Sustainable value and cleaner production

As defined by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development in 1992, "eco-efficiency is achieved by the delivery of competitively priced goods and services that satisfy human needs and bring quality of life, while progressively reducing ecological impacts and resource intensity throughout the life-cycle to a level at least in line with the Earth’s estimated carrying capacity."Eco-Efficiency becomes then a management strategy, which aims at improving the economic and ecological efficiency of companies, attaining a higher Value with fewer inputs, materials and energy and fewer outputs, waste (i.e. pollution in the form of emissions and waste). The result is a higher Value for companies, defined as the relationship between the satisfaction of needs and the resources used in achieving that satisfaction, as well as the increase of their competitiveness. Using the synergies between tools used by Value Management (Value Analysis) and Eco-efficiency (Cleaner Production), the Sustainable Value methodology was developed, and it integrates the three aspects of Sustainability (economic, environment and social) in Value evaluation. The aim of this approach is to increase Sustainable Value of the study subjects (value subject being the application of the methodology to a specific subject) by evaluating their satisfaction levels taking into account environmental and social aspects. The resources used to attain that satisfaction of needs are also characterized in an explicit way in terms of environmental, social and economic aspects. To attain these results an eight phases working plan, to be developed by a team, is presented. To test and validate this methodology some projects have been developed, involving 19 enterprises where the approach was implemented. Those companies, in most cases Small and Medium ones, came from different activity areas and different regions covering almost the whole Portuguese territory. Also the results emerging from the application in the different companies are presented as well as conclusions and suggestions about some conditions that must be fulfilled for the success of the introduction and implementation of these approaches in a company

Effect of wood aging on wine mineral composition and 87Sr/86Sr isotopic ratio

The evolution of mineral composition and wine strontium isotopic ratio 87Sr/86Sr (Sr IR) during wood aging were investigated. A red wine was aged in stainless steel tanks with French oak staves (Quercus sessiliflora Salisb.), with three industrial scale replicates. Sampling was carried out after 30, 60, and 90 days of aging, and the wines were evaluated in terms of general analysis, phenolic composition, total polysaccharides, multielement composition, and Sr IR. Li, Be, Mg, Al, Sc, Ti, V, Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ga, Ge, As, Rb, Sr, Y, Zr, Mo, Sb, Cs, Ba, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Dy, Ho, Er, Yb, Lu, Tl, and Pb elements and 87Sr/86Sr were determined by quadrupole inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (Q-ICP-MS) and Na, K, Ca, and Fe by flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS). Two-way ANOVA was applied to assess wood aging and time effect on Sr IR and mineral composition. Wood aging resulted in significantly higher concentrations of Mg, V, Co, Ni, and Sr. At the end of the aging period, wine exhibited statistically identical Sr IR compared to control. Study suggests that wood aging does not affect 87Sr/86Sr, not precluding the use of this parameter for wine traceability purposesinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Sustainable value and cleaner production: research and application in 19 Portuguese SME

Value with fewer inputs, materials and energy, more outputs but fewer wastes. The result of implementing this strategy is the delivery of products and services that satisfy human needs, at lower costs while reducing the ecological impacts and resource intensity. This means a higher Value for companies, defined as the relationship between the satisfaction of needs and the resources used in achieving that satisfaction, as well as the increase of their competitiveness. The purpose of this research was to develop the Sustainable Value concept using the synergies between tools from Value Management, Value Analysis and from Eco-efficiency, Cleaner Production. The result is an indicator that integrates the three aspects of Sustainability: economic, environment and social and enables the monitoring of the evolution of those aspects in a company. The aim of this approach is to increase the Sustainable Value of the study subject, this being defined as the specific subject to which the methodology is applied, either a product or a process in a company. The satisfaction levels are evaluated considering environmental and social aspects. The resources used to attain that satisfaction of needs are also characterized in an explicit way in terms of environmental, social and economic aspects. The proposed Sustainable Value methodology, with an eight phases working plan, developed by a team, was validated by undertaking three projects, involving 19 Small and Medium Enterprises where Sustainable Value concept was implemented. They represent a wide range of activity areas in different regions of the country, covering almost the whole Portuguese territory. The application of the proposed methodology in the different companies shows the benefits concerning the inputs reduction (water, energy and materials) as well as emissions and waste reduction. The increase of the company’s productivity and collaborators social welfare is also highlighted. Performance, costs and sustainable value variations are quantified. A first important conclusion that can be taken from the reported experiences is that the use of Sustainable Value Methodology enables the diagnosis of the main problems related to processes and products and the quantification of the used resources, and takes into account the three aspects of Sustainability: economic, environmental and social. Another conclusion is the applicability of the methodology to companies of different size and sectors. The same happens and is confirmed in existent literature about the subject with other approaches. The improvement of Sustainable Value of the study subjects is reflected in the competitiveness of the companies. Some suggestions about conditions that must be fulfilled for the success of the introduction and implementation of this approach in a company are also presented

Editorial: Edible wild plants and fungi - resource to explore, preserve, and valuate

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Effect of β-PVDF Piezoelectric Transducers’ positioning on the acoustic streaming flows

This paper reports the numerical and experimental analysis of the acoustic streaming effect in a fluidic domain. The actuation of a piezoelectric transducer generates acoustic waves that propagate to the fluids, generating pressure gradients that induce the flow. The number and positioning of the transducers affect the pressure gradients and, consequently, the resultant flow profile. Two actuation conditions were considered: (1) acoustic streaming generated by a 28 μm thick β-poly(vinylidene fluoride) (β-PVDF) piezoelectric transducer placed asymmetrically relative to the fluidic domain and (2) acoustic streaming generated by two 28 μm thick β-PVDF piezoelectric transducers placed perpendicularly to each other. The transducers were fixed to the lower left corner of a poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA)cuvette and were actuated with a 24 Vpp and 34.2 MHz sinusoidal voltage. The results show that the number of transducers and their positioning affects the shape and number of recirculation areas in the acoustic streaming flows. The obtained global flows show great potential for mixing and pumping, being an alternative to the previous geometries studied by the authors, namely, a single transducer placed symmetrically under a fluidic domain.Work funded by FEDER funds through the Operational Programme for Competitiveness Factors—COMPETE, ON.2—O Novo Norte—North Portugal Regional Operational Programme and National Funds through FCT— Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia under the projects: PEst-OE/EME/UI0532 and NORTE-07-0124-FEDER-000025-RL2_Environment & Health, by the Eixo I do Programa Operacional Fatores de Competitividade (POFC) QREN, project reference COMPETE: FCOMP-01-0124-FEDER-020241, and by FCT, project reference PTDC/EBB-EBI/120334/2010

Eco-efficiency in Portuguese companies of marble sector

The activities developed within an eco-efficiency project in mineral industries located in the largest area for marble extraction in Portugal, in Alentejo region, in the Estremoz – Borba and Vila Viçosa anticline are presented in this paper. The project was designed to apply the sustainability concept in seven companies of marble extraction and transformation. The adopted strategy used new cleaner production models together with sustainable value (SV) improvement, leading to the rationalization of the industrial process, the involvement of economic agents and the orientation of the management of production processes towards eco-efficiency. The challenge was to have the mineral industry managing efficiently the resources on which the business depends, according to sustainability principles. Different opportunities for improvement, related to the minimization of materials, water and energy use, were identified in the companies. Some proposals mainly related to social improvement and small and medium-sized enterprise competitiveness benefits were also selected and discussed. This approach allows the integration of sustainability at company's and region's levels by combining in the entrepreneurial activity the creation of wealth together with the environment protection and the achieving of social benefits. Highlights: The involvement of different stakeholders in the project (Eco-efficiency in Portuguese companies of marble sector) was positive in the discussion and search of solutions for companies. It is possible to involve marble extraction and processing companies in eco-efficiency improvement towards sustainability. Companies from the marble sector improved environmental and social performance and reduced the costs of their production processes by applying SV methodology

Espectroscopia de infravermelho com transformada de Fourier na monitorização da produção de vinho

ReviewThe complexity of the wine matrix makes monitoring of the winemaking process from the grapes to the final product crucial for the wine industry. In this context, analytical methodologies that can combine good accuracy, robustness, high sample throughput, “green character”, and by preference real-time analysis, are on-demand to create high-quality vitivinicultural products. In the last years, Fourier-transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) combined with chemometric analysis has been evaluated in several studies as an effective analytical tool for the wine sector. Some applications of FTIR spectroscopy have been already accepted by the wine industry, mainly for the prediction of basic oenological parameters, using portable and non-portable instruments, but still many others are waiting to be thoroughly developed. This literature review aims to provide a critical synopsis of the most important studies assessing grape and wine quality and authenticity, and to identify possible gaps for further research, meeting the needs of the modern wine industry and the expectations of most demanding consumers. The FTIR studies were grouped according to the main sampling material used - 1) leaves, stems, and berries; 2) grape must and wine applications - along with a summary of the basic limitations and future perspectives of this analytical techniqueA complexidade da matriz do vinho torna a monitorização da sua produção, desde a maturação da uva até o produto final, fundamental para a indústria do vinho. Neste contexto, metodologias analíticas com boa exactidão, robustez, elevado rendimento de amostras, menos penalizadoras para o meio ambiente, e se possível capazes de fornecer resultados em tempo real, são muito importantes para a obtenção de produtos vitivinícolas de alta qualidade. Nos últimos anos, a Espectroscopia de Infravermelho com Transformada de Fourier (FTIR) combinada com a análise quimiométrica tem sido avaliada em diversos estudos por ser uma ferramenta analítica apropriada para o setor vitivinícola. Algumas aplicações de FTIR já foram adoptadas pela indústria do vinho, principalmente para a predição de parâmetros enológicos básicos, através de instrumentos portáteis e não portáteis, mas há ainda um enorme potencial de desenvolvimento a explorar. A presente revisão da literatura tem como objetivo fornecer uma sinopse crítica dos estudos mais importantes realizados para avaliação da qualidade e autenticidade do vinho e identificar possíveis lacunas para investigação futura, indo ao encontro das necessidades da indústria vinícola moderna e das expectativas dos consumidores mais exigentes. Os estudos sobre FTIR foram agrupados de acordo com o principal material de amostragem - 1) folhas, engaços e bagos; 2) mostos e vinhos - juntamente com informação sobre as limitações básicas e perspectivas futuras desta técnica analíticainfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Assessing the conservation of Miombo timber species through an integrated index of anthropogenic and climatic threats

Aim: Angolan Miombo woodlands, rich in timber species of the Leguminosae family, go through one of the highest rates of deforestation in sub-Saharan Africa. This study presents, on the basis of updated information of the distribution of Leguminosae timber species native to Angola, an integrated index framing the main threats for trees, which aims to support new conservation measures. Location: Sub-Saharan Africa, Republic of Angola. Methods: The current distribution areas of six Leguminosae timber species (i.e., Afzelia quanzensis, Brachystegia spiciformis, Guibourtia coleosperma, Isoberlinia angolensis, Julbernardia paniculata, and Pterocarpus angolensis) were predicted through ensemble modeling techniques. The level of threat to each species was analyzed, comparing the species potential distribution with a threat index map and with the protected areas. The threat index of anthropogenic and climatic factors encompasses the effects of population density, agriculture, proximity to roads, loss of tree cover, overexploitation, trends in wildfires, and predicted changes in temperature and precipitation. Results: Our results revealed that about 0.5% of Angola's area is classified as of “Very high” threat, 23.9% as “High” threat, and 66.5% as “Moderate” threat. Three of the studied species require special conservation efforts, namely B. spiciformis and I. angolensis, which have a large fraction of predicted distribution in areas of high threat, and G. coleosperma since it has a restricted distribution area and is one of the most valuable species in international markets. The priority areas for the conservation of Leguminosae timber species were found in Benguela and Huíla.Main conclusions: This study provides updated data that should be applied to inform policymakers, contributing to national conservation planning and protection of native flora in Angola. Moreover, it presents a methodological approach for the predictions of species distribution and for the creation of a threat index map that can be applied in other poorly surveyed tropical regions.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Sacrococcygeal teratoma with malignant transformation in an adult female: CT and MRI findings

This report describes a case of sacrococcygeal teratoma with adenocarcinomatous transformation in a 45-year-old woman. This is an infrequent location for teratoma in adults and malignant transformation has rarely been described. Prognosis depends on complete excision. Clinical manifestations, imaging aspects and histological findings of this case are presented. CT and MRI adequately document the mixed cystic and solid nature of the tumour, its extension and relations with adjacent structures, allowing accurate pre-operative planning

Smart shirt with embedded vital sign and moisture sensing

This paper presents the development of a smart shirt with embedded electrodes in two-lead configuration for heart rate measurement and a knitted moisture sensor for sweat detection. Signal conditioning for heart rate measurement is based on the Analog Devices AD8232 heart rate monitor front-end. The shirt is part of a fireman interactive Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), which monitors information on heart rate and sweat detection, among other variables. Sweat detection is used to avoid skin burns that may occur due to the combination of excessive moisture and heat. Tests have demonstrated that the measurement of heart rate using the shirt is as efficient as conventional solutions, such as heart-rate monitoring straps. Sweat detection through textile moisture sensors has also shown to be effective.FCT - Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, in the framework of project UID/CTM/00264/2013 and project PROTACTICAL - Co-Promoção Nº Projecto: 23267, sponsored by ADI