Reuse or recycle? Recovery options for end-of-use mobile phones in Spain

The main objective of this paper is to analyze the most important recovery options for end-of-use mobile phones in Spain. We start with a description of the reverse logistics system for mobile phones in Spain. The two main alternatives for this end-of-use e-waste are: reuse and recycling. The study includes the characterization of the different actors involved in the reverse logistics system (collectors, third-party take-back enterprises, sorting facilities, recyclers...) and a description of the most common logistics practices in the sector. We will also analyze the implications of different recovery options for end-of-use mobile phones. Currently the percentage of mobile phones reused is rather larger than those recycled. Special attention has to be paid to the resale channel on secondary markets. We conclude that we need to regulate this second-hand mobile phone market. Finally, we propose an alternative logistic model for improving this closed-loop supply chain: an integrated model for recovering mobile phones (which includes both options) that allows achieving economies of scale

A location model proposal for collecting used portable batteries in Spain

The main objective of this paper is to propose a model for helping logistics managers to choose the appropriate location points in order to situate the collection points for used portable batteries. The proposed model has two parts: a static part and a dynamic part. We can conclude that this model helps managers in the decision of locating/modifying collection points in two ways: to add new collection points to a reverse logistics network that needs more points or to delete collection points from a network that has more points than those recommended

Reverse logistics practices for recovering mobile phones in Spain

The main objective of this paper is to characterize the reverse logistics system for mobile phones in Spain. The study includes the characterization of the different actors involved in the reverse logistics system and the description of the most common logistics practices in the sector. We will also propose alternative practices for managing this complex reverse logistics system and finally, we will analyse the challenges of the current reverse logistics model. Some alternatives for the current model are: location of reception points for end-of-use mobiles, the need to legislate the second-hand mobile phone market and the location of the necessary recycling centres according to current legislation

Structuring Pt/CeO2/Al2O3 WGS catalyst: Introduction of buffer layer

This work is devoted to the development of novel structured catalytic system for WGS reaction. The new concept is related to the presence of a pre-catalytic “buffer” layer formed by WGS-inert oxide, i.e. not involved in CO conversion, but able to increase the number of participating sites in water dissociation step during the reaction. The performance of the proposed systems appears to depend strongly on the stream composition, being its effect beneficial in highly reducing atmospheres making it ideal for clean-up application. An increment of the partial kinetic order for water species is observed and reveals the key role of the water activation for superior catalytic behavior.Junta de Andalucía TEP-819

Microreactors technology for hydrogen purification: Effect of the catalytic layer thickness on CuOx/CeO2-coated microchannel reactors for the PROX reaction

Two blocks of microreactors composed by 100 microchannels and coated, respectively, with 150 and 300 mg of a CuOx/CeO2 catalyst, were prepared and tested in the preferential oxidation of CO in presence of H2 (PROX). The deposition of different amount of catalyst resulted in different catalytic layer thicknesses thus modifying the catalytic performances of the microreactor. The evaluation of the main reaction variables (the space velocity, the O2-to-CO ratio and the presence of H2O and/or CO2 in the stream) was performed over both microreactors and compared to that of the parent powder catalyst. The least loaded microreactor, with a coating thickness around 10 μm, presented the highest CO conversion and selectivity levels at temperatures below 160 ºC. This result evidences i) the improvement of the catalytic performances got by the structuration of the powder catalyst and ii) the importance of the selection of the adequate thickness of the catalytic layer on the microreactor, which have not to exceed and optimal value. An adequate coating thickness allows minimizing the mass and heat transport limitations, thus resulting in the enhancement of the catalytic performance during the PROX reactionEspana Mineco ENE2012-374301-C03-01 ENE2013-47880-C3-2- RFEDER Junta de Andalucia Unión Europea TEP-819

Monitoring the Reaction Mechanism in Model Biogas Reforming by In Situ Transient and Steady-State DRIFTS Measurements

In this work, the reforming of model biogas was investigated on a Rh/MgAlO catalyst. In situ transient and steady-state diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS) measurements were used to gain insight into the reaction mechanism involved in the activation of CH and CO. It was found that the reaction proceeds through of an initial pathway in which methane and CO are both dissociated on Rh metallic sites and additionally a bifunctional mechanism in which methane is activated on Rh sites and CO is activated on the basic sites of the support surface via a formate intermediate by H-assisted CO decomposition. Moreover, this plausible mechanism is able to explain why the observed apparent activation energy of CO is much lower than that of CH. Our results suggest that CO dissociation facilitates CH activation, because the oxygen-adsorbed species formed in the decomposition of CO are capable of reacting with the CH species derived from methane decomposition.Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad ENE2013-47880-C3-2-R, ENE2015-66975-C3-2-RJunta de Andalucía TEP-819

O2-assisted Water Gas Shift reaction over structured Au and Pt catalysts

Platinum and gold structured catalysts were compared as active phases in classical and O2-assisted Water Gas Shift (WGS) reaction. Both metals were supported on iron-doped ceria mixed oxide and then, structured on metallic micromonolithic devices. As expected the WGS activity of both micromonoliths is conditioned by the nature of the noble metals being Pt the most active metal in traditional conditions. However, the addition of oxygen to the classical water gas feed turns the balance in favor of the gold based catalysts, being the presence of gold responsible for an excessive improvement of the catalytic activity.España Mineco ENE2012-374301-C03-01 ENE2013-47880-C3-2RJunta de Andalucia FEDER TEP-819

Effects of aging and cyclosporin treatment on the hepatobiliary efflux of glutathione

[EN] The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of cyclosporin (CyA) treatment on biliary glutathione efflux in rats of different ages (1, 2, 4, and 24 months). CyA treatment reduced the liver content of total glutathione in 1-, 2- and 24 month old rats ( 30%, 43% and 30%, respectively). By contrast, oxidized glutathione (GSSG) concentration in liver tended to increase, although non significantly, in the rats aged 4 and 24 month ( + 36% and + 28%, respectively). The oxidized-to-reduced glutathione ratio was significantly increased in 2-, 4- and 24 month old animals ( + 23%, + 36% and >100%, respectively). Regarding biliary glutathione, our data indicate that efflux rates of total glutathione in control (untreated) rats increased to a maximum at 4 months, and decreased ( 56%) in 24 month old rats, although values were still higher than those from young animals. CyA treatment significantly reduced biliary glutathione secretion except in 24 month old rats ( 98%, 66% and 32%, at 1, 2 and 4 month, respectively). In addition, following inhibition of the intrabiliary catabolism of the tripeptide by acivicin, glutathione efflux rates into bile were significantly reduced by the drug only in 1- and 2 month old rats ( 29% and 55%, respectively) and even tended to increase, although non significantly, in oldest animals. Our data indicate that inhibition of biliary glutathione efflux by CyA was greater in younger rats and support the view that increased intrabiliary catabolism of the tripeptide and inhibition of its canalicular transport could contribute to the decline in biliary glutathione secretion induced by the drug

Aplicación de la técnica de emisión acústica (EA) para auscultación en diversos tipos de materiales y estructuras

Postprint (published version

Frequency of Sexual Dysfunction in Patients Treated with Desvenlafaxine: A Prospective Naturalistic Study

[EN] Despite being clinically underestimated, sexual dysfunction (SD) is one of the most frequent and lasting adverse effects associated with antidepressants. Desvenlafaxine is an antidepressant (AD) with noradrenergic and serotonergic action that can cause a lower SD than other serotonergic ADs although there are still few studies on this subject. Objective: To check the frequency of SD in two groups of depressive patients: one group was desvenlafaxine-naïve; the other was made up of patients switched to desvenlafaxine from another AD due to iatrogenic sexual dysfunction. A naturalistic, multicenter, and prospective study of patients receiving desvenlafaxine (50–100 mg/day) was carried out on 72 patients who met the inclusion criteria (>18 years old and sexually active), who had received desvenlafaxine for the first time (n = 27) or had switched to desvenlafaxine due to SD with another AD (n = 45)