Sysnthesis of a Carbon-Based Catalyst from Sludge

The synthesis of a carbon-based catalyst from sludge materials such as produced by the paper mill industry and the like is described wherein the treated material is subjected to processing including chemical activation with an appropriate metal-based activating agent, light and humidity treatment, and pyrolysis to result in a desired carbon-based catalyst.Sponsorship: Illinois Institute of TechnologyUnited States Paten

Corporate Social Responsibility Practices in China: Trends, Context, and Impact on Company Performance

This study analyzes the trends, context, and impact of corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives on company’s performance and productivity in China. We use environmental and social responsibility data in 34,000 CSR projects released by 839 companies in 31 provinces from 2006 to 2016. Clustering methods as wells as ordinary least squares and the fixed effects panel regression modeling are performed to provide insights on the context, trends, and impact of CSR projects on companies’ productivity and financial outcomes. Results of data processing and modeling indicate that: (a) most projects focused on improving companies’ environmental sustainability (compared to social); (b) implementation of both environmental and social projects had positive impacts on companies’ performance; and (c) trends, context, and impact of the projects varied with time, company type, and location (provinces). In addition, data suggest that companies operating in regions with lower economic conditions (GDP per capita) seem to be less motivated to implement environmental and social sustainability projects compared to those operating in regions with higher economic conditions. This study is meaningful for both companies that consider adopting CSR initiatives, as well as stakeholders and managers who aim to promote sustainable development in China

Synthesizing Carbon from Sludge

The synthesis of carbon, particularly in an activated form, from sludge materials such as composed of biosolids and the like is described wherein the treated material is subjected to processing including chemical activation, light and humidity treatment, pyrolysis and physical activation to result in an activated carbon of high surface area and microporosity.Sponsorship: Illinois Institute of TechnologyUnited States Paten

A qualitative multi-criteria, multi stakeholder decision making tool for sustainable waste management

Environmental sustainability is a concept, a vision for business, government, and the society, a goal to be achieved, and a strategy to guide and organise efforts toward more sustainable economic development. This paper proposes environmental management and sustainability strategic tools and techniques to facilitate stakeholder agreement, practical viability, and achievable efficiencies in pollution prevention, cleaner production, and life cycle sustainability assessment. This paper’s contribution to achieving sustainability goals and objectives is a qualitative multi-criteria and multi-stakeholder model to assess a portfolio of options for reducing environmental waste resulting from economic activities. The proposed model and its application for managing tobacco industry post-consumer waste demonstrate how challenges in integrating sustainability into business and government decision-making (economic, ecological-environmental and social) can be minimised to achieve strategic sustainability by incorporating multiple alternatives, viewpoints, and stakeholder perspectives

Temperature dependence of gas-phase polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon and organochlorine pesticide concentrations in Chicago air

The temperature dependence of gas-phase atmospheric concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and organochlorine pesticides measured in Chicago, IL between June and October 1995 were investigated using plots of the natural logarithm of partial pressures (lnP) vs. reciprocal mean temperatures (1/T). For the eight lowest molecular weight PAHs, temperature dependence was statistically significant (at the 95% confidence level) and temperature accounted for 23-49% of the variability in gas-phase concentrations. The relatively higher slopes for most of the PAHs suggested that volatilization from local sources and short-range transport influenced their concentrations. For pesticides, temperature dependence was statistically significant for DDD and for trans-nonachlor (at the 95% and 90% confidence levels), and was not statistically significant for the other five compounds (2-18% of the variability in their gas-phase concentrations). The relatively lower slopes for individual pesticides suggested that they have mostly non-urban and distant sources.Results of back trajectory analyses suggested that the region, southwest of Chicago, might be an important local or regional source sector for PAHs and organochlorine pesticides. No statistically significant relationship was observed between wind speed and PAH or pesticide concentrations. None of the variables (temperature, wind speed, wind direction, local and regional sources) could fully explain the variation in their concentrations measured in Chicago, therefore, this variation can be attributed to the combined effect of those factors