Delineation of Natural and Anthropogenic Process Controlling Hydrogeochemistry of Layered Aquifer Sequence

Groundwater is the source for many activities in urban regions and the quality plays a significant role in determination of its usage. In coastal regions the situation becomes more complex due to the interplay of complex chemical processes like natural weathering, anthropogenic activities and sea water intrusion. Hence an attempt has been made in this study to delineate these processes and to identify the regions dominated by them. In this regard, 92 groundwater samples were collected and analysed for major cations and anions. Among the analysed parameters the ratios of the cations like Ca/Mg, (Ca + Mg)*/HCO3:(Na + K)*/HCO3 were used to identify the process of weathering. Moreover, the ternary plots of cations and selected anions were also used to identify the weathering and the anthropogenic processes. HCO3 − and SiO2 in groundwater were used to unravel the nature of weathering, supported by pH and pCO2 observations. HCO3 −-derived by the carbonate dissolution and silicate weathering were calculated from the total HCO3 − and it was found that HCO3 − derived from the carbonate rock dissolution is dominant in alluvium, tertiary and cretaceous formations due to the presence of kankar, calcareous sandstone and limestone. The (HCO3 + SiO2)/(Cl + NO3) ratios were used to demarcate the regions of weathering and anthropogenic activities and it was found that the central and north eastern part of the study area is dominated by the anthropogenic activities

Active packaging films based on polyolefins modified by organic and inorganic nanoparticles

Nowadays, the use of polymer films for flexible packaging has gained a widespread importance because of their easy processing, good final properties, light weight and low relative cost. In order to fulfill the needs of increasingly demanding consumers respect to the quality of packaged products, additional capabilities must be incorporated into packaging. In this sense, academic and industrial efforts have focused on new technologies that provide a complementary functionality to the packaging performance. These emerging developments involve active and intelligent packaging, which can attract to consumers, improve product quality and/or balance any detrimental effect. In this context, the use of nanoparticle (NP) modified polyolefins, either in bulk (nanocomposites) or on the surface, allows the inclusion of specific functionalities. These new capabilities enable obtaining active packaging according to the requirements of the product. The aim of this chapter is to analyze the aforementioned approaches for the development of active films by incorporating antibacterial, antifungal and/or repellent functionalities. Currently, several sustainable developments of this type of active films are based on commodity thermoplastics such as poly(ethylene) and poly(propylene). These materials, modified by the incorporation of organic and inorganic NPs, are promising candidates since their final properties can be tailored for packaging application.Fil: Alonso, Yanela Natalin. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca. Planta Piloto de Ingeniería Química. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Planta Piloto de Ingeniería Química; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Departamento de Ingeniería Química; ArgentinaFil: Grafia, Ana Luisa. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca. Planta Piloto de Ingeniería Química. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Planta Piloto de Ingeniería Química; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Departamento de Ingeniería Química; ArgentinaFil: Castillo, Luciana Andrea. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca. Planta Piloto de Ingeniería Química. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Planta Piloto de Ingeniería Química; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Departamento de Ingeniería Química; ArgentinaFil: Barbosa, Silvia Elena. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca. Planta Piloto de Ingeniería Química. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Planta Piloto de Ingeniería Química; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Departamento de Ingeniería Química; Argentin