carbonation of steel slag testing of the wet route in a pilot scale reactor

Abstract This work reports the first results of an on-going activity aimed at the scale up of the wet-route carbonation of steel slag for storing CO2 and generating a product with valorization potential. Two batches of Basic Oxygen Furnace slag (BOF1 and BOF2) collected at different times from a steelmaking plant downstream iron recovery were used to perform the tests in a pilot-scale rotary kiln unit part of ENEA's research infrastructure. The tests were carried out at ambient (25 °C- 37 °C) and enhanced temperature (45 °C-53 °C), under a 40-47% CO2 flow, at atmospheric pressure for a reaction time of 30 min. In each experiment around 1000-1500 g of BOF slag was employed. The residues were humidified in order to achieve a liquid to solid ratio of 0.17 l/kg. This value was selected on the basis of the results of preliminary lab-scale static and dynamic experiments that are also presented in this paper. The product collected at the end of each test was cured at controlled conditions (T=25 °C e RH=100%) for 28 days and then characterized in terms of particle size, CO2 uptake and environmental behavior. The mean diameter (D50) of the obtained product was around 1 mm for the tests performed at room temperature and slightly lower for the test performed at 50 °C, i.e. around twice the size of the starting material. The CO2 uptake measured for samples collected immediately after the tests was quite similar (4-6% wt.), whereas after curing a 50% increase was observed for all BOF1 slag samples, while only a slight increase was observed for BOF2 slag. These results are significantly higher than the ones of the lab-scale tests. The leaching behavior of the product appeared also to be significantly affected by the treatment performed in the pilot plant

Curcuma longa ingestion protects in vitro hepatocyte membrane peroxidation

O objetivo do presente estudo foi avaliar o efeito da ingestão de cúrcuma sobre a peroxidação lipídica e conteúdo de GSH, por ação tóxica in vitro de paracetamol, utilizando cultura primária de hepatócitos. Quatro grupos de ratos Holtzman foram usados: 1) GNN, normonutrido, alimentado ad libitum com ração de laboratório; 2) GDN, desnutrido, alimentado com 60% da quantidade de ração consumida por GNN; 3) GNN+C, alimentado como GNN, mas contendo 1% de cúrcuma na dieta; 4) GDN+C, alimentado como GDN, mas contendo 1% de cúrcuma na dieta. Os animais foram sacrificados aos 90 dias de vida, e cultura de hepatócitos preparada. Metade das placas de cultura foi tratada com paracetamol. A curva dose-resposta mostrou que 6 mM de paracetamol aumentou em 54% a peroxidação e diminuiu em 63% o conteúdo de GSH. A restrição na ingestão de alimentos (40%) diminuiu o peso corporal (33%) ao sacrifício e o índice de peroxidação cerca de 42%, entretanto, aumentou o conteúdo de GSH cerca de 43%. A ingestão de cúrcuma diminuiu a peroxidação em ambos ratos normonutridos (42%) e desnutridos (33%) e evitou o efeito pro-oxidante de paracetamol em ambos os grupos. A cúrcuma exerceu efeito protetor antioxidante sobre o organismo.The goal of the present study was to evaluate the effect of turmeric ingestion on lipid peroxidation and GSH content, promoted by in vitro acetaminophen, on hepatocytes primary culture from well-nourished and malnourished rats. Four groups of Holtzman male rats were used: 1) WNG, well-nourished, fed lab chow diet ad libitum; 2) MNG, malnourished, fed 60% of the diet consumed by WNG; 3) WNG+T fed the same diet of WNG, but containing 1% of turmeric; 4) MNG+T fed 60% of the diet consumed by WNG+T. The animals were sacrificed at 90 days of age, the livers excised and hepatocytes primary cultures were prepared. Half of the plates of hepatocytes culture were treated with acetaminophen. Dose-response curve showed that 6 mM acetaminophen increased peroxidation around 54% and decreased GSH content around 63%. The model of malnutrition used, by restricting food ingestion (40%), decreased body weight in 33% and peroxidation index around 42% and increased GSH content around 43%. Turmeric ingestion decreased hepatocyte peroxidation in both well-nourished (42%) and malnourished rats (33%) and was able to avoid the acetaminophen pro-oxidant effect in both well-nourished and malnourished animals. Turmeric ingestion played a beneficial role to the organism and, therefore, can be considered a functional food

Identification and biotechnological characterization of lactic acid bacteria isolated from chickpea sourdough in northwestern Argentina

Chickpea, a relevant legume worldwide, can be nutritional and functionally improved by fermentation with lactic acid bacteria (LAB). In order to select suitable autochthonous starter cultures, we isolated and identified LAB from kabuli chickpeas cultivated and consumed in northwestern Argentina, and screened their relevant techno-functional properties. Chickpeas were milled and spontaneously fermented with daily back-slopping at 37 °C for 6 days and evolution of microbial populations were followed by plate counting. Phenotypic and genotypic methods including (GTG)5-based PCR fingerprinting and 16S rDNA sequencing were used to differentiate and identify the isolates to species level. A marked increase of LAB counts was observed throughout fermentation raising from 0.88 ± 0.35 log CFU/g of unfermented flours to 9.61 ± 0.21 log CFU/g after 5 backslopping steps with a concomitant pH decline from 6.09 ± 0.05 to 4.40 ± 0.03. Eighteen strains belonging to four LAB genera and six species: Enterococcus durans, E. mundtii, Lactococcus garvieae, Pediococcus pentosaceus, Weissella cibaria and W. paramesenteroides were identified in chickpea sourdoughs. Based on their abilities, Weissella cibaria CRL 2205 (acidification capacity), W. paramesenteroides CRL 2191 (proteolytic activity), Pediococcus pentosaceus CRL 2145 (gallate decarboxylase and peptidase activities), Lactococcus garviae CRL 2199 (α-galactosidase activity) and E. durans CRL 2193 (antimicrobial activity), were selected to design novel fermented chickpea products.Fil: Saez, Gabriel Dario. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Centro de Referencia para Lactobacilos; Argentina. Universidad San Pablo Tucumán; ArgentinaFil: Saavedra, Maria Lucila. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Centro de Referencia para Lactobacilos; ArgentinaFil: Hebert, Elvira Maria. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Centro de Referencia para Lactobacilos; ArgentinaFil: Zarate, Gabriela del Valle. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Centro de Referencia para Lactobacilos; Argentina. Universidad San Pablo Tucumán; Argentin

Impact of bacteria and yeast with probiotic properties on performance, digestibility, health status and gut environment of growing pigs in Vietnam

This thesis aimed to evaluate the effects of six lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains and Bacillus subtilis H4, Saccharomyces boulardii Sb, and a microbial enzyme mixture, supplemented to basal diets on the performance, diet digestibility, health status, and gut environment of growing pigs under Vietnamese conditions. The results showed that three different 3-strain-LAB complexes, comprising combinations of Enterococcus faecium 6H2, Lactobacillus acidophilus C3, Pediococcus pentosaceus D7, L. plantarum 1K8 and L. plantarum 3K2 improved performance, digestibility, health status and gut environment of the LAB-supplemented piglets in the first two weeks post-weaning (Per I), but not in the following 3 weeks (Per II). Adding an LAB strain (L. fermentum NC1) alone or combined with the Bacillus, or combined with a Bacillus and yeast complex, to a 3-strain-LAB complex showed improvements in the performance, diet digestibility, health status and gut environment of the probiotics-supplemented piglets in both Per I and II. The inclusion of Bacillus resulted in higher nutrient digestibility, and the addition of Saccharomyces showed improvements in the scouring scores of the piglets. Supplementation with either a microbial enzyme mixture alone or a combination of a 3-strain-LAB complex and yeast in a weaner diet improved the performance and diet digestibility in piglets in Per I. In Per II, no changes in performance or digestibility were found in enzymes-fed piglets, while improved performance and diet digestibility were obtained in piglets fed the LAB-yeast diet. There was lack of response of piglets to this enzyme mixture when these enzymes were supplemented to the diet that contained the complex of LAB and yeast in both Per I and II. Dietary supplementation with the combination of Bacillus, Saccharomyces and 4-strain-LAB complex had positive effects on performance and digestibility in grower pigs, but not in finisher pigs, while supplementation with the Bacillus alone or combined with Saccharomyces did not affect the performance and digestibility in grower and finisher pigs. The results of these studies suggest that combinations of suitable strains of Bacillus, Saccharomyces and LAB can be used as an alternative to antibiotic feed additives in pig production under the conditions of Vietnam

Spartan Daily, March 4, 2005

Volume 124, Issue 26https://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/spartandaily/10098/thumbnail.jp

Statistically-Based Comparison of the Removal Efficiencies and Resilience Capacities between Conventional and Natural Wastewater Treatment Systems: A Peak Load Scenario

Emerging global threats, such as climate change, urbanization and water depletion, are driving forces for finding a feasible substitute for low cost-effective conventional activated sludge (AS) technology. On the other hand, given their low cost and easy operation, nature-based systems such as constructed wetlands (CWs) and waste stabilization ponds (WSPs) appear to be viable options. To examine these systems, a 210-day experiment with 31 days of peak load scenario was performed. Particularly, we conducted a deliberate strategy of experimentation, which includes applying a preliminary study, preliminary models, hypothetical tests and power analysis to compare their removal efficiencies and resilience capacities. In contrast to comparable high removal efficiencies of organic matter-around 90%-both natural systems showed moderate nutrient removal efficiencies, which inferred the necessity for further treatment to ensure their compliance with environmental standards. During the peak period, the pond treatment systems appeared to be the most robust as they indicated a higher strength to withstanding the organic matter and nitrogen shock load and were able to recover within a short period. However, high demand of land-2.5 times larger than that of AS-is a major concern of the applicability of WSPs despite their lower operation and maintenance (O&M) costs. It is also worth noting that initial efforts on systematic experimentation appeared to have an essential impact on ensuring statistically and practically meaningful results in this comparison study

Testing Game Theory in the Field: Swedish LUPI Lottery Games

Game theory is usually difficult to test precisely in the field because predictions typically depend sensitively on features that are not controlled or observed. We conduct one such test using field data from the Swedish lowest unique positive integer (LUPI) game. In the LUPI game, players pick positive integers and whoever chose the lowest unique number wins a fixed prize. Theoretical equilibrium predictions are derived assuming Poisson- distributed uncertainty about the number of players, and tested using both field and laboratory data. The field and lab data show similar patterns. Despite various deviations from equilibrium, there is a surprising degree of convergence toward equilibrium. Some of the deviations from equilibrium can be rationalized by a cognitive hierarchy model

Recent Experimental Tests of Special Relativity

We review our recent Michelson-Morley (MM) and Kennedy-Thorndike (KT) experiment, which tests Lorentz invariance in the photon sector, and report first results of our ongoing atomic clock test of Lorentz invariance in the matter sector. The MM-KT experiment compares a cryogenic microwave resonator to a hydrogen maser, and has set the most stringent limit on a number of parameters in alternative theories to special relativity. We also report first results of a test of Lorentz invariance in the SME (Standard Model Extension) matter sector, using Zeeman transitions in a laser cooled Cs atomic fountain clock. We describe the experiment together with the theoretical model and analysis. Recent experimental results are presented and we give a first estimate of components of the $\tilde{c}^p$ parameters of the SME matter sector. A full analysis of systematic effects is still in progress, and will be the subject of a future publication together with our final results. If confirmed, the present limits would correspond to first ever measurements of some $\tilde{c}^p$ components, and improvements by 11 and 14 orders of magnitude on others.Comment: 29 pages. Contribution to Springer Lecture Notes, "Special Relativity - Will it survive the next 100 years ?", Proceedings, Potsdam, 200