Investment efficiency of floating platforms desalination technology in Egypt

Over 2,000 km of sea coasts with different environmental conditions may provide Egypt with alternative energy solution that may be used for electricity production and water desalination, required for the vast urban expansion, mainly along the coastal areas to relieve population pressure from the old valley and delta, and to create new community opportunities in new regions. The proposed platform discussed in this paper is a mobile platform in order to supply any costal city with fresh water to prevent any water crisis. The aim of this research paper is to make an economic comparison between floating stations and fixed stations on the ground and to determine the extent of the preference of one over the other to take the appropriate investment decision that can benefit the vast Egyptian coasts. The result of the study showed the possibility of recovering the invested capital during a period of 5 years and 5 months for the floating platform and 5 years and 8 months for the fixed ground station. Economic indicators have also been used to conduct comparison such as net present value of cash flows, cost-to-cost standard, internal rate of return, sensitivity analysis ([10% cost increase] [10% decrease in revenue] [both together]). All results were positive in favour of the floating platform of the desalination plant

Evaluation of some pulmonary functions and pleuropulmonary complications after endoscopic sclerotherapy of gastric fundal varices at Zagazig university hospitals

Background: Incidence of gastric fundal varices is about 16–70% of patients with portal hypertension. It causes upper gastrointestinal bleeding in about 10–15% of cases. There are different methods used for the management of gastric varices. Endoscopic injection of N-Butyl-Cyanoacrylate (NBCA) is considered to be the choice for control of active bleeding from gastric varices. Pulmonary complications of sclerotherapy are common and varying from minor complications to severe complications as pleural effusion, lung collapse, consolidation, adult respiratory distress syndrome and pulmonary embolism. Aim: To evaluate pulmonary functions after endoscopic sclerotherapy of gastric fundal varices by N-Butyl-Cyanoacrylate and the effect of incentive spirometry (IS) on post sclerotherapy pulmonary functions. Methods: Sixty patients with liver cirrhosis and portal hypertension were included in the study. All patients were subjected to full history and careful clinical examination, upper GI endoscopy, Child-Turcotte-Pugh classification, chest X-ray and high resolution CT chest with contrast on the day just before endoscopy and within 48 h post procedure, ABGs and spirometry for FVC (%pred), FEV1 (%pred), FEV1/FVC%, FEF 25–75 (%pred) and PEFR (%pred) 6 h before and 2 days after GI endoscopy. Patients were divided into two groups according to the result of upper GI endoscopy: Group 1: included 30 patients with liver cirrhosis and portal hypertension, with upper GI endoscopy revealed gastric fundal varices and injection sclerotherapy with NBCA was done; Group 2: included 30 patients with liver cirrhosis and portal hypertension with upper GI endoscopy showed no gastric fundal varices or non risky, small sized fundal varices which were not injected. G1 was further divided randomly into 2 subgroups (G1a and G1b) with measurement of ABGs and spirometry parameters after application of incentive spirometry. Results: 16.67% and 6.67% of patients in group (1) developed pleural effusion and atelectatic bands of the lung respectively after sclerotherapy. There was a statistically significant decrease in PaO2, FVC (%pred), FEV1 (%pred) and FEF 25–75 (%pred) in group (1) after sclerotherapy from 80.12 ± 12.91, 98.25 ± 10.74, 90.86 ± 4.21 and 82.12 ± 29.21 to 71.96 ± 19.89, 82.11 ± 9.61, 75.65 ± 3.15 and 50.03 ± 20.11 respectively. The deteriorated parameters in G1a was improved after the application of incentive spirometry for 2 days regarding PaO2, SaO2, FVC, FEV1 and FEF 25–75 from 69.91 ± 17.93, 90.01 ± 3.84, 80.27 ± 8.71, 75.12 ± 1.96, 52.14 ± 19.24 to 83.23 ± 19.07, 97.85 ± 5.72, 88.97 ± 9.94, 87.01 ± 1.03, 72.91 ± 18.13, respectively, on the other hand, there was a non significant statistical difference in all parameters of G1b. Also, there was a significant correlation between numbers of NBCA ampoules used for sclerotherapy and decrease in Post procedure PaO2, Post FEV1 (%pred), Post FVC (%pred) and Post FEF 25–75 (%pred). Conclusions: NBCA injection of gastric fundal varices was associated with significant, reversible deterioration in some pulmonary functions, atelectasis and minimal pleural effusion with significant rapid improvement if incentive spirometry is used

Evaluating the Performance of Fertilizer Draw Solutions by Using the Modified Cellulosic Composite Forward Osmosis Membranes

This paper deals with various fertilizer influences to draw solutions to the neat CTA/CA, MA/CTA/CA, and the Al2O3/MA/CTA/CA nanocomposite (NC) modified membrane. Also, the applicability of the neat CTA/CA, MA/CTA/CA, and The Al2O3/MA/CTA/CA nanocomposite (NC) modified membrane display high water flux when it used to desalinate brine water sample collected from the brine mid-stream from Mersa Matruh area, North-Western Coast of Egypt. The salinity of the collected sample is 12760 mg/L and PH (8.5) and used as FS, and 1M from different fertilizer draw solutes (DFDS) include KCl, NH4Cl, (NH4)2SO4, and K2HPO4 used as DS. The results reveal that the flux was KCl and NH4Cl (17.8 L/m2.h) and followed by (NH4)2SO4 (17.1 L/m2.h) and K2HPO4 (16.6 L/m2.h) using the natural saline water as FS using Al2O3/MA/CTA/CA NC modified membrane. The reusability test of the synthesised Al2O3/MA/CTA/CA NC modified membrane showed good sustainability during the 1260 min continuous test. The FO application displayed a great potential to be interested in brine wastewater desalination and enhanced water source sustainability to use in agriculture fertigation

Geochemical and Isotopic Evidence of Groundwater Salinization Processes in El Dabaa Area, Northwestern Coast, Egypt

El Dabaa city is located along the northwestern coast ridge zone of Egypt, where the groundwater is the major water source for drinking, domestic, and agricultural purposes. The groundwater salinity increased over the last decades, therefore, geochemical techniques and environmental isotopes have been utilized to identify the main groundwater recharge and salinization sources. The study area comprises two main groundwater aquifers: the porous oolitic Pleistocene and the fractured limestone Miocene aquifers. The groundwater salinity of the Pleistocene aquifer ranges from 751 to 27,870 mg/L, with an average value of 6006 mg/L. The salinity of the Miocene aquifer ranges from 3645 to 41,357 mg/L, with an average value of 11,897 mg/L. Fresh and brackish groundwater have been recorded in the shallow hand-dug wells, while saline groundwater has been found in deeper wells close to the shoreline. Groundwater samples have been categorized into two distinct groups according to the salinity ranges, hydrochemical ion ratios, and stable isotopic content. Group I is composed of groundwater with salinity less than 10,000 mg/L, and depleted stable isotopic content (−5.64 < δ18O < −2.45; −23.5 < δ2H < −0.02), while Group II contains groundwater with salinity values above 10,000 mg/L and relatively enriched stable isotopic content (−1.86 < δ18O < −0.48; −10.3 < δ2H < −2.0). The weight mass balance mixing model shows that Group I falls close to the rain and/or water extract samples, indicating meteoric water origin that has evolved due to leaching and dissolution processes. Group II is mostly located between the rainwater and the seawater samples, revealing mixing with water of marine origin due to groundwater overexploitation. The estimated seawater mixing index (SMI) of groundwater samples of Group II is greater than one, which confirms mixing with seawater. The water-rock reaction NETPATH (geochemical groundwater reaction and mixing code) model scenarios representing Group I suggests that gypsum, dolomite, and halite are dissolved, while calcite is formed with a slight influence from evaporation processes. Six mixing models representing Group II are used to investigate seawater mixing scenarios. The models suggest that illite and dolomite are dissolved, while calcite and gypsum are precipitated with a seawater mixing ratios ranging from 28% to 98%. In conclusion, due to the scarcity of annual groundwater recharge in the El Dabaa area, groundwater withdrawal should be well managed to avoid groundwater salinization and further seawater intrusion