Photosynthetic biomass and H2 production by green algae: From bioengineering to bioreactor scale-up

The development of clean borderless fuels is of vital importance to human and environmental health and global prosperity. Currently, fuels make up approximately 67% of the global energy market (total market = 15 TW year) (Hoffert et al. 1998). In contrast, global electricity demand accounts for only 33% (Hoffert et al. 1998). Yet, despite the importance of fuels, almost all CO2 free energy production systems under development are designed to drive electricity generation (e.g. clean-coal technology, nuclear, photovoltaic, wind, geothermal, wave and hydroelectric). In contrast, and indeed almost uniquely, biofuels also target the much larger fuel market and so in the future will play an increasingly important role in maintaining energy security (Lal 2005). Currently, the main biofuels that are at varying stages of development include bio-ethanol, liquid carbohydrates [e.g. biodiesel or biomass to liquid (BTL) products], biomethane and bio-H-2. This review is focused on placing bio-H-2 production processes into the context of the current biofuels market and summarizing advances made both at the level of bioengineering and bioreactor design

Tratamento de águas residuárias de suinocultura em reator anaeróbio operado em batelada sequencial Treatment of swine wastewater in anaerobic sequencing batch reactor

Neste estudo avaliou-se o desempenho de um reator anaeróbio operado em batelada sequencial, em escala piloto, com volume total de 280 L, no tratamento de águas residuárias de suinocultura. As cargas orgânicas volumétricas aplicadas no reator foram de 4,42; 5,27; 9,33 e 11,79 g DQOtotal (L d)-1. As eficiências médias de remoção de DQOtotal, sólidos suspensos totais (SST) e sólidos suspensos voláteis (SSV) variaram de 56 a 87%. O nitrogênio total Kjedahl (NTK), fósforo total (P-total) e magnésio (Mg) foram removidos com eficiências médias de 26 a 39%. As produções volumétricas de metano variaram de 0,50 a 0,64 L CH4 (L reator d)-1 e não foram observadas diferenças significativas. As relações sólidos voláteis/sólidos totais (SV/ST) do lodo de tal reator variaram de 0,74 a 0,58. As maiores concentrações médias de nutrientes no lodo do reator foram para o nitrogênio, fósforo, ferro e cálcio, com valores de 30.610 a 64.400, 1.590 a 9.870, 6.180 a 8.700 e 1.180 a 6.760 mg kg-1 base seca, respectivamente.<br>In the present study, we evaluated an anaerobic sequencing batch reactor, in pilot scale and with a total volume of 280 L, for the treatment of swine wastewater. The organic loading rates applied in such reactor were 4.42; 5.27; 9.33 and 11.79 g CODtotal (L d)-1. The average efficiencies of removal of CODtotal total solids suspension (TSS) and volatile suspension solids (VSS) varied from 56 to 87%. The nutrients total Kjedahl nitrogen (TKN), total phosphorus (total P) and Mg were removed with average efficiencies from 26 to 39%. The volumetric methane productions varied from 0.50 to 0.64 L CH4 (L reactor d)-1 and did not present significant differences. The VS/TS relations of the aforementioned reactor's sludge varied from 0.74 to 0.58. The highest mean concentrations of nutrients in the reactor sludge were those of nitrogen, phosphorus, iron and calcium, with values from 30.610 to 64.400, 1.590 to 9.870, 6.180 to 8.700 and 1.180 to 6.760 mg kg-1 base dry, respectively

Idiopathic scoliosis and balance organisation in seated position on a seesaw

The aim was to determine the biomechanical processes involved in postural regulation when self-imposed disturbances occur in the seated position in the antero-posterior direction. Twelve female adolescents with right thoracic scoliosis (SG) (Cobb = 30.4° ± 9.7) and 15 control adolescents (CG) were included in this study. The ground reaction forces (GRF) were studied whilst the subjects maintained their balance in the sitting position on a seesaw. Six conditions were tested: eyes open and closed; with an additional load placed on the subject’s right or left shoulder; and with an additional load on the subject’s right or left pelvis. The SG showed significantly higher force amplitudes and variability and fewer oscillations than the CG in all the conditions. In the SG, the time analysis showed that the duration of the GRF was significantly higher in forward and left directions. Whatever the condition tested, the intra-group differences were not significant. The scoliotic patients in seated position were characterised by larger changes of the GRF, especially with a postural control in the forward and left directions, corresponding to that on the concave side of their spinal curvature. No significant differences were found to exist between the various conditions (load and unload, eyes open and eyes closed). Clinical tests and rehabilitation methods should include assessments of seated patients’ spatio-temporal adaptation to GRF

Idiopathic scoliosis: relations between the Cobb angle and the dynamical strategies when sitting on a seesaw

The aim of this study was to determine the influence of the severity of the spinal curve on the postural regulation when self-imposed disturbances occur in a seated position in anteroposterior (AP) and mediolateral (ML) orientations. Twelve female adolescents with a right thoracic scoliosis (Cobb = 30.4° ± 9.7) were included in this study. The ground reaction forces (GRF) were studied while the subjects were maintaining their sitting on a seesaw (ML or AP destabilisation). Five conditions were tested: eyes open; with additional loads placed onto the subject’s right or left shoulder; or onto the subject’s right or left pelvis. We tested the correlation between the Cobb angle and the postural parameters (index of performance and GRF variability) for each condition. When the destabilisation was AP, the Cobb angle was significantly correlated with GRF variability and anterior and concavity index of performance. Two conditions showed higher correlations: stabilisation with the concavity pelvis load (GRF variability) and the open eyes (index of performance). In contrast, whatever the condition tested was, no link was found when the destabilisations were applied in ML direction. The destabilisation in a seated position highlights the influence of the curve severity on the postural organisation. In seated position, the postural control strategies specific to the scoliotic patients were always correlated by severity of curve, especially when the destabilisation is applied in AP directions. This study showed that the unstable seating position can be considered as a pertinent paradigm to help finding a postural clinical index for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis