Technical, economic and environmental assessement of bioethanol biorefinery from waste biomass

This study presents a sequential three-steps methodology for the technical, economic and environmental assessment (TEEA) of bioethanol production from waste biomass. In EU the most abundant waste biomasses produced in 2018 could be ascribed to three main categories: lignocellulosic (329.41 Mt), starch (160 Mt) and sugar-based (58.56 Mt). The technical assessment compiled an inventory of the waste biomasses and subsequently designed their biological conversion into ethanol through integrated biorefinery processes by means of material flow analysis (MFA); the economic assessment was aimed at the definition of the cut-off size of the biorefinery plant necessary to achieve profitability; the environmental assessment was based on Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) and energy balance (i.e. energy input consumption). For each of the three waste biomass categories, at least one that was significant as available amount and representative in terms of physico-chemical characteristics, was evaluated: sugarcane for sugar-based, potatoes for starch-based and rice straw, cattle manure and organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW) for lignocellulosic biomasses. The technical assessment of the biorefinery routes lead to the following yields (kg of bioethanol per kg of biomass): 0.16, 0.17, 0.22, 0.19 and 0.14 respectively. The economic profitability was reached by all biorefineries and Net Present Value (M€) were: 0.85 for sugarcane, 0.11 for potatoes, 0.09 for rice straw, 0.11 for cattle manure and 0.39 for OFMSW. From the environmental perspective, cattle manure reached the highest reduction of climate change and acidification impacts compared to other biomasses, while sugarcane achieved the lowest energy input consumption (around 64%)

Differences in genetic structuring of populations of the Argentine hemorrhagic fever reservoir, the rodent Calomys musculinus, from endemic and non endemic zones

Chiappero, M.B., Piacenza, M.F., Gardenal, C.N., Calderón, G., Provensal, C., Polop, J.J

Genetic Evidence of Expansion by Passive Transport of Aedes (Stegomyia) aegypti in Eastern Argentina

Aedes (Stegomyia) aegypti (Linnaeus) (Diptera: Culicidae) is the principal vector of the yellow fever virus, the five dengue virus serotypes (DENV-1 to DENV-5), chikungunya virus, Zika virus, and several types of encephalitis [1–3]. The behavior of this species is synanthropic and anthropophilic, being the culicid most closely associated with human populations [4]. The incidence of dengue has increased 30-fold over the last 50 years; according to the World Health Organization, up to 50–100 million infections occur each year in over 100 endemic countries, and at least one half of the world’s population has risk of being infected with dengue virus [5]. Chikungunya virus has been responsible for over 2 million human infections during the past decade and is currently moving to subtropical latitudes as well as to the western hemisphere. Up until April 2015, there have been 1,379,788 suspected cases of this disease in the Caribbean islands, Latin America, and the United States. This expansion into novel habitats brings unique risks associated with further spread of the virus and the disease it causes [6]. On the other hand, there are about 200,000 cases of yellow fever each year worldwide responsible for about 30,000 deaths, most of them from Africa. Zika virus is an emerging mosquito-borne virus, with outbreaks in Africa, Asia, and the Pacific between 2007 and 2014. Since 2015, there has been an increase in reports of ZIKV infection in the Americas, with Brazil being the most affected country, with 534 confirmed cases and 72,062 suspected cases between 2015 and 2016 [7]. All these viruses and the mosquito vector A. aegypti present in the Americas represent a serious risk. So far, in 2016, 39,926 dengue cases produced by DENV-1 and DENV-4 serotypes and 319 autochthonous cases of chikungunya fever have been reported in Argentina. According to the last census, Argentina has approximately 40 million people (National Institute of Statistics and Censuses of Argentina [INDEC], Census 2010), and over 38 million live in areas suitable for the transmission of dengue and chikungunya viruses [8]. Moreover, although there were 22 imported cases of Zika and 24 autochthonous cases confirmed in Argentina, there is a high incidence of cases in Brazil, and besides that, there is an internal circulation of the virus in the neighboring countries Brazil, Paraguay, and Bolivia [7,8], in addition to the constant expansion of the mosquito vector.Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Muse

Thermal Decomposition of CxF2 x+1C(O)OONO2(x = 2, 3, 4)

The atmospheric degradation of molecules containing the CxF2x+1C(O) moiety, such as perfluoroaldehydes CxF2x+1C(O)H (x = 2-4) formed in the degradation of telomeric alcohols, could lead to the formation of perfluoroacyl peroxynitrates CxF2x+1C(O)OONO2. The thermal decomposition of the CxF2x+1C(O)OONO2 family (x = 2, 3, 4) was investigated by infrared spectroscopy and computational models. Each peroxynitrate synthesis was performed through the photolysis of gas mixtures of the corresponding perfluoroaldehyde, chlorine, nitrogen dioxide, and oxygen. Kinetic analysis for the thermal decomposition of peroxynitrates were performed in the range from 297.0 to 313.7 K at a total pressure of 1000 mbar and the activation energy was experimentally determined. Experimental data were complemented with theoretical data using the Gaussian09 Program Suite. The structures of peroxynitrates were optimized using DFT methods. The activation energies were calculated and investigated taking into account the stereoelectronic effects and using theoretical calculations as well as NBO analysis. The influence of anomeric interaction over the O-N bond was evaluated for all the molecules. Analysis of the results shows that CxF2x+1C(O)OONO2 stability is independent of CxF2x+1 chain length, in contrast to the behavior for perfluoroalkyl peroxynitrates (CxF2x+1OONO2).Fil: Vila, Jesús Alberto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones en Físico-química de Córdoba. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas. Instituto de Investigaciones en Físico-química de Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Iriarte, Ana Graciela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones en Físico-química de Córdoba. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas. Instituto de Investigaciones en Físico-química de Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Chiappero, Malisa Susana. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Química; ArgentinaFil: Malanca, Fabio Ernesto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones en Físico-química de Córdoba. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas. Instituto de Investigaciones en Físico-química de Córdoba; Argentin

Factibilidad del secado solar de granos en silo de base cónica

En el siguiente trabajo se presenta el cálculo y la simulación de un silo secador de granos elevado de base cónica de 150 toneladas. Se efectuó la simulación numérica de la distribución de presiones y de las velocidades intragranulares para trigo a través del método de elementos finitos . Para ello se empleó el programa ALGOR (Versión 13.06- WIN,2001). Del análisis de los resultados se pudo observar que la distribución de presiones y velocidades son adecuadas para el secado de diferentes tipo de granos a baja temperatura en sistemas de silos a escalas intermedias. El secado es realizado por el precalentamiento del aire a través de un banco de colectores solares de diseño simple .Se realizó el cálculo de la superficie de colectores solares para lograr el incremento de temperatura del aire necesario para el secado de soja.In this work, the calculation and the simulation of an elevated drying bin of grains of conical base of 150 tons is presented. The low temperature drying is carried out by preheating the air that flows through a bank of solar collectors of simple design. The pressure and intergranular air velocity distribution were numerically simulated for wheat by applying the finite element method and the commercial package ALGOR (Version 13.06-WIN,2001). The solar collector surface was calculated in order to achieve the increment of air temperature necessary for soybean drying. By means of the simulation and the analysis of the results, it can be observed that the distribution of pressures and velocities fit technical requirements for low temperature of different type of grains in intermediate scales bins.Asociación Argentina de Energías Renovables y Medio Ambiente (ASADES

Factibilidad del secado solar de granos en silo de base cónica

En el siguiente trabajo se presenta el cálculo y la simulación de un silo secador de granos elevado de base cónica de 150 toneladas. Se efectuó la simulación numérica de la distribución de presiones y de las velocidades intragranulares para trigo a través del método de elementos finitos . Para ello se empleó el programa ALGOR (Versión 13.06- WIN,2001). Del análisis de los resultados se pudo observar que la distribución de presiones y velocidades son adecuadas para el secado de diferentes tipo de granos a baja temperatura en sistemas de silos a escalas intermedias. El secado es realizado por el precalentamiento del aire a través de un banco de colectores solares de diseño simple .Se realizó el cálculo de la superficie de colectores solares para lograr el incremento de temperatura del aire necesario para el secado de soja.In this work, the calculation and the simulation of an elevated drying bin of grains of conical base of 150 tons is presented. The low temperature drying is carried out by preheating the air that flows through a bank of solar collectors of simple design. The pressure and intergranular air velocity distribution were numerically simulated for wheat by applying the finite element method and the commercial package ALGOR (Version 13.06-WIN,2001). The solar collector surface was calculated in order to achieve the increment of air temperature necessary for soybean drying. By means of the simulation and the analysis of the results, it can be observed that the distribution of pressures and velocities fit technical requirements for low temperature of different type of grains in intermediate scales bins.Asociación Argentina de Energías Renovables y Medio Ambiente (ASADES

Factibilidad del secado solar de granos en silo de base cónica

En el siguiente trabajo se presenta el cálculo y la simulación de un silo secador de granos elevado de base cónica de 150 toneladas. Se efectuó la simulación numérica de la distribución de presiones y de las velocidades intragranulares para trigo a través del método de elementos finitos . Para ello se empleó el programa ALGOR (Versión 13.06- WIN,2001). Del análisis de los resultados se pudo observar que la distribución de presiones y velocidades son adecuadas para el secado de diferentes tipo de granos a baja temperatura en sistemas de silos a escalas intermedias. El secado es realizado por el precalentamiento del aire a través de un banco de colectores solares de diseño simple .Se realizó el cálculo de la superficie de colectores solares para lograr el incremento de temperatura del aire necesario para el secado de soja.In this work, the calculation and the simulation of an elevated drying bin of grains of conical base of 150 tons is presented. The low temperature drying is carried out by preheating the air that flows through a bank of solar collectors of simple design. The pressure and intergranular air velocity distribution were numerically simulated for wheat by applying the finite element method and the commercial package ALGOR (Version 13.06-WIN,2001). The solar collector surface was calculated in order to achieve the increment of air temperature necessary for soybean drying. By means of the simulation and the analysis of the results, it can be observed that the distribution of pressures and velocities fit technical requirements for low temperature of different type of grains in intermediate scales bins.Asociación Argentina de Energías Renovables y Medio Ambiente (ASADES

Genetic Evidence of Expansion by Passive Transport of Aedes (Stegomyia) aegypti in Eastern Argentina

Aedes (Stegomyia) aegypti (Linnaeus) (Diptera: Culicidae) is the principal vector of the yellow fever virus, the five dengue virus serotypes (DENV-1 to DENV-5), chikungunya virus, Zika virus, and several types of encephalitis [1–3]. The behavior of this species is synanthropic and anthropophilic, being the culicid most closely associated with human populations [4]. The incidence of dengue has increased 30-fold over the last 50 years; according to the World Health Organization, up to 50–100 million infections occur each year in over 100 endemic countries, and at least one half of the world’s population has risk of being infected with dengue virus [5]. Chikungunya virus has been responsible for over 2 million human infections during the past decade and is currently moving to subtropical latitudes as well as to the western hemisphere. Up until April 2015, there have been 1,379,788 suspected cases of this disease in the Caribbean islands, Latin America, and the United States. This expansion into novel habitats brings unique risks associated with further spread of the virus and the disease it causes [6]. On the other hand, there are about 200,000 cases of yellow fever each year worldwide responsible for about 30,000 deaths, most of them from Africa. Zika virus is an emerging mosquito-borne virus, with outbreaks in Africa, Asia, and the Pacific between 2007 and 2014. Since 2015, there has been an increase in reports of ZIKV infection in the Americas, with Brazil being the most affected country, with 534 confirmed cases and 72,062 suspected cases between 2015 and 2016 [7]. All these viruses and the mosquito vector A. aegypti present in the Americas represent a serious risk. So far, in 2016, 39,926 dengue cases produced by DENV-1 and DENV-4 serotypes and 319 autochthonous cases of chikungunya fever have been reported in Argentina. According to the last census, Argentina has approximately 40 million people (National Institute of Statistics and Censuses of Argentina [INDEC], Census 2010), and over 38 million live in areas suitable for the transmission of dengue and chikungunya viruses [8]. Moreover, although there were 22 imported cases of Zika and 24 autochthonous cases confirmed in Argentina, there is a high incidence of cases in Brazil, and besides that, there is an internal circulation of the virus in the neighboring countries Brazil, Paraguay, and Bolivia [7,8], in addition to the constant expansion of the mosquito vector.Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Muse

Genetic structure of sigmodontine rodents (Cricetidae) along an altitudinal gradient of the Atlantic Rain Forest in southern Brazil

The population genetic structure of two sympatric species of sigmodontine rodents (Oligoryzomys nigripes and Euryoryzomys russatus) was examined for mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequence haplotypes of the control region. Samples were taken from three localities in the Atlantic Rain Forest in southern Brazil, along an altitudinal gradient with different types of habitat. In both species there was no genetic structure throughout their distribution, although levels of genetic variability and gene flow were high