Waste Treatment and Assessment of Long-Term Emissions (8pp)

Goal, Scope and Background The disposal phase of a product’s life cycle in LCA is often neglected or based on coarse indicators like ‘kilogram waste’. The goal of report No. 13 of the ecoinvent project (Doka 2003) is to create detailed Life Cycle Inventories of waste disposal processes. The purpose of this paper is to give an overview of the models behind the waste disposal inventories in ecoinvent, to present exemplary results and to discuss the assessment of long-term emissions. This paper does not present a particular LCA study. Inventories are compiled for many different materials and various disposal technologies. Considered disposal technologies are municipal incineration and different landfill types, including sanitary landfills, hazardous waste incineration, waste deposits in deep salt mines, surface spreading of sludges, municipal wastewater treatment, and building dismantling. The inventoried technologies are largely based on Swiss plants. Inventories can be used for assessment of the disposal of common, generic waste materials like paper, plastics, packaging etc. Inventories are also used within the ecoinvent database itself to inventory the disposal of specific wastes generated during the production phase. Inventories relate as far as possible to the specific chemical composition of the waste material (waste-specific burdens). Certain expenditures are not related to the waste composition and are inventoried with average values (process-specific burdens). Methods The disposal models are based on previous work, partly used in earlier versions of ecoinvent/ETH LCI data. Important improvements were the extension of the number of considered chemical elements to 41 throughout all disposal models and new landfill models based on field data. New inventories are compiled for waste deposits in deep salt mines and building material disposal. Along with the ecoinvent data and the reports, also Excel-based software tools were created, which allow ecoinvent members to calculate waste disposal inventories from arbitrary waste compositions. The modelling of long-term emissions from landfills is a crucial part in any waste disposal process. In ecoinvent long-term emissions are defined as emissions occurring 100 years after present. They are reported in separate emission categories. The landfill inventories include long-term emissions with a time horizon of 60’000 years after present. Results and Discussion As in earlier studies, the landfills prove to be generally relevant disposal processes, as also incineration and wastewater treatment processes produce landfilled wastes. Heavy metals tend to concentrate in landfills and are washed out to a varying degree over time. Long-term emissions usually represent an important burden from landfills. Comparisons between burdens from production of materials and the burdens from their disposal show that disposal has a certain relevance. Conclusion The disposal phase should by default be included in LCA studies. The use of a material not only necessitates its production, but also requires its disposal. The created inventories and user tools facilitate heeding the disposal phase with a similar level of detail as production processes. The risk of LCA-based decisions shifting burdens from the production or use phase to the disposal phase because of data gaps can therefore be diminished. Recommendation and Perspective Future improvements should include the modelling of metal ore refining waste (tailings) which is currently neglected in ecoinvent, but is likely to be relevant for metals production. The disposal technologies considered here are those of developed Western countries. Disposal in other parts of the World can differ distinctly, for logistic, climatic and economic reasons. The cross-examination of landfill models to LCIA soil fate models could be advantageous. Currently only chemical elements, like copper, zinc, nitrogen etc. are heeded by the disposal models. A possible extension could be the modelling of the behaviour of chemical compounds, like dioxins or other hydrocarbons.     

The restoration of anatomic form of atrophied alveolar processes of jaws with the help of bioimplant lioplast

The purpose of the present research was: 1. To investigate the opportunity of application of allogen osteoplastic materials such as Lioplast, received in Samara Tissue Bank of Samara State Medical University. 2. To work out a new technique of producing lyophilized allogen osteoplastic materials, such as Lioplast, with application of an ultrasonic method of clearing. 3. The development of various techniques of operative intervention on jaws for increase in volume of atrophied, as a result of secondary adentia, alveolar shoot. 4. The application of spongy allogen osteoplastic material as a skeleton for filling in surgical operations on jaws. 5. The demonstration of the Technique of a bone-periostic Lioplast 'sandwich' for formation of an alveolar shoot.     

A taxonomic review of the nivicolous species of myxomycetes described by Kowalski. I. Order Stemonitales

Five type specimens of species from the order Stemonitales proposed by Kowalski are re-examined. These are Comatricha fusiforme, Diacheopsis effusa, D. serpula, Lamproderma acanthosporum and L. disseminatum. SEM and LM micrographs of spores, capillitia and sporocarps are provided. Critical study of these type specimens supports Kowalski’s recognition of these taxa as good and valid species.     

沙漠石蜂的筑巢材料和蜂巢结构

沙漠石蜂Megachile(Chalicodoma) desertorum Morawitz为多种植物的传粉昆虫,在西鄂尔多斯地区是多种濒危植物和荒漠建群植物的重要传粉者。在该地区研究沙漠石蜂的筑巢场所、筑巢材料和蜂巢结构。共调查统计5148个蜂巢的筑巢场所和朝向;选择4个土壤表层成分不同的筑巢地,分别测定其筑巢沙土的机械组成、pH值和土壤紧实度;定点连续观察整个筑巢过程。结果表明:沙漠石蜂95.80%的巢建于岩石表面;土墙、灌木枝条、水泥柱及钢窗框上的巢室数均较少。83.1%的巢室建在东向一面;南向14.2%,西向2.4%,北向仅0.3%;筑巢材料为沙土和唾液制成的泥浆,所用沙土的pH值在8.18～9.34之间、紧实度在1.28～1.84g/cm3之间,其中粒径为0.06～0.15mm的沙土比例最高;1个蜂巢一般由4～10个巢室组成。说明该蜂喜欢将巢室建在朝向东方的岩石表面;筑巢材料主要由唾液和以碱性的粒径为0.06～0.15mm左右的沙土构成。也说明是对干旱炎热的荒漠环境的适应。     

防御活性氧保护系统在黑豆抗旱生理中的响应

以黑豆幼苗为材料,研究了水分胁迫下其非酶促保护物质和保护酶系对活性氧的清除作用。结果显示:黑豆皮红色素(17.36%)对DPPH.的清除率高达93.6%,可溶性糖(7.227%)对O2-与.OH的清除率分别为47.71%与68.16%,谷胱甘肽(0.8033mg/g)对O2-与.OH有较明显的清除作用,三种非酶促保护物质随着浓度的升高其清除能力呈逐渐增强的趋势;在水分胁迫下,黑豆幼苗超氧化物歧化酶(33~14 U.mg-1.min-1.2~6d-1),过氧化氢酶(2.87~2.01 mg.mg-1.min-1.3~6d-1)与过氧化物酶(31~14 mg.mg-1.min-1.3~6d-1)三种保护酶活性呈现先升高后降低的变化趋势。研究表明:黑豆体内清除活性氧防御系统作用十分明显,且具有较强的抗氧化、抗衰老、抗逆能力。     

“发酵工程”教学的研究与思考

发酵工程是食品工程、生物工程、生物技术等专业的重要专业课,课程内容丰富、涉及面宽。针对该课程的特点,从教材建设、课程内容、考核方式、教学方法等方面思考与探索该课程教学思路,取得了良好效果。     

Levels of Hexachlorocyclohexanes and Dichloro-Dipheny-Trichloroethanes in Penguin Droppings Collected from Ardley Island,Maritime Antarctic

This article reports the concentrations of hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs) and dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethanes (DDTs) in fresh Gentoo penguin (Pygoscelis Papua) droppings deposited on the Ardley Island (62°13′S, 58°56′W), West Antarctica, and those in the island's two lake cores. In the fresh penguin droppings, metabolites were the predominant constituents of the DDT group, most likely due to the ban on DDT use in agriculture and the higher stability of the metabolites in the environment. In contrast, γ-HCH comprised 66% of the total HCHs, apparently due to the continuous use of Lindane in the Southern Hemisphere. The concentrations of HCHs and DDTs in the fresh droppings are many times higher than those in penguin plume, the latter currently being used as biomaterial for monitoring coastal contaminations in Antarctica. Results of this study indicate that penguin droppings have a good potential for use as another biomonitoring material in detecting the organochlorine pesticides and other contaminants in the maritime Antarctic. Because penguin droppings can be well preserved in lake sediments, they also provide a good and continuous historical record of these contaminants. The slight increase of DDTs since the 1990s, as observed in the aged penguin droppings in the sediment cores, suggests there have been new inputs of DDT into the Antarctic coastal ecosystem, probably from the illegal use of DDT in the Southern Hemisphere.     

Detecting un-authorized genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and derived materials

Genetically modified plants, in the following referred to as genetically modified organisms or GMOs, have been commercially grown for almost two decades. In 2010 approximately 10% of the total global crop acreage was planted with GMOs (James, 2011). More than 30 countries have been growing commercial GMOs, and many more have performed field trials. Although the majority of commercial GMOs both in terms of acreage and specific events belong to the four species: soybean, maize, cotton and rapeseed, there are another 20 + species where GMOs are commercialized or in the pipeline for commercialization. The number of GMOs cultivated in field trials or for commercial production has constantly increased during this time period. So have the number of species, the number of countries involved, the diversity of novel (added) genetic elements and the global trade. All of these factors contribute to the increasing complexity of detecting and correctly identifying GMO derived material. Many jurisdictions, including the European Union (EU), legally distinguish between authorized (and therefore legal) and un-authorized (and therefore illegal) GMOs. Information about the developments, field trials, authorizations, cultivation, trade and observations made in the official GMO control laboratories in different countries around the world is often limited, despite several attempts such as the OECD BioTrack for voluntary dissemination of data. This lack of information inevitably makes it challenging to detect and identify GMOs, especially the un-authorized GMOs. The present paper reviews the state of the art technologies and approaches in light of coverage, practicability, sensitivity and limitations. Emphasis is put on exemplifying practical detection of un-authorized GMOs. Although this paper has a European (EU) bias when examples are given, the contents have global relevance.     

Effectiveness of TaqMan probes for detection of fish eggs and larvae in the stomach contents of a teleost predator

Experiments were conducted on the ability of TaqMan molecular probes to detect plaice Pleuronectes platessa DNA from eggs, and cod Gadus morhua DNA from eggs and larvae following ingestion by a teleost predator, whiting Merlangius merlangus. Estimated half-life detection rate (T50) for eggs was 31 h, and 26 h for larvae, with some positive detections occurring even after visual inspection indicated complete gut clearance. Because TaqMan probes are taxon specific, the results presented demonstrate that this technique can provide a means of rapid and unambiguous detection of predation by teleosts on fish eggs and larvae.     

A derivative of the CRMP2 binding compound lanthionine ketimine provides neuroprotection in a mouse model of cerebral ischemia

Lanthionines are novel neurotrophic and neuroprotective small molecules that show promise for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. In particular, a recently developed, cell permeable lanthionine derivative known as LKE (lanthionine ketimine 5-ethyl ester) promotes neurite growth at low nanomolar concentrations. LKE also has neuroprotective, anti-apoptotic, and anti-inflammatory properties. Its therapeutic potential in cerebral ischemia and its mechanisms of neurotrophic action remain to be fully elucidated. Here, we hypothesize that the neuroprotective actions of LKE could result from induction or modulation of CRMP2. We found that treating primary cultured mouse neurons with LKE provided significant protection against t-butyl hydroperoxide-induced neuronal death possibly through CRMP2 upregulation. Similarly, in vivo studies showed that LKE pre and/or post-treatment protects mice against permanent distal middle cerebral artery occlusion (p-MCAO) as evidenced by lower stroke lesions and improved functional outcomes in terms of rotarod, grip strength and neurologic deficit scores in treated groups. Protein expression levels of CRMP2 were higher in brain cortices of LKE pretreated mice, suggesting that LKE’s neuroprotective activity may be CRMP2 dependent. Lower activity of cleaved PARP-1 and higher activity of SIRT-1 was also observed in LKE treated group suggesting its anti-apoptotic properties. Our results suggest that LKE has potential as a therapeutic intervention in cerebral ischemia and that part of its protective mechanism may be attributed to CRMP2 mediated action and PARP-1/SIRT-1 modulation.