Please read the abstract in the dissertation. / Dissertation (MSc)--University of Pretoria, 2000. / Plant Science / unrestricted

Orientador: Kathia Fernandes Lopes Pivetta / Coorientador: Rinaldo César de Paula / Banca: Marcos Vieira Ferraz / Banca: Eduardo Custodio Gasparino / Banca: Paulo Hercílio Viegas Rodrigues / Banca: Sergio Valiengo Valeri / Resumo: O processo de produção de mudas é influenciado por vários fatores como o substrato e a época do ano; o substrato pode ser formulado no viveiro, a partir de matérias-primas diversas, como o biossólido ou, adquiridos no mercado. O objetivo do presente trabalho foi avaliar o crescimento inicial de mudas de duas importantes espécies ornamentais Koelreuteria bipinnata Franch. e Beaucarnea recurvata Lem., produzidas em substratos preparados com diferentes proporções de biossólido e, também, em substratos comerciais, em duas épocas de semeadura, respectivamente. Os experimentos foram conduzidos em casa de vegetação existente no Viveiro Experimental de Plantas Ornamentais e Florestais da Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp), Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias, Jaboticabal. Os experimentos foram realizados separadamente para as espécies e o delineamento experimental, em todos os experimentos, foi em blocos casualizados. Para estudar o efeito do biossólido, foram sete tratamentos, constituídos por misturas de diferentes proporções de solo e biossólido e um substrato comercial - testemunha; cinco repetições e 10 plantas por parcela. No estudo do efeito de substratos comerciais, em diferentes épocas de semeadura, os tratamentos foram arranjados em esquema fatorial 3 x 2 (três substratos: Carolina Soil®, Basaplant® e Vermiculita, combinados com duas épocas: outono e primavera); quatro repetições e 10 plantas por parcela. Os dados quantitativos foram submetidos à análise de va... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: The process of seedling production is influenced by several factors such as the substrate and the time of year; the substrate can be formulated in the nursery, from various raw materials such as biosolids or, purchased in the market. The objective of the present work was to evaluate the initial growth of two important ornamental species: Koelreuteria bipinnata Franch. and Beaucarnea recurvata Lem., produced in substrates prepared with different proportions of biosolids, and also in commercial substrates, in two sowing seasons, respectively. The experiments were conducted in a greenhouse at the Experimental Nursery of Ornamental and Forest Plants, of the State University of São Paulo (UNESP), Faculty of Agrarian and Veterinary Sciences, Jaboticabal. The experiments were performed separately for the species and the experimental design was in randomized blocks in all experiments. In order to study the effect of biosolids, seven treatments were performed, consisting of mixtures of different proportions of soil and biosolid and a commercial substrate - control; five replicates and 10 plants per plot. In the study of the effect of commercial substrates, at different sowing times, the treatments were arranged in a 3 x 2 factorial scheme (three substrates: Carolina Soil®, Basaplant® and Vermiculite, combined with two seasons: autumn and spring); four replicates and 10 plants per plot. The quantitative data were submitted to analysis of variance and the averages of the biosolid experi... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Doutor

The objective of this investigation was to evaluate Holmberg's method for simultaneous dissolved oxygen control and parameter estimation in a completely mixed diffused air activated sludge reactor.

An investigation into the removal of phosphorus in the activated sludge process showed that: (1) Luxury uptake of phosphorus may be induced by the presence of an anoxic zone (2) If a primary and secondary anoxic reactor are present in the system, the actual retention time of the primary anoxic reactor will have the dominant effect on the degree of phosphorus removal. (3) In a system where only a primary anoxic reactor is present, there is an optimum actual anoxic retention time for obtaining maximum phosphorus removal. This optimum value appears to coincide with the condition where there is no nett release of phosphorus in the anoxic zone. Decreasing or increasing the actual anoxic retention time either side of the optimum value has a detrimental effect on phosphorus removal. (4) Increasing the influent ammonia-nitrogen and hence the reactor nitrate concentration, enhances phosphorus removal. (5) An increase in aeration reactor pH to between pH 7-8 enhances phosphorus removal. (6) The mechanism of removal does not appear to be precipitation. Although an increase in pH through the anoxic reactor was observed due to denitrification, phosphorus was released into solution. (7) The degree of phosphorus removal is independent of the influent phosphorus concentration. (8) Anoxic stripping of phosphorus is not a pre-requisite for luxury uptake of phosphorus to occur. (9) The concentration of phosphorus removed is a function of the COD utilized. The ratio of phosphorus removed to the COD utilized is constant at a particular sludge age, so that as the concentration of COD utilized increases, the concentration of phosphorus removed increases. (10) The concentration of phosphorus removed is a function of the sludge age. For a fixed biodegradable influent COD, the longer the sludge age, the less phosphorus removed.

Nowadays, plastic waste poses one of the greatest risks to the environment. Plastics affect the environment at all stages of their life cycle. Bioplastics have become widely used as a substitute for conventional plastics, without detailed examination of their behavior in real environmental conditions. As a result, it is assumed that they can accumulate in the environment and the question arose as to how to identify them. The main goal of this thesis is to develop a method based on sample pyrolysis that is suitable for the identification and determination of the amount of PLA microplastics in soil and other solid matrices. Three types of soils and sludge were used for analysis. These matrices were spiked to obtain concentration ranges 0,2% - 5,0%. The pyrolysis resulted in evolution of gases with the signals m/z 29, 43 and 44, witch originated from PLA and are suitable for qualitative and quantitative analysis. Analysis of PLA in sludge was more complicated due to similarity of gases evolved from pure matrices. We tested three approaches based on analysis of signal´s peak areas, intensities and temperatures of gas evolution. While the first approach failed, the last two approaches appeared to be promising for qualitative and quantitative analysis of PLA in the sludge. Several methods suitable for qualitative and quantitative analysis of even very small amounts of PLA in soils and sludge have also been designed/developed. These methods were based on analysis of the composition and dynamics of the released gases and the characterisctic degradation temperatures.

Nudging has received a lot of attention since the concept was introduced in 2008. A nudge is an element in the environment that attracts people's attention and changes their behavior but does so in a way that is not coercive. It is used as a tool to help people make decisions that benefit themselves but also society at large. In Lambohov, an area in Linköping, Sweden, a project called “Hållbara kvarteren i Lambohov” was created with the aim of influencing people to more sustainable choices. In this thesis, a case study of the project is conducted where we examine factors that lead to failed nudges. We analyze why nudging does not work as a tool to influence consumers to more sustainable choices.    We identify three main factors why nudging tools do not give the desired effect. Firstly, the design of the nudge is not well made. Secondly, the incentives are not strong enough to change behavior. Lastly, it is difficult to determine whether a nudging tool has failed or not depending on whether the effects are measured in the short or long term. In addition, we conclude that a so-called pro-self nudge (where the goal is to influence the individual's choice for their own gain) was a strength in the project and works better than the pro-social nudge (intended to benefit society at large). A weakness the study identifies is that the environment in which some of the nudges were placed does not support the behavioral change. Furthermore, no follow-up of the project was done, which makes it difficult to determine whether a behavioral change will be lasting.    Finally, we can state that one factor in the failure of nudging tools is its limitation as a policy tool. All individuals control their own choice and decision-making process. Nudging can function as a complement rather than a substitute for traditional policy instruments, such as regulations and taxes. Based on the results of this study, more regulatory tools may be required to achieve Agenda 2030 and get a carbon-neutral Linköping 2025.

Sediments and sewage sludges are part of the environment. Sewage sludges are formed in wastewater treatment plants as solid residues after water purification, therefore they have antropogenic origine. Although the sediment are formed by natural processes, humans also contribute to their formation. Sediments and sewage sludges can be a reservoir of a number of contaminants, due to their properties. Utilisation of sediments and sewage sludges as material for recultivation or a natural fertilizer is currently supported. But after application to the land, contaminants can be released to the environment. The consideration of ecotoxicological effects of sediments and sewage sludges is very important. Sediments and sewage sludges were ecotoxicologicaly evaluated by bioassays with water leacheate and by whole sediment bioassays. Daphnia magna, Thamnocephalus platyurus, Sinapis alba and Lemna minor were used to perform tests with water leacheate. Heterocypris incongruens, Lactuca sativa and Eisenia fetida were used to perform whole sediment tests.

No description available.

京都大学 / 0048 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(工学) / 甲第22430号 / 工博第4691号 / 新制||工||1732(附属図書館) / 京都大学大学院工学研究科都市環境工学専攻 / (主査)教授 高岡 昌輝, 教授 米田 稔, 准教授 大下 和徹 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Philosophy (Engineering) / Kyoto University / DFAM

Master of Science