Marketing plan of Globalis Foundation

Treball Final de Grau en Administració d'Empreses. Codi: AE1049. Curs acadèmic: 2016/2017

Direct Production of Cellulose Nanocrystals from Old Newspapers and Recycled Newsprints

Cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) are high added value products which can be used in many applications. In this research, CNC were directly produced from two recycled papers: old newspapers (ONP) and 100% recycled newsprint (NP). CNC were also obtained from NP by previously isolating the cellulose particles by alkali and bleaching treatments. CNC yield and quality was assessed through lignin and ash determination, X-ray diffraction analysis, atomic force microscopy and thermogravimetric analysis. Not only crystallinities resulted similar (92-95%), but also aspect ratios (L/d) (each in the range of 50-120). However, different CNC purities and hydrolysis and process yields were obtained. Thus, CNC purity decreased from 93 to 77%, hydrolysis yield was reduced from 64 to 58% but process yield strongly improved from 35 to 60% when no pretreatment was used. Therefore, this study proves the viability of the direct production of CNC from recycled papers

Estudio preliminar de la calidad del aire en el Campus de Vegazana de la Universidad de León

El presente trabajo se ha realizado en el marco de las asignaturas de Introducción a la Investigación y Trabajo de investigación y pretende ser una primera aproximación al análisis de la calidad del aire en el Campus de Vegazana, tanto en el exterior corno en el interior de los edificios. El trabajo consta de tres partes. En primer lugar, se ha realizado un estudio del aire exterior. Los resultados nos muestran cómo en el 11% de los días, la calidad del aire en el Campus no cumple los límites establecidos por la legislación, y cómo los meses en los que el número de superaciones es más elevado son noviembre y febrero. Además, mediante un Análisis de Componentes Principales se han podido clasificar los episodios de contaminación en tres tipos: episodios con contaminación fotoquímica, episodios con contaminación ácida y episodios con elevadas concentraciones de partículas. El segundo objetivo del estudio, ha sido evaluar la calidad del aire en el interior de aquellos edificios del campus que hemos considerado representativos de la exposición media de los miembros de la comunidad universitaria. Para ello, se han realizado mediciones directas, mediante tubos difusores activos, de la concentración de distintos contaminantes: CO, NO, NOS, SO, e hidrocarburos. Finalmente, y debido a la importancia que las partículas en suspensión presentan sobre nuestra salud, se ha medido la concentración de aerosoles en el interior de los edificios mediante la sonda de aerosoles PCASP. Los resultados evidencian que el origen de los mismos es mayoritariamente el humo del tabac

Hexavalent Chromium Removal from Industrial Wastewater by Adsorption and Reduction onto Cationic Cellulose Nanocrystals

Cationic cellulose nanocrystals (CCNC) are lignocellulosic bio-nanomaterials that present large, specific areas rich with active surface cationic groups. This study shows the adsorption removal of hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) from industrial wastewaters by the CCNC. The CCNC were synthetized through periodate oxidation and Girard’s reagent-T cationization. The high value of CCNCs cationic groups and anionic demand reveal probable nanocrystal-Cr(VI) attraction. Adsorption was performed with synthetic Cr(VI) water at different pH, dosage, Cr(VI) concentration and temperature. Fast removal of Cr(VI) was found while operating at pH 3 and 100 mg·L −1 of dosage. Nevertheless, a first slower complete removal of chromium was achieved by a lower CCNC dosage (40 mg·L −1 ). Cr(VI) was fully converted by CCNC into less-toxic trivalent species, kept mainly attached to the material surface. The maximum adsorption capacity was 44 mg·g −1 . Two mechanisms were found for low chromium concentrations (Pseudo-first and pseudo-second kinetic models and continuous growth multi-step intraparticle) and for high concentrations (Elovich model and sequential fast growth-plateau-slow growth intraparticle steps). The Sips model was the best-fitting isotherm. Isotherm thermodynamic analysis indicated a dominant physical sorption. The Arrhenius equation revealed an activation energy between physical and chemical adsorption. CCNC application at selected conditions in industrial wastewater achieved a legal discharge limit of 40 min.Depto. de Ingeniería Química y de MaterialesFac. de Ciencias QuímicasTRUEComunidad de Madrid y Ministerio de Economía y CompetitividadMinisterio de Economía y Competitividadpu

High prevalence of Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia among Mozambican children < 5 years of age admitted to hospital with clinical severe pneumonia

We aimed to describe Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PCP) prevalence and features in children from sub-Saharan Africa, and to investigate PCP-associated risk factors. During 2006-2007 we used molecular methods to test children younger than 5 years old admitted with severe pneumonia to a hospital in Southern Mozambique for Pneumocystis infection. We recruited 834 children. PCP prevalence was 6.8% and HIV prevalence was 25.7%. The in-hospital and delayed mortality were significantly higher among children with PCP (20.8% vs. 10.2 %, p=0.021, and 11.5% vs. 3.6%, p=0.044, respectively). Clinical features were mostly overlapping between the two groups. Independent risk factors for PCP were age less than a year (OR 6.34, 95%CI 1.86-21.65), HIV infection (OR 2.99, 95%CI 1.16-7.70), grunting (OR 2.64, 95%CI 1.04-6.73), and digital clubbing (OR 10.75, 95%CI 1.21-95.56). PCP is a common and life-threatening cause of severe pneumonia in Mozambican children. Mother-to-child HIV transmission prevention should be strengthened. Better diagnostic tools are needed

Industrial Application of Nanocelluloses in Papermaking: A Review of Challenges, Technical Solutions, and Market Perspectives

Nanocelluloses (NC) increase mechanical and barrier paper properties allowing the use of paper in applications actually covered by other materials. Despite the exponential increase of information, NC have not been fully implemented in papermaking yet, due to the challenges of using NC. This paper provides a review of the main new findings and emerging possibilities in this field by focusing mainly on: (i) Decoupling the effects of NC on wet-end and paper properties by using synergies with retention aids, chemical modification, or filler preflocculation; (ii) challenges and solutions related to the incorporation of NC in the pulp suspension and its effects on barrier properties; and (iii) characterization needs of NC at an industrial scale. The paper also includes the market perspectives. It is concluded that to solve these challenges specific solutions are required for each paper product and process, being the wet-end optimization the key to decouple NC effects on drainage and paper properties. Furthermore, the effect of NC on recyclability must also be taken into account to reach a compromise solution. This review helps readers find upscale options for using NC in papermaking and identify further research needs within this field

Universidad y sociedad: comunicación e integración en empresas e instituciones públicas y organizaciones no lucrativas: innovación y progreso

Depto. de Teorías y Análisis de la ComunicaciónFac. de Ciencias de la InformaciónFALSEsubmitte