Treatment of refinery crude oil tank sludge : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Technology in Environmental Engineering at Massey University

Appendix A-5 held on floppy disk. Please consult print copy in Library.The treatment and disposal of oil refinery tank sludge is a critical issue among oil refineries. This is because of the hazardous nature of the sludge due to high levels of oil and heavy metals, which must be removed prior to disposal. This study was carried out to investigate the removal of crude oil and heavy metals to allow the design of an appropriate disposal treatment that could meet the environmental regulations for this type of waste. A typical emulsified crude oil tank sludge, produced from tank cleaning operations was characterised and was shown to contain approximately 41%, 16%, 25%, and 8% of solids (sand), oil, water and volatile materials, respectively. The sludge also contained high level of metals, of which more than 98% resided in the solids fraction. The heavy metals analysed were copper, nickel and zinc with average values of 3,955mg/kg, 443 mg/kg and 13,851 mg/kg of raw sludge, respectively. The crude oil fraction of the sludge was removed by solvent washing with kerosene which resulted in emulsion breakdown. A model which optimises the removal of crude oil was developed and validated against experimental data. The model predictions agreed well with experimental trials using kerosene as the solvent. A 2:1 solvent to sludge ratio is adequate to remove the oil (> 98%) in the sludge after two washing stages. This resulted in oil-free/metal-rich solids. Kerosene washing reduced the volume by 76% and mass by 59%, which allows easier handling and disposal. Heavy metals reduction was achieved by acid washing using 8N nitric acid and a 10:4 mixture of 2.4N hydrochloric and 8N nitric acids. Approximately 99% of the metals were removed using a 10:1 acid to solids ratio, at pH <1 and ambient conditions, making the sludge suitable for land application and meeting the appropriate disposal guidelines for oil and metal levels. The solvent washing process was shown to be industrially feasible for volume and mass reduction of the sludge. However, heavy metal reduction by acid washing requires further optimisation before it can be applied on an industrial scale

A survey of orthopaedic journal editors determining the criteria of manuscript selection for publication

Background: To investigate the characteristics of editors and criteria used by orthopaedic journal editors in assessing submitted manuscripts. Methods: Between 2008 to 2009 all 70 editors of Medline listed orthopaedic journals were approached prospectively with a questionnaire to determine the criteria used in assessing manuscripts for publication. Results: There was a 42% response rate. There was 1 female editor and the rest were male with 57% greater than 60 years of age. 67% of the editors worked in university teaching hospitals and 90% of publications were in English.The review process differed between journals with 59% using a review proforma, 52% reviewing an anonymised manuscript, 76% using a routine statistical review and 59% of journals used 2 reviewers routinely. In 89% of the editors surveyed, the editor was able to overrule the final decision of the reviewers.Important design factors considered for manuscript acceptance were that the study conclusions were justified (80%), that the statistical analysis was appropriate (76%), that the findings could change practice (72%). The level of evidence (70%) and type of study (62%) were deemed less important. When asked what factors were important in the manuscript influencing acceptance, 73% cited an understandable manuscript, 53% cited a well written manuscript and 50% a thorough literature review as very important factors. Conclusions: The editorial and review process in orthopaedic journals uses different approaches. There may be a risk of language bias among editors of orthopaedic journals with under-representation of non-English publications in the orthopaedic literature

The Effectiveness of Gambling Exclusion Programs in Queensland

This is the research report for the study The Effectiveness of Gambling Exclusion Programs in Queensland, commissioned by the Queensland Department of Justice and Attorney General under its Responsible Gambling Research Grants Program 2011. The project was undertaken by the Centre for Gambling Education and Research at Southern Cross University in collaboration with the University of New England. The study was conducted over 24 months, commencing in February 2012

A comparative study of men and women gamblers in Victoria

This study was funded by the Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation to extend the analyses conducted for A Study of Gambling in Victoria (Hare, 2009) to provide detailed analyses of similarities and differences between male and female gamblers in Victoria Australia. The research objectives were to: 1. Analyse the similarities and differences between male and female gamblers in Victoria in terms of gambling preferences, activities and styles of play; gambling motivations and attitudes; physical and mental health; family and early gambling influences; and help-seeking behaviour; and 2. Analyse the similarities and differences between male and female gamblers in Victoria in terms of risk factors associated with problem/moderate risk gambling and protective factors associated with low risk/non-problem gamblin

Risk Factors for Gambling Problems: An Analysis by Gender.

Differences in problem gambling rates between males and females suggest that associated risk factors vary by gender. Previous combined analyses of male and female gambling may have obscured these distinctions. This study aimed to develop separate risk factor models for gambling problems for males and for females, and identify gender-based similarities and differences. It analysed data from the largest prevalence study in Victoria Australia (N = 15,000). Analyses determined factors differentiating non-problem from at-risk gamblers separately for women and men, then compared genders using interaction terms. Separate multivariate analyses determined significant results when controlling for all others. Variables included demographics, gambling behaviour, gambling motivations, money management, and mental and physical health. Significant predictors of at-risk status amongst female gamblers included: 18-24 years old, not speaking English at home, living in a group household, unemployed or not in the workforce, gambling on private betting, electronic gaming machines (EGMs), scratch tickets or bingo, and gambling for reasons other than social reasons, to win money or for general entertainment. For males, risk factors included: 18-24 years old, not speaking English at home, low education, living in a group household, unemployed or not in the workforce, gambling on EGMs, table games, races, sports or lotteries, and gambling for reasons other than social reasons, to win money or for general entertainment. High risk groups requiring appropriate interventions comprise young adults, especially males; middle-aged female EGM gamblers; non-English speaking populations; frequent EGM, table games, race and sports gamblers; and gamblers motivated by escape

Photoelectrochemical Detection of Calcium Ions Based on Hematite Nanorod Sensors

[Image: see text] α-Fe(2)O(3) (hematite) thin films have been shown to be a robust sensor substrate for photoelectrochemical imaging with good stability and high spatial resolution. Herein, one-dimensional (1D) hematite nanorods (NRs) synthesized via a simple hydrothermal method are proposed as a substrate which provides nanostructured surfaces with enhanced photocurrent responses compared to previously described hematite films, good stability, and excellent spatial resolution for potential imaging applications. The photoelectrochemical sensing capability of hematite NRs was demonstrated by a high pH sensitivity without modification. The modification of the hematite NRs with a thin poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC)-based ion-selective film allowed highly reversible amperometric detection of calcium ions with sensor materials traditionally employed in potentiometric devices