WWTP in Korea.

Hydrothermal Liquefaction and Upgrading of Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant Sludge: A Preliminary Techno-Economic Analysis

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

Snowden-Swan, Lesley J.; Zhu, Yunhua; Jones, Susanne B.

A preliminary process model and techno-economic analysis (TEA) was completed for fuel produced from hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) of sludge waste from a municipal wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) and subsequent biocrude upgrading. The model is adapted from previous work by Jones et al. (2014) for algae HTL, using experimental data generated in fiscal year 2015 (FY15) bench-scale HTL testing of sludge waste streams. Testing was performed on sludge samples received from MetroVancouver’s Annacis Island WWTP (Vancouver, B.C.) as part of a collaborative project with the Water Environment and Reuse Foundation (WERF). The full set of sludge HTL testing data from thismore » effort will be documented in a separate report to be issued by WERF. This analysis is based on limited testing data and therefore should be considered preliminary. Future refinements are necessary to improve the robustness of the model, including a cross-check of modeled biocrude components with the experimental GCMS data and investigation of equipment costs most appropriate at the smaller scales used here. Environmental sustainability metrics analysis is also needed to understand the broader impact of this technology pathway. The base case scenario for the analysis consists of 10 HTL plants, each processing 100 dry U.S. ton/day (92.4 ton/day on a dry, ash-free basis) of sludge waste and producing 234 barrel per stream day (BPSD) biocrude, feeding into a centralized biocrude upgrading facility that produces 2,020 barrel per standard day of final fuel. This scale was chosen based upon initial wastewater treatment plant data collected by the resource assessment team from the EPA’s Clean Watersheds Needs Survey database (EPA 2015a) and a rough estimate of what the potential sludge availability might be within a 100-mile radius. In addition, we received valuable feedback from the wastewater treatment industry as part of the WERF collaboration that helped form the basis for the selected HTL and upgrading plant scales and feedstock credit (current cost of disposal). It is assumed that the sludge is currently disposed of at $16.20/wet ton ($46/dry ton at 35% solids; $50/ton dry, ash-free basis) and this is included as a feedstock credit in the operating costs. The base case assumptions result in a minimum biocrude selling price of $3.8/gge and a minimum final upgraded fuel selling price of $4.9/gge. Several areas of process improvement and refinements to the analysis have the potential to significantly improve economics relative to the base case: • Optimization of HTL sludge feed solids content • Optimization of HTL biocrude yield • Optimization of HTL reactor liquid hourly space velocity (LHSV) • Optimization of fuel yield from hydrotreating • Combined large and small HTL scales specific to regions (e.g., metropolitan and suburban plants) Combined improvements believed to be achievable in these areas can potentially reduce the minimum selling price of biocrude and final upgraded fuel by about 50%. Further improvements may be possible through recovery of higher value components from the HTL aqueous phase, as being investigated under separate PNNL projects. Upgrading the biocrude at an existing petroleum refinery could also reduce the MFSP, although this option requires further testing to ensure compatibility and mitigate risks to a refinery. And finally, recycling the HTL aqueous phase product stream back to the headworks of the WWTP (with no catalytic hydrothermal gasification treatment) can significantly reduce cost. This option is uniquely appropriate for application at a water treatment facility but also requires further investigation to determine any technical and economic challenges related to the extra chemical oxygen demand (COD) associated with the recycled water.« less

Radiation damage and waste management options for the SOMBRERO final focus system and neutron dumps

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

Latkowski, J F; Meier, W R; Reyes, S

1999-08-09

Previous studies of the safety and environmental aspects of the SOMBRERO inertial fusion energy (IFE) power plant design did not completely address the issues associated with the final focus system. While past work calculated neutron fluences for a grazing incidence metal mirror (GIMM) and a final focus mirror, scattering off of the final optical component was not included, and thus, fluences in the final focus mirror were significantly underestimated. In addition, past work did not consider neutron-induced gamma-rays. Finally, power plant lifetime waste volumes may have been underestimated as neutron activation of the neutron dumps and building structure were notmore » addressed. In the present work, a modified version of the SOMBRERO target building is presented where a significantly larger open solid-angle fraction (5%) is used to enhance beam smoothing of a diode-pumped solid-state laser (DPSSL). The GIMMs are replaced with transmissive fused silica wedges and have been included in three -dimensional neutron and photon transport calculations. This work shows that a power plant with a large open solid-angle fraction, needed for beam smoothing with a DPSSL, is acceptable from tritium breeding, and neutron activation points-of-view.« less

DDTs-induced antioxidant responses in plants and their influence on phytoremediation process.

PubMed

Mitton, Francesca M; Gonzalez, Mariana; Monserrat, José M; Miglioranza, Karina S B

2018-01-01

Phytoremediation is a low cost technology based on the use of plants to remove a wide range of pollutants from the environment, including the insecticide DDT. However, some pollutants are known to enhance generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which can generate toxic effects on plants affecting the phytoremediation efficiency. This study aims to analyze the potential use of antioxidant responses as a measure of tolerance to select plants for phytoremediation purposes. Tomato and zucchini plants were grown for 15 days in soils contaminated with DDTs (DDT + DDE + DDD). Protein content, glutathione-S-transferase (GST), glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and catalase (CAT) activities were measured in plant tissues. Exposure to DDTs did not affect protein content or CAT activity in any of the species. GST, GR and GPx activity showed different responses in exposed and control tomato plants. After DDTs exposure, tomato showed increased GR and GPX activity in stems and leaves, respectively, and a decrease in the GST activity in roots. As no effects were observed in zucchini, results suggest different susceptibility and/or defense mechanisms involved after pesticide exposure. Finally, both species differed also in terms of DDTs uptake and translocation. The knowledge about antioxidant responses induced by pesticides exposure could be helpful for planning phytoremediation strategies and for the selection of tolerant species according to particular scenarios. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

New Challenges for the Design of High Value Plant Products: Stabilization of Anthocyanins in Plant Vacuoles.

PubMed

Passeri, Valentina; Koes, Ronald; Quattrocchio, Francesca M

2016-01-01

In the last decade plant biotechnologists and breeders have made several attempt to improve the antioxidant content of plant-derived food. Most efforts concentrated on increasing the synthesis of antioxidants, in particular anthocyanins, by inducing the transcription of genes encoding the synthesizing enzymes. We present here an overview of economically interesting plant species, both food crops and ornamentals, in which anthocyanin content was improved by traditional breeding or transgenesis. Old genetic studies in petunia and more recent biochemical work in brunfelsia, have shown that after synthesis and compartmentalization in the vacuole, anthocyanins need to be stabilized to preserve the color of the plant tissue over time. The final yield of antioxidant molecules is the result of the balance between synthesis and degradation. Therefore the understanding of the mechanism that determine molecule stabilization in the vacuolar lumen is the next step that needs to be taken to further improve the anthocyanin content in food. In several species a phenomenon known as fading is responsible for the disappearance of pigmentation which in some case can be nearly complete. We discuss the present knowledge about the genetic and biochemical factors involved in pigment preservation/destabilization in plant cells. The improvement of our understanding of the fading process will supply new tools for both biotechnological approaches and marker-assisted breeding.

New Challenges for the Design of High Value Plant Products: Stabilization of Anthocyanins in Plant Vacuoles

PubMed Central

Passeri, Valentina; Koes, Ronald; Quattrocchio, Francesca M.

2016-01-01

In the last decade plant biotechnologists and breeders have made several attempt to improve the antioxidant content of plant-derived food. Most efforts concentrated on increasing the synthesis of antioxidants, in particular anthocyanins, by inducing the transcription of genes encoding the synthesizing enzymes. We present here an overview of economically interesting plant species, both food crops and ornamentals, in which anthocyanin content was improved by traditional breeding or transgenesis. Old genetic studies in petunia and more recent biochemical work in brunfelsia, have shown that after synthesis and compartmentalization in the vacuole, anthocyanins need to be stabilized to preserve the color of the plant tissue over time. The final yield of antioxidant molecules is the result of the balance between synthesis and degradation. Therefore the understanding of the mechanism that determine molecule stabilization in the vacuolar lumen is the next step that needs to be taken to further improve the anthocyanin content in food. In several species a phenomenon known as fading is responsible for the disappearance of pigmentation which in some case can be nearly complete. We discuss the present knowledge about the genetic and biochemical factors involved in pigment preservation/destabilization in plant cells. The improvement of our understanding of the fading process will supply new tools for both biotechnological approaches and marker-assisted breeding. PMID:26909096

The AtRbx1 protein is part of plant SCF complexes, and its down-regulation causes severe growth and developmental defects.

PubMed

Lechner, Esther; Xie, Daoxin; Grava, Sandrine; Pigaglio, Emmanuelle; Planchais, Severine; Murray, James A H; Parmentier, Yves; Mutterer, Jerome; Dubreucq, Bertrand; Shen, Wen-Hui; Genschik, Pascal

2002-12-20

Recently in yeast and animal cells, one particular class of ubiquitin ligase (E3), called the SCF, was demonstrated to regulate diverse processes including cell cycle and development. In plants SCF-dependent proteolysis is also involved in different developmental and hormonal regulations. To further investigate the function of SCF, we characterized at the molecular level the Arabidopsis RING-H2 finger protein AtRbx1. We demonstrated that the plant gene is able to functionally complement a yeast knockout mutant strain and showed that AtRbx1 protein interacts physically with at least two members of the Arabidopsis cullin family (AtCul1 and AtCul4). AtRbx1 also associates with AtCul1 and the Arabidopsis SKP1-related proteins in planta, indicating that it is part of plant SCF complexes. AtRbx1 mRNAs accumulate in various tissues of the plant, but at higher levels in tissues containing actively dividing cells. Finally to study the function of the gene in planta, we either overexpressed AtRbx1 or reduced its expression by a dsRNA strategy. Down-regulation of AtRbx1 impaired seedling growth and development, indicating that the gene is essential in plants. Furthermore, the AtRbx1-silenced plants showed a reduced level of AtCul1 protein, but accumulated higher level of cyclin D3.

The mother-child nexus. Knowledge and valuation of wild food plants in Wayanad, Western Ghats, India.

PubMed

Cruz García, Gisella Susana

2006-09-12

This study focuses on the mother-child nexus (or process of enculturation) with respect to knowledge and valuation of wild food plants in a context where accelerated processes of modernization and acculturation are leading to the erosion of knowledge and cultural values associated with wild food plant use, in Wayanad, Western Ghats, India. Wild food plants in this biodiversity hotspot form an important part of local diets and are used as famine foods and medicines. In general, the collection and consumption of these foods are increasingly stigmatized as symbols of poverty and 'tribalness' (equivalent to 'backwardness'). The study, which falls within the discipline of ethnobotany, involves three socio-cultural groups--the Paniya and Kuruma tribes and non-tribals. Further, it examines the impact in the enculturation process of an unusual educational programme sponsored by the MS Swaminathan Research Foundation that is oriented towards creating awareness among children of cultural identity and local biological resources--the study compares children having participated in the programme with those who have not, with their mothers. The process of enculturation is assessed by comparing wild food plant knowledge and values between mothers and their children, and by examining events where knowledge transmission occurs, including collection and consumption. For that, quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis tools were used, and methods included semi-structured interviews, photo identification and informal interviews of key informants. Results ratify that women are the knowledge holders and are the primary means of knowledge transmission to their children. Nevertheless, fewer children are collecting wild food plants with mothers and learning about them, apparently because of children's lack of time. On the other hand, older people acknowledge that a "change in taste" is occurring among younger generations. In general, there is a simultaneous transmission from mothers to children of contrasting values pertaining to wild food plants: that they are 'good food' but also that they are symbols of low status and poverty, leading to feelings of shame and inferiority. Finally, the study concludes that the educational programme, through a "learning by doing" approach counteracts social stigma and encourages learning among children of all ages and socio-cultural groups, particularly stimulating non-tribal children to learn from tribals.

A review on sludge dewatering indices.

PubMed

To, Vu Hien Phuong; Nguyen, Tien Vinh; Vigneswaran, Saravanamuth; Ngo, Huu Hao

2016-01-01

Dewatering of sludge from sewage treatment plants is proving to be a significant challenge due to the large amounts of residual sludges generated annually. In recent years, research and development have focused on improving the dewatering process in order to reduce subsequent costs of sludge management and transport. To achieve this goal, it is necessary to establish reliable indices that reflect the efficiency of sludge dewatering. However, the evaluation of sludge dewaterability is not an easy task due to the highly complex nature of sewage sludge and variations in solid-liquid separation methods. Most traditional dewatering indices fail to predict the maximum cake solids content achievable during full-scale dewatering. This paper reviews the difficulties in assessing sludge dewatering performance, and the main techniques used to evaluate dewatering performance are compared and discussed in detail. Finally, the paper suggests a new dewatering index, namely the modified centrifugal index, which is demonstrated to be an appropriate indicator for estimating the final cake solids content as well as simulating the prototype dewatering process.

Examination of the operator and compensator tank role in urban wastewater treatment using activated sludge method.

PubMed

Mokhtari Azar, Akbar; Ghadirpour Jelogir, Ali; Nabi Bidhendi, Gholam Reza; Zaredar, Narges

2011-04-01

No doubt, operator is one of the main fundaments in wastewater treatment plants. By identifying the inadequacies, the operator could be considered as an important key in treatment plant. Several methods are used for wastewater treatment that requires spending a lot of cost. However, all investments of treatment facilities are usable when the expected efficiency of the treatment plant was obtained. Using experienced operator, this goal is more easily accessible. In this research, the wastewater of an urban community contaminated with moderated, diluted and highly concentrated pollution has been treated using surface and deep aeration treatment method. Sampling of these pilots was performed during winter 2008 to summer 2009. The results indicate that all analyzed parameters were eliminated using activated sludge and surface aeration methods. However, in activated sludge and deep aeration methods in combination with suitable function of operator, more pollutants could be eliminated. Hence, existence of operator in wastewater treatment plants is the basic principle to achieve considered efficiency. Wastewater treatment system is not intelligent itself and that is the operator who can organize even an inefficient system by its continuous presence. The converse of this fact is also real. Despite the various units and appropriate design of wastewater treatment plant, without an operator, the studied process cannot be expected highly efficient. In places frequently affected by the shock of organic and hydraulic loads, the compensator tank is important to offset the wastewater treatment process. Finally, in regard to microbial parameters, existence of disinfection unit is very useful.

Manufacturing demonstration of microbially mediated zinc sulfide nanoparticles in pilot-plant scale reactors.

PubMed

Moon, Ji-Won; Phelps, Tommy J; Fitzgerald, Curtis L; Lind, Randall F; Elkins, James G; Jang, Gyoung Gug; Joshi, Pooran C; Kidder, Michelle; Armstrong, Beth L; Watkins, Thomas R; Ivanov, Ilia N; Graham, David E

2016-09-01

The thermophilic anaerobic metal-reducing bacterium Thermoanaerobacter sp. X513 efficiently produces zinc sulfide (ZnS) nanoparticles (NPs) in laboratory-scale (≤ 24-L) reactors. To determine whether this process can be up-scaled and adapted for pilot-plant production while maintaining NP yield and quality, a series of pilot-plant scale experiments were performed using 100-L and 900-L reactors. Pasteurization and N2-sparging replaced autoclaving and boiling for deoxygenating media in the transition from small-scale to pilot plant reactors. Consecutive 100-L batches using new or recycled media produced ZnS NPs with highly reproducible ~2-nm average crystallite size (ACS) and yields of ~0.5 g L(-1), similar to the small-scale batches. The 900-L pilot plant reactor produced ~320 g ZnS without process optimization or replacement of used medium; this quantity would be sufficient to form a ZnS thin film with ~120 nm thickness over 0.5 m width × 13 km length. At all scales, the bacteria produced significant amounts of acetic, lactic, and formic acids, which could be neutralized by the controlled addition of sodium hydroxide without the use of an organic pH buffer, eliminating 98 % of the buffer chemical costs. The final NP products were characterized using XRD, ICP-OES, TEM, FTIR, PL, DLS, HPLC, and C/N analyses, which confirmed that the growth medium without organic buffer enhanced the ZnS NP properties by reducing carbon and nitrogen surface coatings and supporting better dispersivity with similar ACS.

Synthesis of the sulfur amino acids: cysteine and methionine.

PubMed

Wirtz, Markus; Droux, Michel

2005-12-01

This review will assess new features reported for the molecular and biochemical aspects of cysteine and methionine biosynthesis in Arabidopsis thaliana with regards to early published data from other taxa including crop plants and bacteria (Escherichia coli as a model). By contrast to bacteria and fungi, plant cells present a complex organization, in which the sulfur network takes place in multiple sites. Particularly, the impact of sulfur amino-acid biosynthesis compartmentalization will be addressed in respect to localization of sulfur reduction. To this end, the review will focus on regulation of sulfate reduction by synthesis of cysteine through the cysteine synthase complex and the synthesis of methionine and its derivatives. Finally, regulatory aspects of sulfur amino-acid biosynthesis will be explored with regards to interlacing processes such as photosynthesis, carbon and nitrogen assimilation.

Dimensions of biodiversity in the Earth mycobiome.

PubMed

Peay, Kabir G; Kennedy, Peter G; Talbot, Jennifer M

2016-07-01

Fungi represent a large proportion of the genetic diversity on Earth and fungal activity influences the structure of plant and animal communities, as well as rates of ecosystem processes. Large-scale DNA-sequencing datasets are beginning to reveal the dimensions of fungal biodiversity, which seem to be fundamentally different to bacteria, plants and animals. In this Review, we describe the patterns of fungal biodiversity that have been revealed by molecular-based studies. Furthermore, we consider the evidence that supports the roles of different candidate drivers of fungal diversity at a range of spatial scales, as well as the role of dispersal limitation in maintaining regional endemism and influencing local community assembly. Finally, we discuss the ecological mechanisms that are likely to be responsible for the high heterogeneity that is observed in fungal communities at local scales.

Treatment of cotton textile wastewater using lime and ferrous sulfate.

PubMed

Georgiou, D; Aivazidis, A; Hatiras, J; Gimouhopoulos, K

2003-05-01

This technical note summarizes the results of a textile wastewater treatment process aiming at the destruction of the wastewater's color by means of coagulation/flocculation techniques using ferrous sulfate and/or lime. All the experiments were run in a pilot plant that simulated an actual industrial wastewater treatment plant. Treatment with lime alone proved to be very effective in removing the color (70-90%) and part of the COD (50-60%) from the textile wastewater. Moreover, the treatment with ferrous sulfate regulating the pH in the range 9.0+/-0.5 using lime was equally effective. Finally, the treatment with lime in the presence of increasing doses of ferrous sulfate was tested successfully, however; it proved to be very costly mainly due to the massive production of solids that precipitated.

Preliminary results of calculations for heavy-water nuclear-power-plant reactors employing 235U, 233U, and 232Th as a fuel and meeting requirements of a nonproliferation of nuclear weapons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ioffe, B. L.; Kochurov, B. P.

2012-02-01

A physical design is developed for a gas-cooled heavy-water nuclear reactor intended for a project of a nuclear power plant. As a fuel, the reactor would employ thorium with a small admixture of enriched uranium that contains not more than 20% of 235U. It operates in the open-cycle mode involving 233U production from thorium and its subsequent burnup. The reactor meets the conditions of a nonproliferation of nuclear weapons: the content of fissionable isotopes in uranium at all stages of the process, including the final one, is below the threshold for constructing an atomic bomb, the amount of product plutonium being extremely small.

75 FR 8410 - Carolina Power & Light Company: H. B. Robinson Steam Electric Plant, Unit No. 2; Environmental...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-02-24

.... B. Robinson Steam Electric Plant, Unit No. 2; Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant...), for operation of the H. B. Robinson Steam Electric Plant, Unit No. 2 (HBRSEP), located in Darlington... Statement for License Renewal of Nuclear Plants: H.B. Robinson Steam Electric Plant, Unit 2--Final Report...

76 FR 187 - Programmatic Environmental Assessment and Final Finding of No Significant Impact for Exemptions...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-01-03

... proposed action may include issuing exemptions to nuclear power plant licensees for up to 40 nuclear power.... Fitzpatrick Nuclear Power Plant Joseph M. Farley Nuclear Plant, Units 1 and 2 Millstone Power Station, Unit... Palisades Nuclear Plant Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station, Units 1, 2, and 3 Perry Nuclear Power Plant...

75 FR 3942 - Carolina Power & Light Company Shearon Harris Nuclear Power Plant, Unit 1 Environmental...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-01-25

... Shearon Harris Nuclear Power Plant, Unit 1 Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact... Nuclear Power Plant, Unit 1 (HNP), located in New Hill, North Carolina. In accordance with 10 CFR 51.21... of Nuclear Plants: Regarding Shearon Harris Nuclear Power Plant, Unit 1--Final Report (NUREG-1437...

A multiscale forecasting method for power plant fleet management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Hongmei

In recent years the electric power industry has been challenged by a high level of uncertainty and volatility brought on by deregulation and globalization. A power producer must minimize the life cycle cost while meeting stringent safety and regulatory requirements and fulfilling customer demand for high reliability. Therefore, to achieve true system excellence, a more sophisticated system-level decision-making process with a more accurate forecasting support system to manage diverse and often widely dispersed generation units as a single, easily scaled and deployed fleet system in order to fully utilize the critical assets of a power producer has been created as a response. The process takes into account the time horizon for each of the major decision actions taken in a power plant and develops methods for information sharing between them. These decisions are highly interrelated and no optimal operation can be achieved without sharing information in the overall process. The process includes a forecasting system to provide information for planning for uncertainty. A new forecasting method is proposed, which utilizes a synergy of several modeling techniques properly combined at different time-scales of the forecasting objects. It can not only take advantages of the abundant historical data but also take into account the impact of pertinent driving forces from the external business environment to achieve more accurate forecasting results. Then block bootstrap is utilized to measure the bias in the estimate of the expected life cycle cost which will actually be needed to drive the business for a power plant in the long run. Finally, scenario analysis is used to provide a composite picture of future developments for decision making or strategic planning. The decision-making process is applied to a typical power producer chosen to represent challenging customer demand during high-demand periods. The process enhances system excellence by providing more accurate market information, evaluating the impact of external business environment, and considering cross-scale interactions between decision actions. Along with this process, system operation strategies, maintenance schedules, and capacity expansion plans that guide the operation of the power plant are optimally identified, and the total life cycle costs are estimated.

75 FR 54961 - Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement, Single Nuclear Unit at the Bellefonte Plant...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-09-09

... facility, a wind farm, a methane- gas cofiring facility, and several small solar photovoltaic facilities... maintenance of select plant systems and other regulatory compliance activities. Major buildings and plant... the plant cooling towers and the reactor, auxiliary, control, turbine, office, and service buildings...

Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant expansion: final environmental statement. Volume 2. Appendices. [Appendices only

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

Liverman, James L.

Volume 2 is comprised of appendices: Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant Existing Facilities; Ecology; Civic Involvement; Social Analysis; Population Projections; Toxicity of Air Pollutants to Biota at Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant; and Assessment of Noise Effects of an Add-On to the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant. (LK)

78 FR 37325 - License Renewal of Nuclear Power Plants; Generic Environmental Impact Statement and Standard...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-06-20

... Nuclear Power Plants; Generic Environmental Impact Statement and Standard Review Plans for Environmental... for Nuclear Power Plants, Supplement 1: Operating License Renewal'' (ESRP). The ESRP serves as a guide... published a final rule, ``Revisions to Environmental Review for Renewal of Nuclear Power Plant Operating...

75 FR 31288 - Plant-Verified Drop Shipment (PVDS)-Nonpostal Documentation

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-06-03

... POSTAL SERVICE 39 CFR Part 111 Plant-Verified Drop Shipment (PVDS)--Nonpostal Documentation AGENCY... 8125, Plant-Verified Drop Shipment (PVDS) Verification and Clearance, is the sole source of evidence... induction points of plant-verified drop shipment mailings, the Postal Service is adopting this final rule to...

Combined mild soil washing and compost-assisted phytoremediation in treatment of silt loams contaminated with copper, nickel, and chromium.

PubMed

Sung, Menghau; Lee, Chi-Yi; Lee, Suen-Zone

2011-06-15

A new soil remediation option, combining the soil washing process using pure water followed by the compost-assisted phytoextraction, is evaluated using silt loams contaminated with plating wastewater containing Cu, Ni, and Cr. Plants utilized in this study are the rapeseeds, sunflowers, tomatoes, and soapworts. Phytoextraction operation was carried out in pot experiments over a period of 4 months. Metal concentrations in roots and shoots of plants were analyzed upon completion of each pot experiment. Hypothesis testing was employed in assessing the significance of difference in the experimental data. Results indicated that the rapeseed, a hyperaccumulator, is most effective in extracting metals from the compost-amended silt loams. The fast-growing sunflowers and tomatoes are comparable to rapeseeds in accumulating metals despite their relatively low metal concentrations in tissues. Bioaccumulation coefficients obtained for all plants are less than one, indicating that phytostabilization rather than phytoextraction is the dominant mechanism at this simulated final-phase condition. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Molecular regulation of plant cell wall extensibility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cosgrove, D. J.

1998-01-01

Gravity responses in plants often involve spatial and temporal changes in cell growth, which is regulated primarily by controlling the ability of the cell wall to extend. The wall is thought to be a cellulose-hemicellulose network embedded in a hydrated matrix of complex polysaccharides and a small amount of structural protein. The wall extends by a form of polymer creep, which is mediated by expansins, a novel group of wall-loosening proteins. Expansins were discovered during a molecular dissection of the "acid growth" behavior of cell walls. Expansin alters the rheology of plant walls in profound ways, yet its molecular mechanism of action is still uncertain. It lacks detectable hydrolytic activity against the major components of the wall, but it is able to disrupt noncovalent adhesion between wall polysaccharides. The discovery of a second family of expansins (beta-expansins) sheds light on the biological role of a major group of pollen allergens and implies that expansins have evolved for diverse developmental functions. Finally, the contribution of other processes to wall extensibility is briefly summarized.

Preliminary design of a solar central receiver for site-specific repowering application (Saguaro Power Plant). Volume II. Preliminary design. Final report, October 1982-September 1983

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

Weber, E.R.

1983-09-01

The solar central receiver technology, site, and specific unit for repowering were selected in prior analyses and studies. The objectives of this preliminary design study were to: develop a solar central receiver repowering design for Saguaro that (1) has potential to be economically competitive with fossil fueled plants in near and long term applications, (2) has the greatest chance for completion without further government funding, (3) will further define technical and economic feasibility of a 66 MWe gross size plant that is adequate to meet the requirements for utility and industrial process heat applications, (4) can potentially be constructed andmore » operated within the next five years, and (5) incorporates solar central receiver technology and represents state-of-the-art development. This volume on the preliminary design includes the following sections: executive summary; introduction; changes from advanced conceptual design; preliminary design; system characteristics; economic analysis; and development plan.« less

Nuclear power plant 5,000 to 10,000 kilowatts

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

Not Available

The purpose of this proposal is to present a suggested program for the development of an Aqueous Homogeneous Reactor Power Plant for the production of power in the 5000 to 10,000 kilowatt range under the terms of the Atomic Energy Commission's invitation of September 21, 1955. It envisions a research and development program prior to finalizing fabricating commitments of full scale components for the purpose of proving mechanical and hydraulic operating and chemical processing feasibility with the expectation that such preliminary effort will assure the contruction of the reactor at the lowest cost and successful operation at the earliest date.more » It proposes the construction of a reactor for an eventual net electrical output of ten megawatts but initially in conjunction with a five megawatt turbo-generating unit. This unit would be constructed at the site of the existing Hersey diesel generating plant of the Wolverine Electric Cooperative approximately ten miles north of Big Rapids, Michigan.« less

The role of certain infauna and vascular plants in the mediation of redox reactions in marine sediments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hines, Mark E.

1992-01-01

The mechanisms by which certain animals and plants affect redox processes in sediments was examined by studying three environments: (1) subtidal sediments dominated by the deposit-feeding polychaete Heteromastus filiformis; (2) a saltmarsh inhabited by the tall form of Spartina alterniflora; and (3) tropical carbonate sediments inhabited by three species of seagrasses. S-35-sulfide production rates were compared to pool sizes of dissolved sulfide and dissolved iron. In all of the sediments studied, rates of sulfide reduction were enhanced by macroorganisms while the rate of turnover of dissolved sulfide increased. The polychaete enhanced microbial activity and redox cycling primarily by subducting particles of organic matter and oxidized iron during sediment reworking. The Spartina species enhanced anaerobic activity by transporting primarily dissolved organic matter and oxidants. Although the final result of both animal and plant activities was the enhancement of sub-surface cycling of sulfur and iron, decreased dissolved sulfide and increased dissolved iron concentrations, the mechanisms which produced these results differed dramatically.

Nice to meet you: genetic, epigenetic and metabolic controls of plant perception of beneficial associative and endophytic diazotrophic bacteria in non-leguminous plants.

PubMed

Carvalho, T L G; Ballesteros, H G F; Thiebaut, F; Ferreira, P C G; Hemerly, A S

2016-04-01

A wide range of rhizosphere diazotrophic bacteria are able to establish beneficial associations with plants, being able to associate to root surfaces or even endophytically colonize plant tissues. In common, both associative and endophytic types of colonization can result in beneficial outcomes to the plant leading to plant growth promotion, as well as increase in tolerance against biotic and abiotic stresses. An intriguing question in such associations is how plant cell surface perceives signals from other living organisms, thus sorting pathogens from beneficial ones, to transduce this information and activate proper responses that will finally culminate in plant adaptations to optimize their growth rates. This review focuses on the recent advances in the understanding of genetic and epigenetic controls of plant-bacteria signaling and recognition during beneficial associations with associative and endophytic diazotrophic bacteria. Finally, we propose that "soil-rhizosphere-rhizoplane-endophytes-plant" could be considered as a single coordinated unit with dynamic components that integrate the plant with the environment to generate adaptive responses in plants to improve growth. The homeostasis of the whole system should recruit different levels of regulation, and recognition between the parties in a given environment might be one of the crucial factors coordinating these adaptive plant responses.

Floral Initiation in Response to Planting Date Reveals the Key Role of Floral Meristem Differentiation Prior to Budding in Canola (Brassica napus L.).

PubMed

Zhang, Yaofeng; Zhang, Dongqing; Yu, Huasheng; Lin, Baogang; Fu, Ying; Hua, Shuijin

2016-01-01

In Brassica napus, floral development is a decisive factor in silique formation, and it is influenced by many cultivation practices including planting date. However, the effect of planting date on floral initiation in canola is poorly understood at present. A field experiment was conducted using a split plot design, in which three planting dates (early, 15 September, middle, 1 October, and late, 15 October) served as main plot and five varieties differing in maturity (1358, J22, Zhongshuang 11, Zheshuang 8, and Zheyou 50) employed as subplot. The purpose of this study was to shed light on the process of floral meristem (FM) differentiation, the influence of planting date on growth period (GP) and floral initiation, and silique formation. The main stages of FM developments can be divided into four stages: first, the transition from shoot apical meristem to FM; second, flower initiation; third, gynoecium and androecium differentiation; and fourth, bud formation. Our results showed that all genotypes had increased GPs from sowing to FM differentiation as planting date was delayed while the GPs from FM differentiation to budding varied year by year except the very early variety, 1358. Based on the number of flowers present at the different reproductive stages, the flowers produced from FM differentiation to budding closely approximated the final silique even though the FM differentiated continuously after budding and peaked generally at the middle flowering stage. The ratio of siliques to maximum flower number ranged from 48 to 80%. These results suggest that (1) the period from FM differentiation to budding is vital for effective flower and silique formation although there was no significant correlation between the length of the period and effective flowers and siliques, and (2) the increased number of flowers from budding were generally ineffective. Therefore, maximizing flower numbers prior to budding will improve silique numbers, and reducing FM degeneration should also increase final silique formation. From the results of our study, we offer guidelines for planting canola varieties that differ in maturity in order to maximize effective flower numbers.

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

Health, safety, and environmental risk assessment of steel production complex in central Iran using TOPSIS.

PubMed

Jozi, S A; Majd, N Moradi

2014-10-01

This research was carried out with the aim of presenting an environmental management plan for steel production complex (SPC) in central Iran. Following precise identification of the plant activities as well as the study area, possible sources of environmental pollution and adverse impacts on the air quality, water, soil, biological environment, socioeconomic and cultural environment, and health and safety of the employees were determined considering the work processes of the steel complex. Afterwards, noise, wastewater, and air pollution sources were measured. Subsequently, factors polluting the steel complex were identified by TOPSIS and then prioritized using Excel Software. Based on the obtained results, the operation of the furnaces in hot rolling process with the score 1, effluent derived from hot rolling process with the score 0.565, nonprincipal disposal and dumping of waste at the plant enclosure with the score 0.335, walking beam process with the score 1.483 respectively allocated themselves the highest priority in terms of air, water, soil and noise pollution. In terms of habitats, land cover and socioeconomic and cultural environment, closeness to the forest area and the existence of four groups of wildlife with the score 1.106 and proximity of villages and residential areas to the plant with the score 3.771 respectively enjoyed the highest priorities while impressibility and occupational accidents with the score 2.725 and cutting and welding operations with score 2.134 had the highest priority among health and safety criteria. Finally, strategies for the control of pollution sources were identified and Training, Monitoring and environmental management plan of the SPC was prepared.

50 CFR 11.17 - Payment of final assessment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... PLANTS CIVIL PROCEDURES Assessment Procedure § 11.17 Payment of final assessment. When a final... request the Attorney General to institute a civil action in the U.S. District Court to collect the penalty. ...

Survey of electrochemical metal winning processes. Final report

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

Vaaler, L.E.

1979-03-01

The subject program was undertaken to find electrometallurgical technology that could be developed into energy saving commercial metal winning processes. Metals whose current production processes consume significant energy (excepting copper and aluminum) are magnesium, zinc, lead, chromium, manganese, sodium, and titanium. The technology of these metals, with the exception of titanium, was reviewed. Growth of titanium demand has been too small to justify the installation of an electrolyte process that has been developed. This fact and the uncertainty of estimates of future demand dissuaded us from reviewing titanium technology. Opportunities for developing energy saving processes were found for magnesium, zinc,more » lead, and sodium. Costs for R and D and demonstration plants have been estimated. It appeared that electrolytic methods for chromium and manganese cannot compete energywise or economically with the pyrometallurgical methods of producing the ferroalloys, which are satisfactory for most uses of chromium and manganese.« 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

Conceptual design of industrial process displays.

PubMed

Pedersen, C R; Lind, M

1999-11-01

Today, process displays used in industry are often designed on the basis of piping and instrumentation diagrams without any method of ensuring that the needs of the operators are fulfilled. Therefore, a method for a systematic approach to the design of process displays is needed. This paper discusses aspects of process display design taking into account both the designer's and the operator's points of view. Three aspects are emphasized: the operator tasks, the display content and the display form. The distinction between these three aspects is the basis for proposing an outline for a display design method that matches the industrial practice of modular plant design and satisfies the needs of reusability of display design solutions. The main considerations in display design in the industry are to specify the operator's activities in detail, to extract the information the operators need from the plant design specification and documentation, and finally to present this information. The form of the display is selected from existing standardized display elements such as trend curves, mimic diagrams, ecological interfaces, etc. Further knowledge is required to invent new display elements. That is, knowledge about basic visual means of presenting information and how humans perceive and interpret these means and combinations. This knowledge is required in the systematic selection of graphical items for a given display content. The industrial part of the method is first illustrated in the paper by a simple example from a plant with batch processes. Later the method is applied to develop a supervisory display for a condenser system in a nuclear power plant. The differences between the continuous plant domain of power production and the batch processes from the example are analysed and broad categories of display types are proposed. The problems involved in specification and invention of a supervisory display are analysed and conclusions from these problems are made. It is concluded that the design method proposed provides a framework for the progress of the display design and is useful in pin-pointing the actual problems. The method was useful in reducing the number of existing displays that could fulfil the requirements of the supervision task. The method provided at the same time a framework for dealing with the problems involved in inventing new displays based on structured analysis. However the problems in a systematic approach to display invention still need consideration.

Chestnut green waste composting for sustainable forest management: Microbiota dynamics and impact on plant disease control.

PubMed

Ventorino, Valeria; Parillo, Rita; Testa, Antonino; Viscardi, Sharon; Espresso, Francesco; Pepe, Olimpia

2016-01-15

Making compost from chestnut lignocellulosic waste is a possible sustainable management strategy for forests that employs a high-quality renewable organic resource. Characterization of the microbiota involved in composting is essential to better understand the entire process as well as the properties of the final product. Therefore, this study investigated the microbial communities involved in the composting of chestnut residues obtained from tree cleaning and pruning. The culture-independent approach taken highlighted the fact that the microbiota varied only slightly during the process, with the exception of those of the starting substrate and mature compost. The statistical analysis indicated that most of the bacterial and fungal species in the chestnut compost persisted during composting. The dominant microbial population detected during the process belonged to genera known to degrade recalcitrant lignocellulosic materials. Specifically, we identified fungal genera, such as Penicillium, Fusarium, Cladosporium, Aspergillus and Mucor, and prokaryotic species affiliated with Bacilli, Actinobacteria, Flavobacteria and γ-Proteobacteria. The suppressive properties of compost supplements for the biocontrol of Sclerotinia minor and Rhizoctonia solani were also investigated. Compared to pure substrate, the addition of compost to the peat-based growth substrates resulted in a significant reduction of disease in tomato plants of up to 70 % or 51 % in the presence of Sclerotinia minor or Rhizoctonia solani, respectively. The obtained results were related to the presence of putative bio-control agents and plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria belonging to the genera Azotobacter, Pseudomonas, Stenotrophomonas, Bacillus, Flavobacterium, Streptomyces and Actinomyces in the chestnut compost. The composting of chestnut waste may represent a sustainable agricultural practice for disposing of lignocellulosic waste by transforming it into green waste compost that can be used to improve the fitness of agricultural plants. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Life Cycle Assessment of Mixed Municipal Solid Waste: Multi-input versus multi-output perspective.

PubMed

Fiorentino, G; Ripa, M; Protano, G; Hornsby, C; Ulgiati, S

2015-12-01

This paper analyses four strategies for managing the Mixed Municipal Solid Waste (MMSW) in terms of their environmental impacts and potential advantages by means of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology. To this aim, both a multi-input and a multi-output approach are applied to evaluate the effect of these perspectives on selected impact categories. The analyzed management options include direct landfilling with energy recovery (S-1), Mechanical-Biological Treatment (MBT) followed by Waste-to-Energy (WtE) conversion (S-2), a combination of an innovative MBT/MARSS (Material Advanced Recovery Sustainable Systems) process and landfill disposal (S-3), and finally a combination of the MBT/MARSS process with WtE conversion (S-4). The MARSS technology, developed within an European LIFE PLUS framework and currently implemented at pilot plant scale, is an innovative MBT plant having the main goal to yield a Renewable Refined Biomass Fuel (RRBF) to be used for combined heat and power production (CHP) under the regulations enforced for biomass-based plants instead of Waste-to-Energy systems, for increased environmental performance. The four scenarios are characterized by different resource investment for plant and infrastructure construction and different quantities of matter, heat and electricity recovery and recycling. Results, calculated per unit mass of waste treated and per unit exergy delivered, under both multi-input and multi-output LCA perspectives, point out improved performance for scenarios characterized by increased matter and energy recovery. Although none of the investigated scenarios is capable to provide the best performance in all the analyzed impact categories, the scenario S-4 shows the best LCA results in the human toxicity and freshwater eutrophication categories, i.e. the ones with highest impacts in all waste management processes. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mechanical forces as information: an integrated approach to plant and animal development

PubMed Central

Hernández-Hernández, Valeria; Rueda, Denisse; Caballero, Lorena; Alvarez-Buylla, Elena R.; Benítez, Mariana

2014-01-01

Mechanical forces such as tension and compression act throughout growth and development of multicellular organisms. These forces not only affect the size and shape of the cells and tissues but are capable of modifying the expression of genes and the localization of molecular components within the cell, in the plasma membrane, and in the plant cell wall. The magnitude and direction of these physical forces change with cellular and tissue properties such as elasticity. Thus, mechanical forces and the mesoscopic fields that emerge from their local action constitute important sources of positional information. Moreover, physical and biochemical processes interact in non-linear ways during tissue and organ growth in plants and animals. In this review we discuss how such mechanical forces are generated, transmitted, and sensed in these two lineages of multicellular organisms to yield long-range positional information. In order to do so we first outline a potentially common basis for studying patterning and mechanosensing that relies on the structural principle of tensegrity, and discuss how tensegral structures might arise in plants and animals. We then provide some examples of morphogenesis in which mechanical forces appear to act as positional information during development, offering a possible explanation for ubiquitous processes, such as the formation of periodic structures. Such examples, we argue, can be interpreted in terms of tensegral phenomena. Finally, we discuss the hypothesis of mechanically isotropic points as a potentially generic mechanism for the localization and maintenance of stem-cell niches in multicellular organisms. This comparative approach aims to help uncovering generic mechanisms of morphogenesis and thus reach a better understanding of the evolution and development of multicellular phenotypes, focusing on the role of physical forces in these processes. PMID:24959170

Coupling individual kernel-filling processes with source-sink interactions into GREENLAB-Maize.

PubMed

Ma, Yuntao; Chen, Youjia; Zhu, Jinyu; Meng, Lei; Guo, Yan; Li, Baoguo; Hoogenboom, Gerrit

2018-02-13

Failure to account for the variation of kernel growth in a cereal crop simulation model may cause serious deviations in the estimates of crop yield. The goal of this research was to revise the GREENLAB-Maize model to incorporate source- and sink-limited allocation approaches to simulate the dry matter accumulation of individual kernels of an ear (GREENLAB-Maize-Kernel). The model used potential individual kernel growth rates to characterize the individual potential sink demand. The remobilization of non-structural carbohydrates from reserve organs to kernels was also incorporated. Two years of field experiments were conducted to determine the model parameter values and to evaluate the model using two maize hybrids with different plant densities and pollination treatments. Detailed observations were made on the dimensions and dry weights of individual kernels and other above-ground plant organs throughout the seasons. Three basic traits characterizing an individual kernel were compared on simulated and measured individual kernels: (1) final kernel size; (2) kernel growth rate; and (3) duration of kernel filling. Simulations of individual kernel growth closely corresponded to experimental data. The model was able to reproduce the observed dry weight of plant organs well. Then, the source-sink dynamics and the remobilization of carbohydrates for kernel growth were quantified to show that remobilization processes accompanied source-sink dynamics during the kernel-filling process. We conclude that the model may be used to explore options for optimizing plant kernel yield by matching maize management to the environment, taking into account responses at the level of individual kernels. © The Author(s) 2018. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Annals of Botany Company. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Nodulation outer proteins: double-edged swords of symbiotic rhizobia.

PubMed

Staehelin, Christian; Krishnan, Hari B

2015-09-15

Rhizobia are nitrogen-fixing bacteria that establish a nodule symbiosis with legumes. Nodule formation depends on signals and surface determinants produced by both symbiotic partners. Among them, rhizobial Nops (nodulation outer proteins) play a crucial symbiotic role in many strain-host combinations. Nops are defined as proteins secreted via a rhizobial T3SS (type III secretion system). Functional T3SSs have been characterized in many rhizobial strains. Nops have been identified using various genetic, biochemical, proteomic, genomic and experimental approaches. Certain Nops represent extracellular components of the T3SS, which are visible in electron micrographs as bacterial surface appendages called T3 (type III) pili. Other Nops are T3 effector proteins that can be translocated into plant cells. Rhizobial T3 effectors manipulate cellular processes in host cells to suppress plant defence responses against rhizobia and to promote symbiosis-related processes. Accordingly, mutant strains deficient in synthesis or secretion of T3 effectors show reduced symbiotic properties on certain host plants. On the other hand, direct or indirect recognition of T3 effectors by plant cells expressing specific R (resistance) proteins can result in effector triggered defence responses that negatively affect rhizobial infection. Hence Nops are double-edged swords that may promote establishment of symbiosis with one legume (symbiotic factors) and impair symbiotic processes when bacteria are inoculated on another legume species (asymbiotic factors). In the present review, we provide an overview of our current understanding of Nops. We summarize their symbiotic effects, their biochemical properties and their possible modes of action. Finally, we discuss future perspectives in the field of T3 effector research. © 2015 Authors; published by Portland Press Limited.

Ethanol production from ensiled rice straw and whole-crop silage by the simultaneous enzymatic saccharification and fermentation process.

PubMed

Shinozaki, Yukiko; Kitamoto, Hiroko K

2011-03-01

Silage production from rice straw and whole-plant forage paddy rice is increasing in Japan because of decrease in rice consumption. One potential use for this silage is bioethanol production. In this study, we analyzed the effectiveness of three different commercially available cellulases at saccharification of sun-dried rice straw, ensiled rice straw, and rice whole-crop silage (WCS). Furthermore, the ethanol productivity of the simultaneous saccharification and ethanol fermentation process (SSF) from the same plant substrates was analyzed. Among the three kinds of cellulases tested (Novozymes NS50013, Genencor GC220, and Acremonium cellulase), Acremonium cellulase showed the highest ethanol production for the three plant substrates, and the WCS produced the highest ethanol level. Analysis of the enzymatic degradation activity of the cellulases revealed that Acremonium cellulase contained remarkably high glucoamylase and pectinase side activities relative to the other cellulase preparations. The addition of glucoamylase and pectinase to the other two cellulases significantly increased ethanol productivity to levels observed for the Acremonium cellulase preparation, which showed little enhanced performance with the addition of the same enzymes. Finally, we tested whether milling and sterilization had an effect on ethanol production and found that sterilized silage produced higher ethanol levels but that the milling process had no significant effect. These results show that (i) silage made from whole-plant rice can be used for bioethanol production and (ii) the proper selection and combination of commercially available enzymes can make SSF more cost efficient by removing the need for a pre-treatment step. Copyright © 2010 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Mechanical forces as information: an integrated approach to plant and animal development.

PubMed

Hernández-Hernández, Valeria; Rueda, Denisse; Caballero, Lorena; Alvarez-Buylla, Elena R; Benítez, Mariana

2014-01-01

Mechanical forces such as tension and compression act throughout growth and development of multicellular organisms. These forces not only affect the size and shape of the cells and tissues but are capable of modifying the expression of genes and the localization of molecular components within the cell, in the plasma membrane, and in the plant cell wall. The magnitude and direction of these physical forces change with cellular and tissue properties such as elasticity. Thus, mechanical forces and the mesoscopic fields that emerge from their local action constitute important sources of positional information. Moreover, physical and biochemical processes interact in non-linear ways during tissue and organ growth in plants and animals. In this review we discuss how such mechanical forces are generated, transmitted, and sensed in these two lineages of multicellular organisms to yield long-range positional information. In order to do so we first outline a potentially common basis for studying patterning and mechanosensing that relies on the structural principle of tensegrity, and discuss how tensegral structures might arise in plants and animals. We then provide some examples of morphogenesis in which mechanical forces appear to act as positional information during development, offering a possible explanation for ubiquitous processes, such as the formation of periodic structures. Such examples, we argue, can be interpreted in terms of tensegral phenomena. Finally, we discuss the hypothesis of mechanically isotropic points as a potentially generic mechanism for the localization and maintenance of stem-cell niches in multicellular organisms. This comparative approach aims to help uncovering generic mechanisms of morphogenesis and thus reach a better understanding of the evolution and development of multicellular phenotypes, focusing on the role of physical forces in these processes.

Wheat Ear Detection in Plots by Segmenting Mobile Laser Scanner Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Velumani, K.; Oude Elberink, S.; Yang, M. Y.; Baret, F.

2017-09-01

The use of Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) to study agricultural crop traits is becoming popular. Wheat plant traits such as crop height, biomass fractions and plant population are of interest to agronomists and biologists for the assessment of a genotype's performance in the environment. Among these performance indicators, plant population in the field is still widely estimated through manual counting which is a tedious and labour intensive task. The goal of this study is to explore the suitability of LiDAR observations to automate the counting process by the individual detection of wheat ears in the agricultural field. However, this is a challenging task owing to the random cropping pattern and noisy returns present in the point cloud. The goal is achieved by first segmenting the 3D point cloud followed by the classification of segments into ears and non-ears. In this study, two segmentation techniques: a) voxel-based segmentation and b) mean shift segmentation were adapted to suit the segmentation of plant point clouds. An ear classification strategy was developed to distinguish the ear segments from leaves and stems. Finally, the ears extracted by the automatic methods were compared with reference ear segments prepared by manual segmentation. Both the methods had an average detection rate of 85 %, aggregated over different flowering stages. The voxel-based approach performed well for late flowering stages (wheat crops aged 210 days or more) with a mean percentage accuracy of 94 % and takes less than 20 seconds to process 50,000 points with an average point density of 16  points/cm2. Meanwhile, the mean shift approach showed comparatively better counting accuracy of 95% for early flowering stage (crops aged below 225 days) and takes approximately 4 minutes to process 50,000 points.

An approach for the application of the Ecological Footprint as environmental indicator in the textile sector.

PubMed

Herva, M; Franco, A; Ferreiro, S; Alvarez, A; Roca, E

2008-08-15

The Ecological Footprint (EF) is a recent concept which has widely been used as an indicator of environmental sustainability applied to individual lifestyles, regions, nations or even the world. Recently, its application to enterprises has been proposed. In the present study, a textile tailoring plant has been analysed. The overall purpose of this study was to develop a tool useful for evaluating the environmental impact evolution due to the performance of the plant, as well as for comparing the environmental behaviour of different tailoring processes. Therefore, the selected data were those from the manufacturing work. Data were divided in three main categories: energy, resources and waste. The principal contribution to the final EF (expressed in hectares of land) was the resources category, mainly due to the high value associated to the cloth. The consumed energy was the second contributor, while the waste category remained in third place. The final outcomes were divided by the production rates to obtain a comparable relative index, easy to be interpreted by the different stakeholders. This is of special importance for a Company involved in Corporate Social Responsibility and thus meant to have a general communication strategy.

Auxins and tropisms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Muday, G. K.; Brown, C. S. (Principal Investigator)

2001-01-01

Differential growth of plants in response to the changes in the light and gravity vectors requires a complex signal transduction cascade. Although many of the details of the mechanisms by which these differential growth responses are induced are as yet unknown, auxin has been implicated in both gravitropism and phototropism. Specifically, the redistribution of auxin across gravity or light-stimulated tissues has been detected and shown to be required for this process. The approaches by which auxin has been implicated in tropisms include isolation of mutants altered in auxin transport or response with altered gravitropic or phototropic response, identification of auxin gradients with radiolabeled auxin and auxin-inducible gene reporter systems, and by use of inhibitors of auxin transport that block gravitropism and phototropism. Proteins that transport auxin have been identified and the mechanisms which determine auxin transport polarity have been explored. In addition, recent evidence that reversible protein phosphorylation controls this process is summarized. Finally, the data in support of several hypotheses for mechanisms by which auxin transport could be differentially regulated during gravitropism are examined. Although many details of the mechanisms by which plants respond to gravity and light are not yet clear, numerous recent studies demonstrate the role of auxin in these processes.

Conceptual design assessment for the co-firing of bio-refinery supplied lignin project. Quarterly report, July 1--September 30, 2000

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

Berglund, T.; Ranney, J.T.; Babb, C.L.

2000-10-01

The initial design criteria of the MSW to ethanol facility have been completed along with preliminary site identification and layouts for the processing facility. These items are the first step in evaluating the feasibility of this co-located facility. Pilot facility design and modification are underway for the production and dewatering of the lignin fuel. Major process equipment identification has been completed and several key unit operations will be accomplished on rental equipment. Equipment not available for rental or at TVA has been ordered and facility modification and shakedown will begin in October. The study of the interface and resulting impactsmore » on the TVA Colbert facility are underway. The TVA Colbert fossil plant is fully capable of providing a reliable steam supply for the proposed Masada waste processing facility. The preferred supply location in the Colbert steam cycle has been identified as have possible steam pipeline routes to the Colbert boundary. Additional analysis is underway to fully predict the impact of the steam supply on Colbert plant performance and to select a final steam pipeline route.« less

Adsorption treatment of oxide chemical mechanical polishing wastewater from a semiconductor manufacturing plant by electrocoagulation.

PubMed

Chou, Wei-Lung; Wang, Chih-Ta; Chang, Wen-Chun; Chang, Shih-Yu

2010-08-15

In this study, metal hydroxides generated during electrocoagulation (EC) were used to remove the chemical oxygen demand (COD) of oxide chemical mechanical polishing (oxide-CMP) wastewater from a semiconductor manufacturing plant by EC. Adsorption studies were conducted in a batch system for various current densities and temperatures. The COD concentration in the oxide-CMP wastewater was effectively removed and decreased by more than 90%, resulting in a final wastewater COD concentration that was below the Taiwan discharge standard (100 mg L(-1)). Since the processed wastewater quality exceeded the direct discharge standard, the effluent could be considered for reuse. The adsorption kinetic studies showed that the EC process was best described using the pseudo-second-order kinetic model at the various current densities and temperatures. The experimental data were also tested against different adsorption isotherm models to describe the EC process. The Freundlich adsorption isotherm model predictions matched satisfactorily with the experimental observations. Thermodynamic parameters, including the Gibbs free energy, enthalpy, and entropy, indicated that the COD adsorption of oxide-CMP wastewater on metal hydroxides was feasible, spontaneous and endothermic in the temperature range of 288-318 K. Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The role of potassium, magnesium and calcium in the Enhanced Biological Phosphorus Removal treatment plants.

PubMed

Barat, R; Montoya, T; Seco, A; Ferrer, J

2005-09-01

Cations as potassium and magnesium play an important role in maintaining the stability of Enhanced Biological Phosphorus Removal (EBPR) process. In this paper potassium, magnesium and calcium behaviour in EBPR treatment plants has been studied. An ASM2d model extension which takes into account the role of potassium and magnesium in the EBPR process has been developed. Finally, a simulation of the effect on P removal of a shortage of K and Mg was studied. The experimental results showed that K and Mg play an important role in the EBPR process being cotransported with P into and out of bacterial cells. It has been observed that calcium is not involved in P release and uptake. The values of the molar ratios K/P (0.28 mol K mol P(-1)) and Mg/P (0.36 mol Mg mol P(-1)) were obtained accomplishing the charge balance, with different K/Mg mass ratios and without phosphorus precipitation. Model predictions accurately reproduced experimental data. The simulations carried out showed the important effect of the K and Mg influent concentration for P removal efficiency. The results illustrate that the proposed ASM2d model extension must be considered in order to accurately simulate the phosphorus removal process.

76 FR 39396 - Availability of Final NPDES General Permits MAG580000 and NHG580000 for Discharges From Publicly...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-07-06

... and NHG580000 for Discharges From Publicly Owned Treatment Works Treatment Plants (POTW Treatment Plants) and Other Treatment Works Treating Domestic Sewage in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the... Treatment Works Treatment Plants (POTW treatment plants) and Other Treatment Works Treating Domestic Sewage...

7 CFR 407.11 - Area risk protection insurance for corn.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... addition to the definition contained in the Area Risk Protection Insurance Basic Provisions, corn seed that... accepted application; (3) Properly planted by the final planting date and reported on or before the acreage reporting date; (4) Planted with the intent to be harvested; and (5) Not planted into an established grass...

7 CFR 407.10 - Area risk protection insurance for barley.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... definition contained in the Area Risk Protection Insurance Basic Provisions, land on which seed is initially... application; (b) Properly planted by the final planting date and reported on or before the acreage reporting date; (c) Planted with the intent to be harvested; (d) Not planted into an established grass or legume...

78 FR 35989 - Tennessee Valley Authority; Watts Bar Nuclear Plant, Unit 2

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-06-14

... Bar Nuclear Plant, Unit 2 AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission. ACTION: Final environmental statement... Operation of Watts Bar Nuclear Plant (WBN), Unit 2'' (SFES). ADDRESSES: Please refer to Docket ID NRC-2008... option of issuing the operating license for Watts Bar Nuclear Plant, Unit 2. This recommendation is based...

20. AERIAL VIEW OF THE ROCKY FLATS PLANT LOOKING NORTHEAST. ...

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

20. AERIAL VIEW OF THE ROCKY FLATS PLANT LOOKING NORTHEAST. THE PLANT WAS COMPOSED OF FOUR WIDELY SEPARATED AREAS, EACH ONE PERFORMING A DIFFERENT TYPE OF WORK. PLANT A (44), SOUTHWEST, FABRICATED PARTS FROM DEPLETED URANIUM, PLANT B (81), SOUTH, WAS ENRICHED URANIUM OPERATIONS, PLANT C (71), NORTH, PLUTONIUM OPERATIONS, AND PLANT D (91), EAST, WAS FINAL ASSEMBLY, SHIPPING AND RECEIVING (2/6/66). - Rocky Flats Plant, Bounded by Indiana Street & Routes 93, 128 & 72, Golden, Jefferson County, CO

Regulatory Actions - Final Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS) for Power Plants

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS) for power plants to limit mercury, acid gases and other toxic pollution from power plants. This page describes Federal regulatory actions.

Safety approach to the selection of design criteria for the CRBRP reactor refueling system

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

Meisl, C J; Berg, G E; Sharkey, N F

1979-01-01

The selection of safety design criteria for Liquid Metal Fast Breeder Reactor (LMFBR) refueling systems required the extrapolation of regulations and guidelines intended for Light Water Reactor refueling systems and was encumbered by the lack of benefit from a commercially licensed predecessor other than Fermi. The overall approach and underlying logic are described for developing safety design criteria for the reactor refueling system (RRS) of the Clinch River Breeder Reactor Plant (CRBRP). The complete selection process used to establish the criteria is presented, from the definition of safety functions to the finalization of safety design criteria in the appropriate documents.more » The process steps are illustrated by examples.« less

A 2D systems approach to iterative learning control for discrete linear processes with zero Markov parameters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hladowski, Lukasz; Galkowski, Krzysztof; Cai, Zhonglun; Rogers, Eric; Freeman, Chris T.; Lewin, Paul L.

2011-07-01

In this article a new approach to iterative learning control for the practically relevant case of deterministic discrete linear plants with uniform rank greater than unity is developed. The analysis is undertaken in a 2D systems setting that, by using a strong form of stability for linear repetitive processes, allows simultaneous consideration of both trial-to-trial error convergence and along the trial performance, resulting in design algorithms that can be computed using linear matrix inequalities (LMIs). Finally, the control laws are experimentally verified on a gantry robot that replicates a pick and place operation commonly found in a number of applications to which iterative learning control is applicable.

A combined physicochemical-biological method of NaCl extraction from the irrigation solution in the BTLSS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trifonov, Sergey V.; Tikhomirov, Alexander A.; Ushakova, Sofya; Tikhomirova, Natalia

2016-07-01

The use of processed human wastes as a source of minerals for plants in closed biotechnical life support systems (BTLSS) leads to high salt levels in the irrigation solution, as urine contains high concentrations of NaCl. It is important to develop a process that would effectively decrease NaCl concentration in the irrigation solution and return this salt to the crew's diet. The salt-tolerant plants (Salicornia europea) used to reduce NaCl concentration in the irrigation solution require higher salt concentrations than those of the solution, and this problem cannot be resolved by concentrating the solution. At the same time, NaCl extracted from mineralized wastes by physicochemical methods is not pure enough to be included in the crew's diet. This study describes an original physicochemical method of NaCl extraction from the solution, which is intended to be used in combination with the biological method of NaCl extraction by using saltwort plants. The physicochemical method produces solutions with high NaCl concentrations, and saltwort plants serve as a biological filter in the final phase, to produce table salt. The study reports the order in which physicochemical and biological methods of NaCl extraction from the irrigation solution should be used to enable rapid and effective inclusion of NaCl into the cycling of the BTLSS with humans. This study was carried out in the IBP SB RAS and supported by the grant of the Russian Science Foundation (Project No. 14-14-00599).

Random River Fluctuations Shape the Root Profile of Riparian Plants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perona, P.; Tron, S.; Gorla, L.; Schwarz, M.; Laio, F.; Ridolfi, L.

2015-12-01

Plant roots are recognized to play a key role in the riparian ecosystems: they contribute to the plant as well as to the streambank and bedforms stability, help to enhance the water quality of the river, and sustain the belowground biodiversity. The complexity of the root-system architecture recalls their remarkable ability to respond to environmental conditions, notably including soil heterogeneity, resource availability, and climate. In fluvial environments where nutrient availability is not a limiting factor for plant to grow, the root growth of phreatophytic plants is strongly influenced by water and oxygen availability in the soil. In this work, we demonstrate that the randomness of water table fluctuations, determined by streamflow stochastic variability, is likely to be the main driver for the root development strategy of riparian plants. A collection of root measurements from field and outdoor controlled experiments is used to demonstrate that the vertical root density distribution can be described by a simple analytical expression, whose parameters are linked to properties of soil, plant and water table fluctuations. This physically-based expression is able to predict riparian plant roots adaptability to different hydrological and pedologic scenarios in riverine environments. Hence, this model has great potential towards the comprehension of the effects of future climate and environmental changing conditions on plant adaptation and river ecomorphodynamic processes. Finally, we present an open access graphical user interface that we developed in order to estimate the vertical root distribution in fluvial environments and to make the model easily available to a wider scientific and professional audience.

Anaerobic storage as a pretreatment for enhanced biodegradability of dewatered sewage sludge.

PubMed

Xu, Huacheng; He, Pinjing; Wang, Guanzhao; Shao, Liming; Lee, Duujong

2011-01-01

Dewatered sewage sludge is often stored still before further processing and final disposal. This study showed that anaerobic storage of dewatered sewage sludge could hydrolyze organic matter from the sludge matrix, and increase soluble organic acid content from 90 to 2400 mg/L and soluble organic carbon content from 220 to 1650 mg/L. Correspondingly, the contents of proteins, celluloses and hemicelluloses were reduced by 2-9%. Applying anaerobic storage markedly enhanced the efficiency of the subsequent bio-drying process on stored sludge. Correspondingly, biogas and odor gas were produced immediately after commencing the sludge storage. Anaerobic storage with odor control can be applied as a pretreatment process for dewatered sewage sludge in wastewater treatment plants. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Process monitoring in modern safeguards applications

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

Ehinger, M.H.

1989-11-01

From the safeguards standpoint, regulatory requirements are finally moving into the modern world of communication and information processing. Gone are the days when the accountant with the green eye shade and arm bands made judgments on the material balance a month after the balance was closed. The most recent Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) regulations and U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) orders have very strict standards for timeliness and sensitivity to loss or removal of material. The latest regulations recognize that plant operators have a lot of information on and control over the location and movement of material within their facilities.more » This information goes beyond that traditionally reported under accountability requirements. These new regulations allow facility operators to take credit for many of the more informal process controls.« less

Contrasting extremes in water-related stresses determine species survival

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bartholomeus, R. P.; Witte, J. P. M.; van Bodegom, P. M.; van Dam, J. C.; Aerts, R.

2012-04-01

In temperate climates, soil moisture, in concert with nutrient availability and soil acidity, is the most important environmental filter in determining local plant species composition, as it determines the availability of both oxygen and water to plant roots. These resources are indispensable for meeting the physiological demands of plants. Especially the occurrence of both excessive dry and wet moisture conditions at a particular site has strong implications for the survival of species, because plants need traits that allow them to respond to such counteracting conditions. However, adapting to one stress may go at the cost of the other, i.e. there exists a trade-off in the tolerance for wet conditions and the tolerance for dry conditions. Until now, both large-scale (global) and plot-scale effects of soil moisture conditions on plant species composition have mostly been investigated through indirect environmental measures, which do not include the key soil physical and plant physiological processes in the soil-plant-atmosphere system. Moreover, researchers only determined effects of one of the water-related stresses, i.e. either oxygen or drought stress. In order to quantify both oxygen and drought stress with causal measures, we focused on interacting meteorological, soil physical, microbial, and plant physiological processes in the soil-plant-atmosphere system. We simulated these plant stresses with a novel, process-based approach, incorporating in detail the interacting processes in the soil-plant-atmosphere interface. High variability and extremes in resource availability can be highly detrimental to plant species ('you can only die once'). We show that co-occurrence of oxygen and drought stress reduces the percentage of specialists within a vegetation plot. The percentage of non-specialists within a vegetation plot, however, decreases significantly with increasing stress as long as only one of the stresses prevails, but increases significantly with an increased co-occurrence of oxygen and drought stress. These results confirm earlier suggestions that species that are simultaneously tolerant to multiple stresses, lack full adaptation to each potential stress. Specific adaptations to either oxygen or drought stress thus reduce the adaptive ability to the other stress and increase the impact of the other stress. We further show that the combination of stresses is detrimental particularly to endangered species, while the number of common species within a vegetation plot does not decline with increasing co-occurrence and intensification of oxygen and drought stress. Additionally, our results show significantly smaller tolerance ranges for oxygen and drought stress for endangered species than for common species. Variability in the availability of resources is thus especially detrimental to species with narrow physiological tolerance ranges. Finally, we found that increased rainfall variability in interaction with predicted changes in temperature and CO2, may affect soil moisture conditions and plant oxygen and water demands such, that both oxygen stress and drought stress will intensify due to climate change. Moreover, these stresses will increasingly coincide, causing variable stress conditions. Consequently, more variable and extreme meteorological conditions may decrease the future habitat suitability, especially for specialists and plant species that are presently endangered, which has direct implications for policies to maintain species.

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.

Multicriteria relocation analysis of an off-site radioactive monitoring network for a nuclear power plant.

PubMed

Chang, Ni-Bin; Ning, Shu-Kuang; Chen, Jen-Chang

2006-08-01

Due to increasing environmental consciousness in most countries, every utility that owns a commercial nuclear power plant has been required to have both an on-site and off-site emergency response plan since the 1980s. A radiation monitoring network, viewed as part of the emergency response plan, can provide information regarding the radiation dosage emitted from a nuclear power plant in a regular operational period and/or abnormal measurements in an emergency event. Such monitoring information might help field operators and decision-makers to provide accurate responses or make decisions to protect the public health and safety. This study aims to conduct an integrated simulation and optimization analysis looking for the relocation strategy of a long-term regular off-site monitoring network at a nuclear power plant. The planning goal is to downsize the current monitoring network but maintain its monitoring capacity as much as possible. The monitoring sensors considered in this study include the thermoluminescence dosimetry (TLD) and air sampling system (AP) simultaneously. It is designed for detecting the radionuclide accumulative concentration, the frequency of violation, and the possible population affected by a long-term impact in the surrounding area regularly while it can also be used in an accidental release event. With the aid of the calibrated Industrial Source Complex-Plume Rise Model Enhancements (ISC-PRIME) simulation model to track down the possible radionuclide diffusion, dispersion, transport, and transformation process in the atmospheric environment, a multiobjective evaluation process can be applied to achieve the screening of monitoring stations for the nuclear power plant located at Hengchun Peninsula, South Taiwan. To account for multiple objectives, this study calculated preference weights to linearly combine objective functions leading to decision-making with exposure assessment in an optimization context. Final suggestions should be useful for narrowing the set of scenarios that decision-makers need to consider in this relocation process.

The heavy metal ions (Cu2+, Zn2+, Cd+) toxic compounds influence on triticale plants growth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brezoczki, V. M.; Filip, G. M.

2017-05-01

The presence of the heavy metals toxic compounds (CuSO4 · 5H2O, ZnSO4 · 7H2O and 3CdSO4·8H2O) in water and soil can be observed by their negative effects on the germination and growth process for different vegetable (barley, oat, maize) who are used for human and animal consumption. This paper it aims the determination of germination and growth inhibition negative effects for triticale plants in the heavy metals ions presence by ecotoxicological laboratory tests. The triticale plants was chosen for their different characteristics to the other grasses respectively: a very good resistance for a wide range of diseases, an accelerated growth and a very good tolerance for aluminum ions presents in acid soils. The determinations were conducted step by step, first, we put the triticale grains in contact with the heavy metal solutions with different concentration then for 3 days we noticed the triticale germination inhibition effects and finally we noticed the growth inhibition process for triticale plants respectively in 7th and 9th day from the start of the experiment. At the end of the tests we can conclude that the triticale roots have a very great sensibility to a CuSO4 solutions compared to the effects for their stalks. A positive effect for triticale stalks we can see for low CuSO4 solution concentrations thus for 5 mg Cu/l the growth is 19,44%. A positive effect for triticale roots it can see for low ZnSO4 solution concentrations so for 5 - 15 mg Zn/l the growth is 24,4%. In the presence of the CdSO4 solution all the processes are inhibited (germination and growth for triticale plants) even for a low concentrations for this toxic.

Iron and zinc isotope fractionation during uptake and translocation in rice (Oryza sativa) grown in oxic and anoxic soils

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arnold, Tim; Markovic, Tamara; Kirk, Guy J. D.; Schönbächler, Maria; Rehkämper, Mark; Zhao, Fangjie J.; Weiss, Dominik J.

2015-11-01

Stable isotope fractionation is emerging quickly as a powerful novel technique to study metal uptake and translocation in plants. Fundamental to this development is a thorough understanding of the processes that lead to isotope fractionation under differing environmental conditions. In this study, we investigated Zn and Fe isotope fractionation in rice grown to maturity in anaerobic and aerobic soils under greenhouse conditions. The overall Zn isotope fractionation between the soil and above ground plant material was negligible in aerobic soil but significant in anaerobic soil with isotopically lighter Zn in the rice plant. The observed range of fractionation is in line with previously determined fractionations of Zn in rice grown in hydroponic solutions and submerged soils and emphasizes the effect of taking up different chemical forms of Zn, most likely free and organically complexed Zn. The Zn in the grain was isotopically lighter than in the rest of the above ground plant in rice grown in aerobic and anaerobic soils alike. This suggests that in the course of the grain loading and during the translocation within the plant important biochemical and/or biophysical processes occur. The isotope fractionation observed in the grains would be consistent with an unidirectional controlled transport from shoot to grain with a fractionation factor of α ≈ 0.9994. Iron isotopes showed an isotopic lighter signature in shoot and grain compared to the bulk soil or the leachate in aerobic and anaerobic soils alike. The negative direction of isotopic fractionation is consistent with possible changes in the redox state of Fe occurring during the uptake and translocation processes. The isotope fractionation pattern between shoots and grain material are different for Zn and Fe which finally suggests that different mechanisms operate during translocation and grain-loading in rice for these two key micronutrients.

Conflict minerals from the Democratic Republic of the Congo: global tungsten processing plants, a critical part of the tungsten supply chain

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bermúdez-Lugo, Omayra

2014-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) analyzes supply chains to identify and define major components of mineral and material flows from ore extraction, through intermediate forms, to a final product. Two major reasons necessitate these analyses: (1) to identify risks associated with the supply of critical and strategic minerals to the United States and (2) to provide greater supply chain transparency so that policymakers have the information necessary to ensure domestic legislation compliance. This fact sheet focuses on the latter. The USGS National Minerals Information Center has been asked by governmental and non-governmental organizations to provide information on tin, tantalum, tungsten, and gold (collectively known as “3TG minerals”) processing facilities worldwide in response to U.S. legislation aimed at removing the link between the trade in these minerals and civil unrest in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Post beneficiation processing plants (smelters and refineries) of 3TG mineral ores and concentrates were identified by company and industry association representatives as being the link in the 3TG mineral supply chain through which these minerals can be traced to their source of origin (mine); determining the point of origin is critical to establishing a transparent conflict mineral supply chain. This fact sheet, the first in a series of 3TG mineral fact sheets, focuses on the tungsten supply chain by listing plants that consume tungsten concentrates to produce ammonium paratungstate and ferrotungsten worldwide.

U.S. DOE’s Energy Treasure Hunt Exchange In-Plant Trainings – DOE Resources, Early Results and Lessons Learned

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

Nimbalkar, Sachin U.; Brockway, Walter F.; Lung, Bruce

The primary objective of the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Energy Treasure Hunt In-Plant Training (INPLT) is to train Better Plants partner employees to lead and conduct future energy efficiency Treasure Hunts within their facilities without DOE assistance. By taking a “learning-by-doing” approach, this INPLT, like other DOE INPLT trainings, has the added benefit of uncovering real energy and cost-saving opportunities. This INPLT leverages DOE and Better Plants technical staff, resources and tools and the EPA “Energy Treasure Hunt Guide: Simple Steps to Finding Energy Savings” process. While Treasure Hunts are a relatively well-known approach to identifying energy-savings in manufacturing plants,more » DOE is adding several additional elements in its Treasure Hunt Exchanges. The first element is technical assistance and methodology. DOE provides high-quality technical resources, such as energy efficiency calculators, fact sheets, source books etc., to facilitate the Treasure Hunt process and teaches four fundamentals: 1) how to profile equipment, 2) how to collect data, and 3), data & ROI calculation methodologies. Another element is the “train the trainer” approach wherein the training facilitator will train at least one partner employee to facilitate future treasure hunts. Another element is that DOE provides energy diagnostic equipment and teaches the participants how to use them. Finally, DOE also offers partners the opportunity to exchange teams of employees either within a partners’ enterprise or with other partners to conduct the treasure hunt in each other’s facilities. This exchange of teams is important because each team can bring different insights and uncover energy-saving opportunities that would otherwise be missed. This paper will discuss DOE methodology and the early results and lessons learned from DOE’S Energy Treasure Hunt In-Plant Trainings at Better Plants Partner facilities.« less

Caspase inhibitors affect the kinetics and dimensions of tracheary elements in xylogenic Zinnia (Zinnia elegans) cell cultures.

PubMed

Twumasi, Peter; Iakimova, Elena T; Qian, Tian; van Ieperen, Wim; Schel, Jan H N; Emons, Anne Mie C; van Kooten, Olaf; Woltering, Ernst J

2010-08-06

The xylem vascular system is composed of fused dead, hollow cells called tracheary elements (TEs) that originate through trans-differentiation of root and shoot cambium cells. TEs undergo autolysis as they differentiate and mature. The final stage of the formation of TEs in plants is the death of the involved cells, a process showing some similarities to programmed cell death (PCD) in animal systems. Plant proteases with functional similarity to proteases involved in mammalian apoptotic cell death (caspases) are suggested as an integral part of the core mechanism of most PCD responses in plants, but participation of plant caspase-like proteases in TE PCD has not yet been documented. Confocal microscopic images revealed the consecutive stages of TE formation in Zinnia cells during trans-differentiation. Application of the caspase inhibitors Z-Asp-CH2-DCB, Ac-YVAD-CMK and Ac-DEVD-CHO affected the kinetics of formation and the dimensions of the TEs resulting in a significant delay of TE formation, production of larger TEs and in elimination of the 'two-wave' pattern of TE production. DNA breakdown and appearance of TUNEL-positive nuclei was observed in xylogenic cultures and this was suppressed in the presence of caspase inhibitors. To the best of our knowledge this is the first report showing that caspase inhibitors can modulate the process of trans-differentiation in Zinnia xylogenic cell cultures. As caspase inhibitors are closely associated with cell death inhibition in a variety of plant systems, this suggests that the altered TE formation results from suppression of PCD. The findings presented here are a first step towards the use of appropriate PCD signalling modulators or related molecular genetic strategies to improve the hydraulic properties of xylem vessels in favour of the quality and shelf life of plants or plant parts.

Corrosion of stainless steels in the riser during co-processing of bio-oils in a fluid catalytic cracking pilot plant

DOE PAGES

Brady, M. P.; Keiser, J. R.; Leonard, D. N.; ...

2017-01-31

Co-processing of bio-oils with conventional petroleum-based feedstocks is an attractive initial option to make use of renewable biomass as a fuel source while leveraging existing refinery infrastructures. But, bio-oils and their processing intermediates have high concentrations of organic oxygenates, which, among their other negative qualities, can result in increased corrosion issues. A range of stainless steel alloys (409, 410, 304L, 316L, 317L, and 201) was exposed at the base of the riser in a fluid catalytic cracking pilot plant while co-processing vacuum gas oil with pine-derived pyrolysis bio-oils that had been catalytically hydrodeoxygenated to ~ 2 to 28% oxygen. Wemore » studied the processing using a catalyst temperature of 704 °C, a reaction exit temperature of 520 °C, and total co-processing run times of 57–75 h. External oxide scaling 5–30 μm thick and internal attack 1–5 μm deep were observed in these short-duration exposures. The greatest extent of internal attack was observed for co-processing with the least stabilized bio-oil, and more so for types 409, 410, 304L, 316L, 317L stainless steel than for type 201. Finally, the internal attack involved porous Cr-rich oxide formation, associated with local Ni-metal enrichment and S-rich nanoparticles, primarily containing Cr or Mn. Implications for alloy selection and corrosion are discussed.« less

Corrosion of stainless steels in the riser during co-processing of bio-oils in a fluid catalytic cracking pilot plant

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

Brady, M. P.; Keiser, J. R.; Leonard, D. N.

Co-processing of bio-oils with conventional petroleum-based feedstocks is an attractive initial option to make use of renewable biomass as a fuel source while leveraging existing refinery infrastructures. But, bio-oils and their processing intermediates have high concentrations of organic oxygenates, which, among their other negative qualities, can result in increased corrosion issues. A range of stainless steel alloys (409, 410, 304L, 316L, 317L, and 201) was exposed at the base of the riser in a fluid catalytic cracking pilot plant while co-processing vacuum gas oil with pine-derived pyrolysis bio-oils that had been catalytically hydrodeoxygenated to ~ 2 to 28% oxygen. Wemore » studied the processing using a catalyst temperature of 704 °C, a reaction exit temperature of 520 °C, and total co-processing run times of 57–75 h. External oxide scaling 5–30 μm thick and internal attack 1–5 μm deep were observed in these short-duration exposures. The greatest extent of internal attack was observed for co-processing with the least stabilized bio-oil, and more so for types 409, 410, 304L, 316L, 317L stainless steel than for type 201. Finally, the internal attack involved porous Cr-rich oxide formation, associated with local Ni-metal enrichment and S-rich nanoparticles, primarily containing Cr or Mn. Implications for alloy selection and corrosion are discussed.« less

Novel Natural Products for Healthy Ageing from the Mediterranean Diet and Food Plants of Other Global Sources-The MediHealth Project.

PubMed

Waltenberger, Birgit; Halabalaki, Maria; Schwaiger, Stefan; Adamopoulos, Nicolas; Allouche, Noureddine; Fiebich, Bernd L; Hermans, Nina; Jansen-Dürr, Pidder; Kesternich, Victor; Pieters, Luc; Schönbichler, Stefan; Skaltsounis, Alexios-Leandros; Tran, Hung; Trougakos, Ioannis P; Viljoen, Alvaro; Wolfender, Jean-Luc; Wolfrum, Christian; Xynos, Nikos; Stuppner, Hermann

2018-05-06

There is a rapid increase in the percentage of elderly people in Europe. Consequently, the prevalence of age-related diseases will also significantly increase. Therefore, the main goal of MediHealth, an international research project, is to introduce a novel approach for the discovery of active agents of food plants from the Mediterranean diet and other global sources that promote healthy ageing. To achieve this goal, a series of plants from the Mediterranean diet and food plants from other origins are carefully selected and subjected to in silico, cell-based, in vivo (fly and mouse models), and metabolism analyses. Advanced analytical techniques complement the bio-evaluation process for the efficient isolation and identification of the bioactive plant constituents. Furthermore, pharmacological profiling of bioactive natural products, as well as the identification and synthesis of their metabolites, is carried out. Finally, optimization studies are performed in order to proceed to the development of innovative nutraceuticals, dietary supplements or herbal medicinal products. The project is based on an exchange of researchers between nine universities and four companies from European and non-European countries, exploiting the existing complementary multidisciplinary expertise. Herein, the unique and novel approach of this interdisciplinary project is presented.

Beneficial effects of bacteria-plant communication based on quorum sensing molecules of the N-acyl homoserine lactone group.

PubMed

Schikora, Adam; Schenk, Sebastian T; Hartmann, Anton

2016-04-01

Bacterial quorum sensing (QS) mechanisms play a crucial role in the proper performance and ecological fitness of bacterial populations. Many key physiological processes are regulated in a QS-dependent manner by auto-inducers, like the N-acyl homoserine lactones (AHLs) in numerous Gram-negative bacteria. In addition, also the interaction between bacteria and eukaryotic hosts can be regulated by AHLs. Those mechanisms gained much attention, because of the positive effects of different AHL molecules on plants. This positive impact ranges from growth promotion to induced resistance and is quite contrasting to the rather negative effects observed in the interactions between bacterial AHL molecules and animals. Only very recently, we began to understand the molecular mechanisms underpinning plant responses to AHL molecules. In this review, we gathered the latest information in this research field. The first part gives an overview of the bacterial aspects of quorum sensing. Later we focus on the impact of AHLs on plant growth and AHL-priming, as one of the most understood phenomena in respect to the inter-kingdom interactions based on AHL-quorum sensing molecules. Finally, we discuss the potential benefits of the understanding of bacteria-plant interaction for the future agricultural applications.

Altered sucrose synthase and invertase expression affects the local and systemic sugar metabolism of nematode-infected Arabidopsis thaliana plants.

PubMed

Cabello, Susana; Lorenz, Cindy; Crespo, Sara; Cabrera, Javier; Ludwig, Roland; Escobar, Carolina; Hofmann, Julia

2014-01-01

Sedentary endoparasitic nematodes of plants induce highly specific feeding cells in the root central cylinder. From these, the obligate parasites withdraw all required nutrients. The feeding cells were described as sink tissues in the plant's circulation system that are supplied with phloem-derived solutes such as sugars. Currently, there are several publications describing mechanisms of sugar import into the feeding cells. However, sugar processing has not been studied so far. Thus, in the present work, the roles of the sucrose-cleaving enzymes sucrose synthases (SUS) and invertases (INV) in the development of Heterodera schachtii were studied. Gene expression analyses indicate that both enzymes are regulated transcriptionally. Nematode development was enhanced on multiple INV and SUS mutants. Syncytia of these mutants were characterized by altered enzyme activity and changing sugar pool sizes. Further, the analyses revealed systemically affected sugar levels and enzyme activities in the shoots of the tested mutants, suggesting changes in the source-sink relationship. Finally, the development of the root-knot nematode Meloidogyne javanica was studied in different INV and SUS mutants and wild-type Arabidopsis plants. Similar effects on the development of both sedentary endoparasitic nematode species (root-knot and cyst nematode) were observed, suggesting a more general role of sucrose-degrading enzymes during plant-nematode interactions.

Calcium Signaling during Salt Stress and in the Regulation of Ion Homeostasis.

PubMed

Manishankar, P; Wang, N; Köster, P; Alatar, A A; Kudla, J

2018-05-24

Soil composition largely defines the living conditions of plants and represents one of their most relevant, dynamic and complex environmental cues. The effective concentrations of many either tolerated or essential ions and compounds in the soil usually differ from the optimum that would be most suitable for plants. In this regard, salinity - caused by excess of NaCl - represents a widespread adverse growth condition but also shortage of ions like K+, NO3- and Fe2+ restrains plant growth. During the past years many components and mechanisms that function in the sensing and establishment of ion homeostasis have been identified and characterized. Here, we reflect on recent insights that extended our understanding of components and mechanisms, which govern and fine-tune plant salt stress tolerance and ion homeostasis. We put special emphasis on mechanisms that allow for interconnection of the salt overly sensitivity pathway with plant development and discuss newly emerging functions of Ca2+ signaling in salinity tolerance. Moreover, we review and discuss accumulating evidence for a central and unifying role of Ca2+ signaling and Ca2+ dependent protein phosphorylation in regulating sensing, uptake, transport and storage processes of various ions. Finally, based on this cross-field inventory, we deduce emerging concepts and arising questions for future research.

Mutant selection in the self-incompatible plant radish (Raphanus sativus L. var. sativus) using two-step TILLING

PubMed Central

Kohzuma, Kaori; Chiba, Motoko; Nagano, Soichiro; Anai, Toyoaki; Ueda, Miki U.; Oguchi, Riichi; Shirai, Kazumasa; Hanada, Kousuke; Hikosaka, Kouki; Fujii, Nobuharu

2017-01-01

Radish (Raphanus sativus L. var. sativus), a widely cultivated root vegetable crop, possesses a large sink organ (the root), implying that photosynthetic activity in radish can be enhanced by altering both the source and sink capacity of the plant. However, since radish is a self-incompatible plant, improved mutation-breeding strategies are needed for this crop. TILLING (Targeting Induced Local Lesions IN Genomes) is a powerful method used for reverse genetics. In this study, we developed a new TILLING strategy involving a two-step mutant selection process for mutagenized radish plants: the first selection is performed to identify a BC1M1 line, that is, progenies of M1 plants crossed with wild-type, and the second step is performed to identify BC1M1 individuals with mutations. We focused on Rubisco as a target, since Rubisco is the most abundant plant protein and a key photosynthetic enzyme. We found that the radish genome contains six RBCS genes and one pseudogene encoding small Rubisco subunits. We screened 955 EMS-induced BC1M1 lines using our newly developed TILLING strategy and obtained six mutant lines for the six RsRBCS genes, encoding proteins with four different types of amino acid substitutions. Finally, we selected a homozygous mutant and subjected it to physiological measurements. PMID:28744180

Mild Salt Stress Conditions Induce Different Responses in Root Hydraulic Conductivity of Phaseolus vulgaris Over-Time

PubMed Central

Calvo-Polanco, Monica; Sánchez-Romera, Beatriz; Aroca, Ricardo

2014-01-01

Plants respond to salinity by altering their physiological parameters in order to maintain their water balance. The reduction in root hydraulic conductivity is one of the first responses of plants to the presence of salt in order to minimize water stress. Although its regulation has been commonly attributed to aquaporins activity, osmotic adjustment and the toxic effect of Na+ and Cl− have also a main role in the whole process. We studied the effects of 30 mM NaCl on Phaseolus vulgaris plants after 9 days and found different responses in root hydraulic conductivity over-time. An initial and final reduction of root hydraulic conductivity, stomatal conductance, and leaf water potential in response to NaCl was attributed to an initial osmotic shock after 1 day of treatment, and to the initial symptoms of salt accumulation within the plant tissues after 9 days of treatment. After 6 days of NaCl treatment, the increase in root hydraulic conductivity to the levels of control plants was accompanied by an increase in root fructose content, and with the intracellular localization of root plasma membrane aquaporins (PIP) to cortex cells close to the epidermis and to cells surrounding xylem vessels. Thus, the different responses of bean plants to mild salt stress over time may be connected with root fructose accumulation, and intracellular localization of PIP aquaporins. PMID:24595059

CRN13 candidate effectors from plant and animal eukaryotic pathogens are DNA-binding proteins which trigger host DNA damage response.

PubMed

Ramirez-Garcés, Diana; Camborde, Laurent; Pel, Michiel J C; Jauneau, Alain; Martinez, Yves; Néant, Isabelle; Leclerc, Catherine; Moreau, Marc; Dumas, Bernard; Gaulin, Elodie

2016-04-01

To successfully colonize their host, pathogens produce effectors that can interfere with host cellular processes. Here we investigated the function of CRN13 candidate effectors produced by plant pathogenic oomycetes and detected in the genome of the amphibian pathogenic chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (BdCRN13). When expressed in Nicotiana, AeCRN13, from the legume root pathogen Aphanomyces euteiches, increases the susceptibility of the leaves to the oomycete Phytophthora capsici. When transiently expressed in amphibians or plant cells, AeCRN13 and BdCRN13 localize to the cell nuclei, triggering aberrant cell development and eventually causing cell death. Using Förster resonance energy transfer experiments in plant cells, we showed that both CRN13s interact with nuclear DNA and trigger plant DNA damage response (DDR). Mutating key amino acid residues in a predicted HNH-like endonuclease motif abolished the interaction of AeCRN13 with DNA, the induction of DDR and the enhancement of Nicotiana susceptibility to P. capsici. Finally, H2AX phosphorylation, a marker of DNA damage, and enhanced expression of genes involved in the DDR were observed in A. euteiches-infected Medicago truncatula roots. These results show that CRN13 from plant and animal eukaryotic pathogens promotes host susceptibility by targeting nuclear DNA and inducing DDR. © 2015 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2015 New Phytologist Trust.

Endogenous isoflavone methylation correlates with the in vitro rooting phases of Spartium junceum L. (Leguminosae).

PubMed

Clematis, Francesca; Viglione, Serena; Beruto, Margherita; Lanzotti, Virginia; Dolci, Paola; Poncet, Christine; Curir, Paolo

2014-09-01

Spartium junceum L. (Leguminosae) is a perennial shrub, native to the Mediterranean region in southern Europe, widespread in all the Italian regions and, as a leguminous species, it has a high isoflavone content. An in vitro culture protocol was developed for this species starting from stem nodal sections of in vivo plants, and isoflavone components of the in vitro cultured tissues were studied by means of High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) analytical techniques. Two main isoflavones were detected in the S. junceum tissues during the in vitro propagation phases: Genistein (4',5,7-Trihydroxyisoflavone), already reported in this species, and its methylated form 4',5,7-Trimethoxyisoflavone, detected for the first time in this plant species (0.750 ± 0.02 mg g(-1) dry tissue). The presence of both of these compounds in S. junceum tissues was consistently detected during the in vitro multiplication phase. The absence of the methylated form within plant tissues in the early phases of the in vitro adventitious root formation was correlated with its negative effect displayed on root induction and initiation phases, while its presence in the final "root manifestation" phase influenced positively the rooting process. The unmethylated form, although detectable in tissues in the precocious rooting phases, was no longer present in the final rooting phase. Its effect on rooting, however, proved always to be beneficial. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Radwaste desk reference - Volume 3, Part 2: Liquid waste management. Final report

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

Deltete, D.; Fisher, S.; Kelly, J.J.

1994-05-01

EPRI began, in late in 1987, to produce a Radwaste Desk Reference that would allow each of the member utilities access to the available information and expertise on radwaste management. EPRI considers this important because radwaste management involves a wide variety of scientific and engineering disciplines. These include chemical and mechanical engineering, chemistry, and health physics. Radwaste management also plays a role in implementing a wide variety of regulatory requirements. These include plant-specific technical specifications, NRC standards for protection against radiation, DOT transportation regulations and major environmental legislation such as the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. EPRI chose a questionmore » and answer format because it could be easily accessed by radwaste professionals with a variety of interests. The questions were generated at two meetings of utility radwaste professionals and EPRI contractors. Volume 1, which is already in publication, addresses dry active waste generation, processing and measurement. Volume 2 addresses low level waste storage, transportation and disposal. This volume, Volume 3, is being issued in two parts. Part 1 concentrates on the processing of liquid radioactive waste, whereas Part 2, included here, addresses liquid waste management. It includes extensive information and operating practices related to liquid waste generation and control, liquid waste processing systems at existing U.S. nuclear plants, processes for managing wet wastes (handling, dewatering, solidifying, processing, and packaging), and liquid waste measurement and analysis.« less

Diversity of transcripts and transcript processing forms in plastids of the dinoflagellate alga Karenia mikimotoi.

PubMed

Dorrell, Richard G; Hinksman, George A; Howe, Christopher J

2016-02-01

Plastids produce a vast diversity of transcripts. These include mature transcripts containing coding sequences, and their processing precursors, as well as transcripts that lack direct coding functions, such as antisense transcripts. Although plastid transcriptomes have been characterised for many plant species, less is known about the transcripts produced in other plastid lineages. We characterised the transcripts produced in the fucoxanthin-containing plastids of the dinoflagellate alga Karenia mikimotoi. This plastid lineage, acquired through tertiary endosymbiosis, utilises transcript processing pathways that are very different from those found in plants and green algae, including 3' poly(U) tail addition, and extensive substitutional editing of transcript sequences. We have sequenced the plastid transcriptome of K. mikimotoi, and have detected evidence for divergent evolution of fucoxanthin plastid genomes. We have additionally characterised polycistronic and monocistronic transcripts from two plastid loci, psbD-tRNA (Met)-ycf4 and rpl36-rps13-rps11. We find evidence for a range of transcripts produced from each locus that differ in terms of editing state, 5' end cleavage position, and poly(U) tail addition. Finally, we identify antisense transcripts in K. mikimotoi, which appear to undergo different processing events from the corresponding sense transcripts. Overall, our study provides insights into the diversity of transcripts and processing intermediates found in plastid lineages across the eukaryotes.

78 FR 11138 - Agency Information Collection Activities; OMB Approval Received

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-02-15

... DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service [Docket No. APHIS-2009-0070] Agency Information Collection Activities; OMB Approval Received AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health... in the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's final rule regarding the possession, use, and...

A cost-effective and customizable automated irrigation system for precise high-throughput phenotyping in drought stress studies

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

The development of high-yielding crops with drought tolerance is necessary to increase food, feed, fiber and fuel production. Methods that create similar environmental conditions for a large number of genotypes are essential to investigate plant responses to drought in gene discovery studies. Modern facilities that control water availability for each plant remain cost-prohibited to some sections of the research community. We present an alternative cost-effective automated irrigation system scalable for a high-throughput and controlled dry-down treatment of plants. This system was tested in sorghum using two experiments. First, four genotypes were subjected to ten days of dry-down to achieve three final Volumetric Water Content (VWC) levels: drought (0.10 and 0.20 m3 m-3) and control (0.30 m3 m-3). The final average VWC was 0.11, 0.22, and 0.31 m3 m-3, respectively, and significant differences in biomass accumulation were observed between control and drought treatments. Second, 42 diverse sorghum genotypes were subjected to a seven-day dry-down treatment for a final drought stress of 0.15 m3 m-3 VWC. The final average VWC was 0.17 m3 m-3, and plants presented significant differences in photosynthetic rate during the drought period. These results demonstrate that cost-effective automation systems can successfully control substrate water content for each plant, to accurately compare their phenotypic responses to drought, and be scaled up for high-throughput phenotyping studies. PMID:29870560

A cost-effective and customizable automated irrigation system for precise high-throughput phenotyping in drought stress studies.

PubMed

Ortiz, Diego; Litvin, Alexander G; Salas Fernandez, Maria G

2018-01-01

The development of high-yielding crops with drought tolerance is necessary to increase food, feed, fiber and fuel production. Methods that create similar environmental conditions for a large number of genotypes are essential to investigate plant responses to drought in gene discovery studies. Modern facilities that control water availability for each plant remain cost-prohibited to some sections of the research community. We present an alternative cost-effective automated irrigation system scalable for a high-throughput and controlled dry-down treatment of plants. This system was tested in sorghum using two experiments. First, four genotypes were subjected to ten days of dry-down to achieve three final Volumetric Water Content (VWC) levels: drought (0.10 and 0.20 m3 m-3) and control (0.30 m3 m-3). The final average VWC was 0.11, 0.22, and 0.31 m3 m-3, respectively, and significant differences in biomass accumulation were observed between control and drought treatments. Second, 42 diverse sorghum genotypes were subjected to a seven-day dry-down treatment for a final drought stress of 0.15 m3 m-3 VWC. The final average VWC was 0.17 m3 m-3, and plants presented significant differences in photosynthetic rate during the drought period. These results demonstrate that cost-effective automation systems can successfully control substrate water content for each plant, to accurately compare their phenotypic responses to drought, and be scaled up for high-throughput phenotyping studies.

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.

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.

U.S. Nuclear Weapons: Changes in Policy and Force Structure

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-01-23

Pinellas Plant , in Clearwater, FL; and the Pantex Plant near Amarillo, TX. These facilities were also operated by industrial contractors. Finally, the...These included the Rocky Flats Plant , outside Denver, CO; the Kansas City Plant , near Kansas City, MO; the Mound Plant , near Dayton OH; the...In 1988, DOE closed the nuclear reactors at Hanford and Savannah River, in response to safety concerns. The Rocky Flats Plant , which produced the

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

A Distributed Control System Prototyping Environment to Support Control Room Modernization

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

Lew, Roger Thomas; Boring, Ronald Laurids; Ulrich, Thomas Anthony

Operators of critical processes, such as nuclear power production, must contend with highly complex systems, procedures, and regulations. Developing human-machine interfaces (HMIs) that better support operators is a high priority for ensuring the safe and reliable operation of critical processes. Human factors engineering (HFE) provides a rich and mature set of tools for evaluating the performance of HMIs, however the set of tools for developing and designing HMIs is still in its infancy. Here we propose a rapid prototyping approach for integrating proposed HMIs into their native environments before a design is finalized. This approach allows researchers and developers tomore » test design ideas and eliminate design flaws prior to fully developing the new system. We illustrate this approach with four prototype designs developed using Microsoft’s Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF). One example is integrated into a microworld environment to test the functionality of the design and identify the optimal level of automation for a new system in a nuclear power plant. The other three examples are integrated into a full-scale, glasstop digital simulator of a nuclear power plant. One example demonstrates the capabilities of next generation control concepts; another aims to expand the current state of the art; lastly, an HMI prototype was developed as a test platform for a new control system currently in development at U.S. nuclear power plants. WPF possesses several characteristics that make it well suited to HMI design. It provides a tremendous amount of flexibility, agility, robustness, and extensibility. Distributed control system (DCS) specific environments tend to focus on the safety and reliability requirements for real-world interfaces and consequently have less emphasis on providing functionality to support novel interaction paradigms. Because of WPF’s large user-base, Microsoft can provide an extremely mature tool. Within process control applications,WPF is platform independent and can communicate with popular full-scope process control simulator vendor plant models and DCS platforms.« less

Distribution, partition and removal of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) during coking wastewater treatment processes.

PubMed

Zhang, Wanhui; Wei, Chaohai; An, Guanfeng

2015-05-01

In this study, we report the performance of a full-scale conventional activated sludge (A-O1-O2) treatment in eliminating polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Both aqueous and solid phases along with the coking wastewater treatment processes were analyzed for the presence of 18 PAHs. It was found that the target compounds occurred widely in raw coking wastewater, treated effluent and sludge samples. In the coking wastewater treatment system, 4-5 ring PAHs were the dominant compounds, while 4 rings PAHs predominated in the sludge samples. Over 98% of the PAH removal was achieved in the coking wastewater treatment plant (WWTP), with the total concentration of PAHs being 21.3 ± 1.9 μg L(-1) in the final effluent. During the coking wastewater treatment processes, the association of the lower molecular weight PAH with suspended solids was generally less than 60%, while the association of higher molecular weight PAHs was greater than 90%. High distribution efficiencies (Kdp and Kds) were found, suggesting that adsorption was the potential removal pathway of PAHs. Finally, the mass balances of PAHs in various stages of the coking WWTP were obtained, and the results indicated that adsorption to sludge was the main removal pathway for PAHs in the coking wastewater treatment processes.

Development of a model to select plants with optimum metal phytoextraction potential.

PubMed

Guala, Sebastián D; Vega, Flora A; Covelo, Emma F

2011-07-01

The aim of the present study is to propose a nonlinear model which provides an indicator for the maximum phytoextraction of metals to help in the decision-making process. Research into different species and strategies plays an important role in the application of phytoextraction techniques to the remediation of contaminated soil. Also, the convenience of species according to their biomass and pollutant accumulation capacities has gained important space in discussions regarding remediation strategies, whether to choose species with low accumulation capacities and high biomass or high accumulation capacities with low biomass. The effects of heavy metals in soil on plant growth are studied by means of a nonlinear interaction model which relates the dynamics of the uptake of heavy metals by plants to heavy metal deposed in soil. The model, presented theoretically, provides an indicator for the maximum phytoextraction of metals which depends on adjustable parameters of both the plant and the environmental conditions. Finally, in order to clarify its applicability, a series of experimental results found in the literature are presented to show how the model performs consistently with real data. The inhibition of plant growth due to heavy metal concentration can be predicted by a simple kinetic model. The model proposed in this study makes it possible to characterize the nonlinear behaviour of the soil-plant interaction with heavy metal pollution in order to establish maximum uptake values for heavy metals in the harvestable part of plants.

Heavy metals in wet method coffee processing wastewater in Soconusco, Chiapas, Mexico.

PubMed

Siu, Y; Mejia, G; Mejia-Saavedra, J; Pohlan, J; Sokolov, M

2007-05-01

One of the driving forces of the economy in southeast Mexico is agriculture. In Soconusco, Chiapas, coffee is one of the main agricultural products and is traded on the international market. Coffee grown in this region is processed using the wet method in order to be commercialized as green coffee. In the beneficio (coffee processing plant) water is an essential resource which is required in great quantities (Matuk et al., 1997; Sokolov, 2002) as it is used to separate good coffee berries from defective ones, as a method of transporting the coffee berries to the processing machinery, in the elimination of the berry husk from the coffee grains (pulping) and finally in the post-fermentation washing process. This process gives rise to one of the smoothest, high-quality coffees available (Zuluaga, 1989; Herrera, 2002). Currently, many producers in Soconusco are opting for ecological coffee production, which has, among its many criteria, human health and environmental protection (Pohlan, 2005). Furthermore, increasing concern during the past few years regarding the production of food that is free from contaminants such as heavy metals, and recent environmental policies in relation to aquatic ecosystem protection, have given rise to questions concerning the quality of water used in coffee processing, as well as pollutants produced by this agroindustry. Water used in the coffee processing plants originates from the main regional rivers whose hydrological basins stretch from the Sierra Madre mountain range down to the coastal plain. As well as providing water, these rivers also receive the wastewater produced during coffee processing (Sokolov, 2002).

Core I Materials for Metropolitan Agriculture/Horticulture Programs. Units G-J.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ethridge, Jim; And Others

These units of instructional materials and teaching aids are the final four of a series of 10 designed for use in metropolitan agriculture/horticulture programs for students in grades 9 and 10. Covered in the unit on growing and managing horticultural crops are watering plants; pruning, pinching, and planting plants; using plant production…

76 FR 19908 - Revision of Distilled Spirits Plant Regulations; Corrections

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-04-11

... No. TTB-2008-0004; T.D. TTB-92a; Re: T.D. TTB-92] RIN 1513-AA23 Revision of Distilled Spirits Plant... revising its distilled spirits plant regulations in the Federal Register of February 16, 2011 (76 FR 9080... Trade Bureau (TTB) recently published a final rule completely revising its distilled spirits plant...

Traditional pattern of cashew cultivation : A lesson from Sumenep-Madura, Indonesia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jadid, Nurul; Sutikno, Dewi, Dyah Santhi; Nurhidayati, Tutik; Abdulgani, Nurlita; Muzaki, Farid Kamal; Arraniry, Byan Arasyi; Mardika, Rizal Kharisma; Rakhman, R. Yuvita

2017-11-01

Belonging to the Anacardiaceae family, the cashew tree (Anacardium Occidentale, Linn.) is one of the important tropical plants that possess high economic value. This plant is commonly grown in Indonesian regions including Sumenep, Madura, where the red sandy loam type of soil is commonly present. This study aims to obtain rough data on the pattern of cashew cultivation and identify the cashew cultivation knowledge of local communities. Data were taken in Bringin village, Sumenep-Madura. Our field survey showed that the cashew's cultivation pattern in this village applies the so-called traditional organic farming. Cashew trees are planted along the boundaries of the owner's farm field, functioning as a fence of their farm. Nevertheless, our survey also indicated that this pattern of cultivation is still below standard of cultivation. The planting distance between the cashew trees with one another is relatively close (< 5 meters), causing the cashew branches to overlap with each other. Moreover, we observed that there was no rejuvenation of old cashew trees. Finally, knowledge of the community about post-harvest processing is limited. Therefore, we suggest that educating the community about good standard cashew cultivation is required to improve productivity as well as the quality of cashew nuts.

FY95 limited energy study. Area B nitric acid production facilities, Holston Army Ammunition Plant, Kingsport, Tennessee. Final report

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

NONE

1996-04-02

In June 1995, Affiliated Engineers SE, Inc. (AESE) was retained by the Mobile District U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to perform a Limited Energy Study for Holston Army Ammunition Plant, Kingsport, Tennessee. The field survey of existing conditions was completed in July 1995. The results of this field survey were subsequently tabulated and used to generate single line process flow diagrams on Autocad. A subsequent one day field survey was conducted in August 1995. This report summarizes the results obtained from field investigation and the analysis of various alternative Energy Conservation Opportunities (ECO`s). ECO`s were analyzed for suitability for themore » Energy Conservation Investment Program (ECIP) using the government`s software package called Life Cycle Cost in Design (LCCID).« less

Functional specifications for a radioactive waste decision support system

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

Westrom, G.B.; Kurrasch, E.R.; Carlton, R.E.

1989-09-01

It is generally recognized that decisions relative to the treatment, handling, transportation and disposal of low-level wastes produced in nuclear power plants involve a complex array of many inter-related elements or considerations. Complex decision processes can be aided through the use of computer-based expert systems which are based on the knowledge of experts and the inferencing of that knowledge to provide advice to an end-user. To determine the feasibility of developing and applying an expert system in nuclear plant low level waste operations, a Functional Specification for a Radwaste Decision Support System (RDSS) was developed. All areas of radwaste management,more » from the point of waste generation to the disposition of the waste in the final disposal location were considered for inclusion within the scope of the RDSS. 27 figs., 8 tabs.« less

Possible Role of Common Spices as a Preventive and Therapeutic Agent for Alzheimer's Disease.

PubMed

Mirmosayyeb, Omid; Tanhaei, Amirpouya; Sohrabi, Hamid R; Martins, Ralph N; Tanhaei, Mana; Najafi, Mohammad Amin; Safaei, Ali; Meamar, Rokhsareh

2017-01-01

For centuries, spices have been consumed as food additives or medicinal agents. However, there is increasing evidence indicating the plant-based foods in regular diet may lower the risk of neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer disease. Spices, as one of the most commonly used plant-based food additives may provide more than just flavors, but as agents that may prevent or even halt neurodegenerative processes associated with aging. In this article, we review the role and application of five commonly used dietary spices including saffron turmeric, pepper family, zingiber, and cinnamon. Besides suppressing inflammatory pathways, these spices may act as antioxidant and inhibit acetyl cholinesterase and amyloid β aggregation. We summarized how spice-derived nutraceuticals mediate such different effects and what their molecular targets might be. Finally, some directions for future research are briefly discussed.

Possible Role of Common Spices as a Preventive and Therapeutic Agent for Alzheimer's Disease

PubMed Central

Mirmosayyeb, Omid; Tanhaei, Amirpouya; Sohrabi, Hamid R.; Martins, Ralph N.; Tanhaei, Mana; Najafi, Mohammad Amin; Safaei, Ali; Meamar, Rokhsareh

2017-01-01

For centuries, spices have been consumed as food additives or medicinal agents. However, there is increasing evidence indicating the plant-based foods in regular diet may lower the risk of neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer disease. Spices, as one of the most commonly used plant-based food additives may provide more than just flavors, but as agents that may prevent or even halt neurodegenerative processes associated with aging. In this article, we review the role and application of five commonly used dietary spices including saffron turmeric, pepper family, zingiber, and cinnamon. Besides suppressing inflammatory pathways, these spices may act as antioxidant and inhibit acetyl cholinesterase and amyloid β aggregation. We summarized how spice-derived nutraceuticals mediate such different effects and what their molecular targets might be. Finally, some directions for future research are briefly discussed. PMID:28250905

Prospects and challenges for fungal metatranscriptomes of complex communities

DOE PAGES

Kuske, Cheryl Rae; Hesse, Cedar Nelson; Challacombe, Jean Faust; ...

2015-01-22

We report that the ability to extract and purify messenger RNA directly from plants, decomposing organic matter and soil, followed by high-throughput sequencing of the pool of expressed genes, has spawned the emerging research area of metatranscriptomics. Each metatranscriptome provides a snapshot of the composition and relative abundance of actively transcribed genes, and thus provides an assessment of the interactions between soil microorganisms and plants, and collective microbial metabolic processes in many environments. We highlight current approaches for analysis of fungal transcriptome and metatranscriptome datasets across a gradient of community complexity, and note benefits and pitfalls associated with those approaches.more » Finally, we discuss knowledge gaps that limit our current ability to interpret metatranscriptome datasets and suggest future research directions that will require concerted efforts within the scientific community.« less

Review of high-sensitivity Radon studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wojcik, M.; Zuzel, G.; Simgen, H.

2017-10-01

A challenge in many present cutting-edge particle physics experiments is the stringent requirements in terms of radioactive background. In peculiar, the prevention of Radon, a radioactive noble gas, which occurs from ambient air and it is also released by emanation from the omnipresent progenitor Radium. In this paper we review various high-sensitivity Radon detection techniques and approaches, applied in the experiments looking for rare nuclear processes happening at low energies. They allow to identify, quantitatively measure and finally suppress the numerous sources of Radon in the detectors’ components and plants.

Conceptual design of advanced central receiver power systems sodium-cooled receiver concept. Volume 1. Executive summary. Final report

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

Not Available

1979-06-01

The conceptual design of an advanced central receiver power system using liquid sodium as a heat transport medium has been completed by a team consisting of the Energy Systems Group (prime contractor), McDonnell Douglas, Stearns-Roger, The University of Houston, and Salt River Project. The purpose of this study was to determine the technical and economic advantages of this concept for commercial-scale power plants. This final report covers all tasks of the project. These tasks were as follows: (1) review and analysis of preliminary specification; (2) parametric analysis; (3) select commercial configuration; (4) commercial plant conceptual design; (5) assessment of commercialmore » plant; (6) advanced central receiver power system development plan; (7) program plan; (8) reports and data; (9) program management; and (10) safety analysis. A programmatic overview of the accomplishments of this program is given. The 100-MW conceptual commercial plant, the 281-MW optimum plant, and the 10-MW pilot plant are described. (WHK)« less

Identification and removal of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in wastewater treatment processes from coke production plants.

PubMed

Zhang, Wanhui; Wei, Chaohai; Yan, Bo; Feng, Chunhua; Zhao, Guobao; Lin, Chong; Yuan, Mengyang; Wu, Chaofei; Ren, Yuan; Hu, Yun

2013-09-01

Identification and removal of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were investigated at two coke plants located in Shaoguan, Guangdong Province of China. Samples of raw coking wastewaters and wastewaters from subunits of a coke production plant were analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS) to provide a detailed chemical characterization of PAHs. The identification and characterization of PAH isomers was based on a positive match of mass spectral data of sample peaks with those for PAH isomers in mass spectra databases with electron impact ionization mass spectra and retention times of internal reference compounds. In total, 270 PAH compounds including numerous nitrogen, oxygen, and sulfur heteroatomic derivatives were positively identified for the first time. Quantitative analysis of target PAHs revealed that total PAH concentrations in coking wastewaters were in the range of 98.5 ± 8.9 to 216 ± 20.2 μg/L, with 3-4-ring PAHs as dominant compounds. Calculation of daily PAH output from four plant subunits indicated that PAHs in the coking wastewater came mainly from ammonia stripping wastewater. Coking wastewater treatment processes played an important role in removing PAHs in coking wastewater, successfully removing 92 % of the target compounds. However, 69 weakly polar compounds, including PAH isomers, were still discharged in the final effluent, producing 8.8 ± 2.7 to 31.9 ± 6.8 g/day of PAHs with potential toxicity to environmental waters. The study of coking wastewater herein proposed can be used to better predict improvement of coke production facilities and treatment conditions according to the identification and removal of PAHs in the coke plant as well as to assess risks associated with continuous discharge of these contaminants to receiving waters.

Early events in Agrobacterium-mediated genetic transformation of citrus explants.

PubMed

Peña, Leandro; Pérez, Rosa M; Cervera, Magdalena; Juárez, José A; Navarro, Luis

2004-07-01

Genetic transformation of plants relies on two independent but concurrent processes: integration of foreign DNA into plant cells and regeneration of whole plants from these transformed cells. Cell competence for regeneration and for transformation does not always fall into the same cell type/developmental stage, and this is one of the main causes of the so-called recalcitrance for transformation of certain plant species. In this study, a detailed examination of the first steps of morphogenesis from citrus explants after co-cultivation with Agrobacterium tumefaciens was performed, and an investigation into which cells and tissues are competent for regeneration and transformation was carried out. Moreover, the role of phytohormones in the co-cultivation medium as possible enhancers of gene transfer was also studied. A highly responsive citrus genotype and well-established culture conditions were used to perform a histological analysis of morphogenesis and cell competence for transformation after co-cultivation of citrus epicotyl segments with A. tumefaciens. In addition, the role of phytohormones as transformation enhancers was investigated by flow cytometry. It is demonstrated that cells competent for transformation are located in the newly formed callus growing from the cambial ring. Conditions conducive to further development of this callus, such as treatment of explants in a medium rich in auxins, resulted in a more pronounced formation of cambial callus and a slower shoot regeneration process, both in Agrobacterium-inoculated and non-inoculated explants. Furthermore, co- cultivation in a medium rich in auxins caused a significant increase in the rate of actively dividing cells in S-phase, the stage in which cells are more prone to integrate foreign DNA. Use of proper co-cultivation medium and conditions led to a higher number of stably transformed cells and to an increase in the final number of regenerated transgenic plants.

Polyhydroxyalkanoate Production on Waste Water Treatment Plants: Process Scheme, Operating Conditions and Potential Analysis for German and European Municipal Waste Water Treatment Plants

PubMed Central

Pittmann, Timo; Steinmetz, Heidrun

2017-01-01

This work describes the production of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) as a side stream process on a municipal waste water treatment plant (WWTP) and a subsequent analysis of the production potential in Germany and the European Union (EU). Therefore, tests with different types of sludge from a WWTP were investigated regarding their volatile fatty acids (VFA) production-potential. Afterwards, primary sludge was used as substrate to test a series of operating conditions (temperature, pH, retention time (RT) and withdrawal (WD)) in order to find suitable settings for a high and stable VFA production. In a second step, various tests regarding a high PHA production and stable PHA composition to determine the influence of substrate concentration, temperature, pH and cycle time of an installed feast/famine-regime were conducted. Experiments with a semi-continuous reactor operation showed that a short RT of 4 days and a small WD of 25% at pH = 6 and around 30 °C is preferable for a high VFA production rate (PR) of 1913 mgVFA/(L×d) and a stable VFA composition. A high PHA production up to 28.4% of cell dry weight (CDW) was reached at lower substrate concentration, 20 °C, neutral pH-value and a 24 h cycle time. A final step a potential analysis, based on the results and detailed data from German waste water treatment plants, showed that the theoretically possible production of biopolymers in Germany amounts to more than 19% of the 2016 worldwide biopolymer production. In addition, a profound estimation regarding the EU showed that in theory about 120% of the worldwide biopolymer production (in 2016) could be produced on European waste water treatment plants. PMID:28952533

Flower Constancy, Insect Psychology, and Plant Evolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chittka, Lars; Thomson, James D.; Waser, Nickolas M.

Individuals of some species of pollinating insects tend to restrict their visits to only a few of the available plant species, in the process bypassing valuable food sources. The question of why this flower constancy exists is a rich and important one with implications for the organization of natural communities of plants, floral evolution, and our understanding of the learning processes involved in finding food. Some scientists have assumed that flower constancy is adaptive per se. Others argued that constancy occurs because memory capacity for floral features in insects is limited, but attempts to identify the limitations often remained rather simplistic. We elucidate now different sensory and motor memories from natural foraging tasks are stored and retrieved, using concepts from modern learning science and visual search, and conclude that flower constancy is likely to have multiple causes. Possible constraints favoring constancy are interference sensitivity of short-term memory, and temporal limitations on retrieving information from long-term memory as rapidly as from short-term memory, but further empirical evidence is needed to substantiate these possibilities. In addition, retrieving memories may be slower and more prone to errors when there are several options than when an insect copes with only a single task. In addition to memory limitations, we also point out alternative explanations for flower constancy. We then consider the way in which floral parameters, such as interplant distances, nectar rewards, flower morphology, and floral color (as seen through bees' eyes) affect constancy. Finally, we discuss the implications of pollinator constancy for plant evolution. To date there is no evidence that flowers have diverged to favor constancy, although the appropriate tests may not have yet been conducted. However, there is good evidence against the notion that pollinator constancy is involved in speciation or maintenance of plant species integrity.

Optimized Solvent for Energy-Efficient, Environmentally-Friendly Capture of CO{sub 2} at Coal-Fired Power Plants

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

Farthing, G. A.; Rimpf, L. M.

The overall goal of this project, as originally proposed, was to optimize the formulation of a novel solvent as a critical enabler for the cost-effective, energy-efficient, environmentally-friendly capture of CO{sub 2} at coal-fired utility plants. Aqueous blends of concentrated piperazine (PZ) with other compounds had been shown to exhibit high rates of CO{sub 2} absorption, low regeneration energy, and other desirable performance characteristics during an earlier 5-year development program conducted by B&W. The specific objective of this project was to identify PZ-based solvent formulations that globally optimize the performance of coal-fired power plants equipped with CO{sub 2} scrubbing systems. Whilemore » previous solvent development studies have tended to focus on energy consumption and absorber size, important issues to be sure, the current work seeks to explore, understand, and optimize solvent formulation across the full gamut of issues related to commercial application of the technology: capital and operating costs, operability, reliability, environmental, health and safety (EH&S), etc. Work on the project was intended to be performed under four budget periods. The objective of the work in the first budget period has been to identify several candidate formulations of a concentrated PZ-based solvent for detailed characterization and evaluation. Work in the second budget period would generate reliable and comprehensive property and performance data for the identified formulations. Work in the third budget period would quantify the expected performance of the selected formulations in a commercial CO{sub 2} scrubbing process. Finally, work in the fourth budget period would provide a final technology feasibility study and a preliminary technology EH&S assessment. Due to other business priorities, however, B&W has requested that this project be terminated at the end of the first budget period. This document therefore serves as the final report for this project. It is the first volume of the two-volume final report and summarizes Budget Period 1 accomplishments under Tasks 1-5 of the project, including the selection of four solvent formulations for further study.« less

Selection of components for the IDEALHY preferred cycle for the large scale liquefaction of hydrogen

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

Quack, H.; Seemann, I.; Klaus, M.

2014-01-29

In a future energy scenario, in which storage and transport of liquid hydrogen in large quantities will be used, the efficiency of the liquefaction of hydrogen will be of utmost importance. The goal of the IDEALHY working party is to identify the most promising process for a 50 t/d plant and to select the components, with which such a process can be realized. In the first stage the team has compared several processes, which have been proposed or realized in the past. Based on this information a process has been selected, which is thermodynamically most promising and for which itmore » could be assumed that good components already exist or can be developed in the foreseeable future. Main features of the selected process are the compression of the feed stream to a relatively high pressure level, o-p conversion inside plate-fin heat exchangers and expansion turbines in the supercritical region. Precooling to a temperature between 150 and 100 K will be obtained from a mixed refrigerant cycle similar to the systems used successfully in natural gas liquefaction plants. The final cooling will be produced by two Brayton cycles, both having several expansion turbines in series. The selected overall process has still a number of parameters, which can be varied. The optimum, i.e. the final choice will depend mainly on the quality of the available components. Key components are the expansion turbines of the two Brayton cycles and the main recycle compressor, which may be common to both Brayton cycles. A six-stage turbo-compressor with intercooling between the stages is expected to be the optimum choice here. Each stage may consist of several wheels in series. To make such a high efficient and cost-effective compressor feasible, one has to choose a refrigerant, which has a higher molecular weight than helium. The present preferred choice is a mixture of helium and neon with a molecular weight of about 8 kg/kmol. Such an expensive refrigerant requires that the whole refrigeration loop is extremely tight.« less