146 research outputs found

    A review of the determination of organic compounds in Bayer process liquors

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    Bayer process liquors present a difficult and complex matrix to the analytical chemist, and the history of the application of modern analytical techniques to this problem is a case study in innovation. All Bayer process liquors contain organic compounds, in amounts varying from traces to several grams per litre. The total organic carbon content of Bayer liquors may be less than 5 g/L up to as much as 40 g/L. The presence of these organic impurities is of concern to Bayer technologists because they can have significant impacts on the economics of the process and the quality of the product. This review examines the history and current state-of-the-art of the analysis of organics in Bayer process liquors, and provides guidance on the applicable techniques matched to a comprehensive list of the compounds most likely to be present

    Influence of surface texture and acid-base properties on ozone decomposition catalyzed by aluminium (hydroxyl) oxides

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    The decomposition of aqueous ozone in the presence of three aluminum (hydroxyl) oxides was studied,respectively. It was hypothesized that surface hydroxyl groups and acid-base properties of aluminum(hydroxyl) oxides play an important role in catalyzed ozone decomposition. The variables investigatedwere oxide dose, aqueous pH, presence of inorganic anions (sulfate and nitrate), the effect of tert-butylalcohol (TBA) and surface hydroxyl groups density of the three aluminum (hydroxyl) oxides. All threealuminum (hydroxyl) oxides tested, i.e. g-AlOOH (HAO), g-Al2O3 (RAO) and a-Al2O3 (AAO), enhanced the rate of ozone decomposition. The net surface charge of the aluminum (hydroxyl) oxides favored incatalyzed ozone decomposition. The greatest effect on catalyzed ozone decomposition was observedwhen the solution pH was close to the point of zero charge of the aluminum (hydroxyl) oxide. Sulfate and nitrate were substituted for the surface hydroxyl groups of the aluminum (hydroxyl) oxides, which then complexed with Al3+ in a ligand exchange reaction. Therefore, inorganic anions may be able to inhibit catalyzed ozone decomposition. It was confirmed that surface hydroxyl groups were important for ozone decomposition with aluminum (hydroxyl) oxides as catalysts. TBA inhibited ozone decomposition in the presence of HAO, RAO and AAO. It was also tested whether aluminum (hydroxyl) oxides catalyzed ozonetransformed hydroxyl radicals. The relationship between surface hydroxyl groups and the ratio of hydroxyl radical concentration to ozone concentration (Rct) was investigated quantitatively. Higher density of surface hydroxyl groups of the aluminum oxide tested was favorable for the decay of ozone into hydroxyl radicals

    Catalytic efficiency and stability of cobalt hydroxide for decomposition of ozone and p-chloronitrobenzene in water

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    Cobalt hydroxide, a stable and efficient catalyst prepared in the laboratory, has been successfully used in the decomposition of ozone and trace quantities of p-chloronitrobenzene (pCNB) in water. The cobalt hydroxide was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and the Brunauer-Emmet-Teller (BET) method. The decomposition rate of aqueous ozone was increased by 1.527 times in the presence of cobalt hydroxide. Increasing the catalyst loading from 0 to 500 mg/L increased the removal efficiency of pCNB from 59% to 99%. The catalyst morphology and its composition were found to be unaltered after the catalytic reaction. After five successive recycles, the catalyst remained stable in the catalytic ozonation of pCNB

    Mouse Hind Limb Skeletal Muscle Functional Adaptation in a Simulated Fine Branch Arboreal Habitat

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    The musculoskeletal system is remarkably plastic during growth. The purpose of this study was to examine the muscular plasticity in functional and structural properties in a model known to result in significant developmental plasticity of the postcranial skeleton. Fifteen weanling C57BL/6 mice were raised to 16 weeks of age in one of two enclosures: a climbing enclosure that simulates a fine branch arboreal habitat and is traversed by steel wires crossing at 45Β° relative to horizontal at multiple intersections, and a control enclosure that resembles a parking deck with no wires but the same volume of habitable space. At killing, ex vivo contractility properties of the soleus (SOL) and extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscles were examined. Our results demonstrate that EDL muscles of climbing mice contracted with higher specific forces and were comprised of muscle fibers with slower myosin heavy chain isoforms. EDL muscles also fatigued at a higher rate in climbing mice compared to controls. SOL muscle function is not affected by the climbing environment. Likewise, mass and architecture of both EDL and SOL muscles were not different between climbing and control mice. Our data demonstrate that functional adaptation does not require concomitant architectural adaptation in order to increase contractile force

    Impact of bromide and iodide during drinking water disinfection and potential treatment processes for their removal or mitigation

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    In this study, the impact of bromide and iodide on disinfected waters was examined and potential treatment technologies for their removal or mitigation were investigated. Distributed waters from two Western Australian drinking water sources were evaluated in terms of their bromide and iodide concentrations, disinfection by-product (DBP) formation, halogen-specific adsorbable organic halogen (AOX) formation and chlorinous odours after disinfection. In both systems, the brominated DBPs dominated the measured DBPs and, in both cases, the known DSPs accounted for only 30% of total organohalogens. Chloramination with a sufficient free chlorine contact time followed by ammonia addition, rather than preformed monochloramine, may be a viable mitigation strategy for the minimisation of I-OBPs, since exposure to free chlorine should promote the conversion of iodide to iodate, a safe form of iodine. This study has shown that bromide plays an important role in this process, mainly by enhancing the preferred conversion' of iodide to iodate. Ozone pre-treatment selectively oxidised iodide to iodate and minimised the formation of I-OB Ps. Complete conversion of iodide to iodate, while minimising the bromate formation to below the guideline value of 10 Β΅g L-1 was achieved for a wide range of ozone concentrations in raw waters, including raw waters with high bromide concentrations

    Management implications of climate change effect on fisheries in Western Australia Part 1: Environmental change and risk assessment FRDC: Project No. 2010/535

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    Objectives: 1. Assess future climate change effects on Western Australia’s marine environment using a suite of IPCC model projections, downscaled to the key shelf regions and the spatial and temporal scales relevant for key fisheries 2. Examine the modeled shelf climate change scenarios on fisheries and implications of historic and future climate change effects 3. Review management arrangements to examine their robustness to possible effects of climate chang

    Scallop swimming kinematics and muscle performance: modelling the effects of "within-animal" variation in temperature sensitivity

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    Escape behaviour was investigated in Queen scallops (Aequipecten opercularis) acclimated to 5, 10 or 15 degrees C and tested at their acclimation temperature. Scallops are active molluscs, able to escape from predators by jet-propelled swimming using a striated muscle working in opposition to an elastic hinge ligament. The first cycle of the escape response was recorded using high-speed video ( 250 Hz) and whole-animal velocity and acceleration determined. Muscle shortening velocity, force and power output were calculated using measurements of valve movement and jet area, and a simple biomechanical model. The average shortening speed of the adductor muscle had a Q(10) of 2.04, significantly reducing the duration of the jetting phase of the cycle with increased temperature. Muscle lengthening velocity and the overall duration of the clap cycle were changed little over the range 5 - 15 degrees C, as these parameters were controlled by the relatively temperature-insensitive, hinge ligament. Improvements in the average power output of the adductor muscle over the first clap cycle ( 222 vs. 139 W kg(-1) wet mass at 15 and 5 degrees C respectively) were not translated into proportional increases in overall swimming velocity, which was only 32% higher at 15 degrees C ( 0.37m s(-1)) than 5 degrees C (0.28 m s(-1))

    The patriotism of gentlemen with red hair: European Jews and the liberal state, 1789–1939

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    European Jewish history from 1789–1939 supports the view that construction of national identities even in secular liberal states was determined not only by modern considerations alone but also by ancient patterns of thought, behaviour and prejudice. Emancipation stimulated unprecedented patriotism, especially in wartime, as Jews strove to prove loyalty to their countries of citizenship. During World War I, even Zionists split along national lines, as did families and friends. Jewish patriotism was interchangeable with nationalism inasmuch as Jews identified themselves with national cultures. Although emancipation implied acceptance and an end to anti-Jewish prejudice in the modern liberal state, the kaleidoscopic variety of Jewish patriotism throughout Europe inadvertently undermined the idea of national identity and often provoked anti-Semitism. Even as loyal citizens of separate states, the Jews, however scattered, disunited and diverse, were made to feel, often unwillingly, that they were one people in exile

    Convergent and parallel evolution in life habit of the scallops (Bivalvia: Pectinidae)

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    <p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>We employed a phylogenetic framework to identify patterns of life habit evolution in the marine bivalve family Pectinidae. Specifically, we examined the number of independent origins of each life habit and distinguished between convergent and parallel trajectories of life habit evolution using ancestral state estimation. We also investigated whether ancestral character states influence the frequency or type of evolutionary trajectories.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We determined that temporary attachment to substrata by byssal threads is the most likely ancestral condition for the Pectinidae, with subsequent transitions to the five remaining habit types. Nearly all transitions between life habit classes were repeated in our phylogeny and the majority of these transitions were the result of parallel evolution from byssate ancestors. Convergent evolution also occurred within the Pectinidae and produced two additional gliding clades and two recessing lineages. Furthermore, our analysis indicates that byssal attaching gave rise to significantly more of the transitions than any other life habit and that the cementing and nestling classes are only represented as evolutionary outcomes in our phylogeny, never as progenitor states.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Collectively, our results illustrate that both convergence and parallelism generated repeated life habit states in the scallops. Bias in the types of habit transitions observed may indicate constraints due to physical or ontogenetic limitations of particular phenotypes.</p
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