Removal processes for tributyltin during municipal wastewater treatment

This is the author's accepted manuscript. The final published article is available from the link below. Copyright @ 2013 Springer.The fate and behaviour of tributyltin (TBT) at two wastewater treatment works was examined. Both sites had two inlet streams, and each utilised high rate biological filters (biofilters) on one the streams, before treatment of the combined flows on trickling filters, with one having additional tertiary processes, installed to remove ammonia and solids. The study was designed to determine if these processes enhanced the removal of TBT. Degradation of TBT was observed in one of the biofilters, possibly as a result of temperature and hydraulic loading. At the treatment works with tertiary processes, the mass flux showed the overall removal of TBT was 68 %, predominantly due to removal with solids in the primary settlement processes. However, overall removal of 95 % was observed in the conventional trickling filter works with 94 % of this due to biodegradation in the trickling filter. The two works both removed TBT, but at different treatment stages and by different processes. Differences in the form (solubility) of TBT in the influent may have attributed to this, although further understanding of factors controlling degradation would allow for a more complete assessment of the potential of biological processes to remove hazardous compounds from wastewaters.United Utilities PL

Friction Laws for Elastic Nano-Scale Contacts

The effect of surface curvature on the law relating frictional forces F with normal load L is investigated by molecular dynamics simulations as a function of surface symmetry, adhesion, and contamination. Curved, non-adhering, dry, commensurate surfaces show a linear dependency, F proportional to L, similar to dry flat commensurate or amorphous surfaces and macroscopic surfaces. In contrast, curved, non-adhering, dry, amorphous surfaces show F proportional to L^(2/3) similar to friction force microscopes. In our model, adhesive effects are most adequately described by the Hertz plus offset model, as the simulations are confined to small contact radii. Curved lubricated or contaminated surfaces show again different behavior; details depend on how much of the contaminant gets squeezed out of the contact. Also, it is seen that the friction force in the lubricated case is mainly due to atoms at the entrance of the tip.Comment: 7 pages, 5 figures, submitted to Europhys. Let

Lean Project Management as a facilitator of Organisational Learning

The utility and impact of lean principles remains a point of contention (Staats et al, 2011) and few research studies have attempted to link lean project management (LPM) thinking with overall learning and knowledge success from a behavioural perspective (Hines et al, 2004). Those who have done so, have used lean project management principles to highlight singular process-related, task-driven systems and identify barriers in improving operational procedures (Spear, 2005; Poksinska, 2010; Staats et al, 2011) rather than investigating the potential link between desired outcomes and behaviours (Nidumolu & Subramani, 2003). Such studies have limited the progress of LPM as a viable change initiative in solution-focused environments. In this paper, we explore the utility of lean project management against a background of complexity and uncertainty and consider if, and how, LPM can facilitate learning within organisations to establish and sustain improvements for economic success

The Push and Pull of Nostalgia: Sentimental Longing in a Fundamental Component of the Behavior Change Process

Abstract: Behavior change is hard, and the recovery process is equally as challenging. Yet a paucity of research has been conducted on factors that motivated and undermine sustained behavior change. In this talk, we will discuss a growing body of work that suggests nostalgic reverie (i.e., sentimental longing) is a critical factor in both the behavior change and recovery process among people living with a gambling disorder. First, we will report the results of research (Study 1) that demonstrates nostalgic reverie for life before one’s problematic gambling behaviour facilitates behaviour change. We will then report the results of new research (three studies) that demonstrates the potential dark side of nostalgia among people in recovery from a gambling disorder (as well as those living with an eating disorder). Specifically, we show that among people in recovery from an eating disorder (Study 2) and disordered gambling (Study 3) who are nostalgic for the perceived benefits of their disorder (e.g., the excitement of winning) felt they were less (subjective) advanced in their recovery process. Among those living with a gambling disorder, we also showed that optimism about their recovery process interacted with nostalgia to create ambivalence about their recovery. Implications: This program of research suggests there are both basic and applied implications of nostalgic reverie (and its content) that both researchers and treatment providers need to take into consideration when trying to understand and facilitate sustained behavior change

Oxidation of tertiary amine-derivatized surfaces to control protein adhesion

Selective oxidation of omega-tertiary amine self-assembled thiol monolayers to tertiary amine N-oxides is shown to transform the adhesion of model proteins lysozyme and fibrinogen upon them. Efficient preparation of both secondary and tertiary linker amides as judged by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and water droplet contact angle was achieved with an improved amide bond formation on gold quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) sensors using 2-(1H-7-azabenzotriazol-1-yl)-1,1,3,3-tetramethyl hexafluorophosphate methanaminium uronium (HATU). Oxidation with hydrogen peroxide was similarly assessed, and adhesion of lysozyme and fibrinogen from phosphate buffered saline was then assayed by QCM and imaged by AFM. Tertiary amine-functionalized sensors adsorbed multilayers of aggregated lysozyme, whereas tertiary amine N-oxides and triethylene glycol-terminated monolayers are consistent with small protein aggregates. The surface containing a dimethylamine N-oxide headgroup and ethyl secondary amide linker showed the largest difference in adsorption of both proteins. Oxidation of tertiary amine decorated surfaces therefore holds the potential for selective deposition of proteins and cells through masking and other patterning techniques

CHALLENGES FOR PROJECT MANAGEMENT IN THE 21ST CENTURY

Challenges could be observed as opportunities for success. The growth of project management body of knowledge and the advancement of project managers’ capabilities in dealing with resources are crucial to the successful delivery of projects. As the main objective of this paper is to overview the key challenges for project managers in the current century to help the Future Built Environment, a systematic literature review analysis on PM features was conducted by evaluating over 256 published research papers under the Project Management topic during the past 15 years (2003–2018). As result of this exploration, the research highlighted 18 main challenges and over 125 parameters related to challenges in projects from the extant literature. The management of uncertainty and dealing with different challenges are necessary conditions for effective project management. Sources of challenges are wide ranging and have fundamental effects on projects and the project management body of knowledge. These challenges are not limited to specific industries, and include scope management, information technology, team dynamics, customers’ satisfaction, lean management, communication, innovation and quality. Common project management body of knowledge does not address many of the listed sources of challenges, particularly in ‘soft’ project management skills where flexibility and tolerance of PMs are necessary. The findings of this review paper help scholars to put their attempts on key challenges in managing projects effectively. Such attempts need to entail project managers’ capabilities as well as the organization maturities including some aspects of organisation culture and learning

The prediction of liquid film journal bearing performance with a consideration of lubricant film reformation: part 2: experimental resuIts

Analyses and design data for plainjournal bearings rarely take into account the phenomenon of film reformation. The consideration of the re-establishment of the lubricantfilm after the cavitation region is difficult in a number of ways. The importance of allowingfor reformation is, however, being increasingly recognized. Tht.J is particularly true as regards the satisfactory predlction of lubricant ftowrate...and the thermal operating characteristics of a bearing. The authors have previously implemented a cavitation algorithm to enable the cavitation region in a plain journal bearing to be Iocated automatically and efficiently in a computer analysis. In Part I of the present paper theoretical results have been presentedfor the case of a plain bearing with a square-ended, axial groove located at the position of maximumfilm thickness. The second part of the paper gives detai/s of an experimental investigation designed to establish the validity of the analysis