Biochar stable fraction quantification by thermochemical oxidation and assessement by 13C-NMR spectrocopy.

Although biochar is often regarded lized into carbon dioxide. However, it is unclear how much of this material is rapidly oxidized, that is, how much remain in the soil for NQPIGTRGTKQFU'ƑQTVUJCXGDGGPWPFGTVCMGP to develop methodologies to quantify the stable fraction present in biochar, quickly, easily reproducible, and that somehow represents TGCN?GNFEQPFKVKQPU6JGTGHQTGVJGCKOQHVJKU UVWF[YCUVQGXCNWCVGVJGGƑGEVQHFKƑGTGPV R[TQN[UKU?PCNVGORGTCVWTGUQPVJGUVCDKNKV[QH biochar produced from Eucalyptus dunnii wood by analyzing biochar samples before and after a thermo-chemical oxidation using 13 C NMR spec- troscopy. Stable-C fraction increased as higher R[TQN[UKU?PCNVGORGTCVWTGYCU6JGTOQEJGOical oxidation was responsible for removing labile structures still present as well as aromatic structures less resistant to degradation. Thermo-chemical oxidation was also responsible for the functionalization of biochars, being this ef- HGEVOKNFGTCUJKIJGTR[TQN[UKU?PCNVGORGTCVWTG was. The balance between C storage (Stable-C HTCEVKQPCPFCITQPQOKEDGPG?VU HWPEVKQPCNK\Ction) of biochar should be carefully evaluated, as its characteristics can vary depending on the conditions by which it was produced

Pyrolysis final temperature effects on biochar stability.

Pyrolysis technology can be used for producing biochar and bio-oil simultaneously, as an effective and sustainable mean to produce renewable bioenergy and a carbon rich soil amendment that can be used for carbon sequestration and agronomic benefits. However, pyrolysis products yields and biochar stability are strongly affected by the feedstock and pyrolysis variables, especially the final temperature. This study was carried out to evaluate the effect of pyrolysis final temperature on biochar stability after thermochemical oxidation. For this experiment, two species of hardwood and two species of softwood with particle size between 0.5 and 2.0 mm were pyrolized at five different final temperatures (350, 400, 450, 500 and 550°C) for 60 min at an muffle furnace with limited supply of O2. Thermochemical oxidation was performed for the solid products (biochar). As pyrolysis final temperature increased, biochar stability increased as well, indicating that these materials would be more resistant to degradation when applied into soil

Utilização de biochar para mitigação das emissões de óxido nitroso do solo.

Com o avanço das mudanças climáticas ocasionadas pelo aquecimento global, faz-se necessário a busca por soluções que visem mitigar as emissões de gases de efeito estufa. O presente estudo objetivou avaliar o uso de biochar como prática para mitigar as emissões de óxido nitroso (N2O) gerado pela aplicação de fertilizante nitrogenado no solo. O biochar pode ser uma alternativa com potencial para mitigar as emissões de N2O provenientes do solo e o presente trabalho indica que doses acima de 6 Mg ha-1 trariam efeitos positivos

Monitoring international migration flows in Europe. Towards a statistical data base combining data from different sources

The paper reviews techniques developed in demography, geography and statistics that are useful for bridging the gap between available data on international migration flows and the information required for policy making and research. The basic idea of the paper is as follows: to establish a coherent and consistent data base that contains sufficiently detailed, up-to-date and accurate information, data from several sources should be combined. That raises issues of definition and measurement, and of how to combine data from different origins properly. The issues may be tackled more easily if the statistics that are being compiled are viewed as different outcomes or manifestations of underlying stochastic processes governing migration. The link between the processes and their outcomes is described by models, the parameters of which must be estimated from the available data. That may be done within the context of socio-demographic accounting. The paper discusses the experience of the U.S. Bureau of the Census in combining migration data from several sources. It also summarizes the many efforts in Europe to establish a coherent and consistent data base on international migration. The paper was written at IIASA. It is part of the Migration Estimation Study, which is a collaborative IIASA-University of Groningen project, funded by the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO). The project aims at developing techniques to obtain improved estimates of international migration flows by country of origin and country of destination

Lungworms and gastrointestinal parasites of domestic cats: a European perspective

With the exception of Aelurostrongylus abstrusus, feline lungworms have been poorly studied. Information on their distribution is patchy and mostly limited to case reports. In this study, the occurrence of feline lungworms and co-infecting gastrointestinal parasites has been investigated in 12 European countries (i.e. Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, France, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Switzerland and the United Kingdom). An average of 10 domestic cats, with regular outdoor access, was sampled each month for 12 months, and freshly passed faeces were collected. Stools were processed using a McMaster assay and a quantitative Baermann-Wetzel method. Animals positive for lungworms and/or gastrointestinal parasites were treated with a formulation containing fipronil, (S)-methoprene, eprinomectin, and praziquantel (Broadline®, Merial), and re-sampled 28 days post-treatment. The association between lungworm infection and risk factors was analysed using statistical medians/means and the efficacy of the treatment against each lungworm species was assessed. Of 1990 cats sampled, 613 (30.8%) were positive for at least one parasite, while 210 (10.6%) were infected by lungworms. The prevalence of lungworm infection varied between the sampled sites, with the highest recorded in Bulgaria (35.8%) and the lowest in Switzerland (0.8%). None of the cats from Austria or the United Kingdom were infected by lungworms. Aelurostrongylus abstrusus was the species most frequently detected (78.1%), followed by Troglostrongylus brevior (19.5%), Eucoleus aerophilus (14.8%) and Oslerus rostratus (3.8%). The overall efficacy of the treatment was 99% for A. abstrusus and 100% for T. brevior, O. rostratus and E. aerophilus. Data presented provide a comprehensive account of the diagnosis, epidemiology and treatment of feline lungworms in Europe, as well as of the occurrence of co-infections by gastrointestinal parasites.This work was funded by Merial SAS (Europe)