Research regarding the common problems of design of the bunkers – A review

Understanding the behavior of granular material in a bunker not only helps to design properly and achieve the correct granular flow, but also needs the engineer to ensure that the bunker is properly designed and conducted to withstand the tasks and demands exercised during its operation. Small and shallow bunkers are commonly used in industry when free space is limited. Shallow bunkers induce the flow of the funnel, which can cause problems such as segregation and agglomeration of the material inside it, which leads to considerable damage to the final product. The design and location of a suitable power supply and an appropriate outlet is still critical and is perceived rather as a science. The paper presents some innovative solutions related to the design, modeling and construction of solid material storage and unloading bunkers

Synthesis, characterization and biological activity of new Ni(II), Pd(II) and Cr(III) complex compounds with chlorhexidine

Six new coordination compounds of Ni(II), Pd(II) and Cr(III) with chlorhexidine, 1,1′-hexamethylenebis[5-(4-chlorophenyl)biguanide], were prepared, characterized and examined for their potential as antimicrobial agents, as well as for their antioxidant activity. The metal complexes correspond to the formulas: [Ni(CHX)]Cl2·2H2O, [Ni(CHX)]Br2·2H2O, [Ni(CHX)](CH3COO)2·C2H5OH, [Pd(CHX)][PdCl4]·2H2O, [Pd(CHX)](CH3COO)2 and [Cr(CHX)Cl2](CH3COO), where CHX = chlorhexidine. Investigations on the in vitro antimicrobial activity of the complexes indicated that all have high activity against the tested bacteria, but are less active against fungi. Among the six complexes, those of Pd(II) showed the highest antibacterial activity, [Pd(CHX)][PdCl4]·2H2O being more active against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria than chlorhexidine diacetate. The antioxidant activity of the metal complexes was investigated by photochemiluminescence and the results showed that the palladium( II) complexes have high antioxidant activities

Revaluation of bamboo as biomass

Bamboo is a grassy plant that grows rapidly, is also a renewable natural resource and with a high yield. There are many applications and uses of bamboo, which led to its planting around the world. Among the industries in which bamboo has by now experienced extensive exploitation, we can remember the textile, construction, furniture ; even food, pharmaceutical or cosmetic industries. Biomass is the plant material that is used as a renewable energy resource. This is achieved others by cultivating plants specially used for energy production or by using resistors from small industrial sectors. The current paper highlights the potential for the recovery of bamboo as biomass, both in terms of the fact that bamboo is a plant that is believed to be an inexhaustible resource, but also for the wide amount of rest from its multiple uses

The influence of environmental factors and heavy metals in the soil on plants’ growth and development

Plants need certain conditions that represent their living environment. When the living environment provides the conditions required by the plant, it will grow and develop properly. The growth and development of plants involve environmental factors, which represent those constituent elements of the natural environment, which actively intervene in plants’ life. The present work shows the characteristics of an agricultural soil, contaminated with heavy metals (Cu, Pb and Zn) in different concentrations, which has been divided into pots, in which were thereafter planted vegetable seedlings (tomatoes, cucumbers, parsley, spinach, carrots, radishes). During the plants’ growing time, the temperature and humidity of the air inside the greenhouse, as well as the humidity and pH of the soil, were monitored. The growth and the development of the plants under certain conditions were also tracked, until the end of the growing period. The results of monitoring the plants’ growth and development are important in assessing the impact of the contamination over the soil and the plants

Study on the effects and changes of soil degradation under the influence of antibiotics

The use of antibiotics in large quantities against the combat of pests in soils, indicates an increased remanence of them, which leads to major environmental risks. After entering in the soil, antibiotics are subjected to a succession of biogeochemical processes under the action of multiple environmental factors: absorption, migration, transformation, degradation or nutritional prosperity of plants. In order to know the current state of the environment and the effects of antibiotics it is essential to discover procedures for improving the degradation and combating the dissemination of antibiotic resistance. Research in recent years on the extraction of antibiotics from the soil is based on complex processes, such as: Soxhlet extraction, ultrasonic extraction or accelerated solvent extraction. Soil residue was determined using liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry, being the equipment that provides the highest accuracy in the analysis of polar compounds in very low concentrations. The purpose of the paper is to find an efficient and ecological solution for the elimination of antibiotics from soils and to highlight the evaluation of the contaminated land regarding the antibiotic residues and the impact on the composition of the bacterial community. Information about the effects of antibiotics accumulated in soil, persistence, resistance and sensitivity to chemical and microbiological substances, degradation and results related to soil fertility and crop production are highlighted