Cigarette butts are rapidly accumulating on our planet; trillions of them are discarded every year. In this paper, I examine why cigarette litter is a problem. I first discuss the biodegradability of filters and its scientific basis, including ways to enhance degradation rates by chemically manipulating filters. I also talk about the persistence of cigarette chemicals and their potential toxic effects on children and animals. I consider other social, economic, and environmental consequences of cigarette filters and chemicals. Furthermore, I discuss various solutions smokers and non-smokers alike have created to address the problem of cigarette litter; these methods come from a wide range of artistic, science-based, and policy-based perspectives. Finally, my thesis examines this issue in the context of a college campus – Pomona College in Claremont, CA. I discuss a map showing the number of cigarette litter around buildings and sidewalks on campus and consider factors that influence the location and high counts of litter. Finally, I make recommendations for the college based on my findings.

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Improvement of the efficiency of carbon dioxide (CO2) separation from flue gases has been identified as a high-priority research area to reduce the total energy cost of carbon capture and sequestration technologies in coal-fired power plants. Efficient CO2 removal from flue gases by adsorption systems requires the design of novel sorbents capable of capturing, concentrating and recovering CO2 on a cost-effective basis. The preparation of a novel aminosilane-functionalized cellulosic polymer sorbent by grafting of aminosilanes showed promising performance for CO2 separation and capture. A strategy for the introduction of N-(2-aminoethyl)-3-aminoisobutyldimethylmethoxysilane functionalities into cellulose acetate backbone by anhydrous grafting is described in this study. The dry sorption capacity of the aminosilane-functionalized cellulosic polymer reached 27 cc (STP) CO2/ cc sorbent at 1 atm and 39 cc (STP) CO2/ cc sorbent at 5 atm and 308 K. Exposure to water vapor slightly increased the sorption capacity of the sorbent, suggesting its potential for rapid cyclic adsorption processes under humid feed conditions. In addition, a strategy for the preparation of a cellulose acetate-titanium(IV) oxide sorbent by the reaction of cellulose acetate with titanium tetrachloride is presented. The organic-metal hybrid sorbent presented a sorption capacity of 14 cc (STP) CO2/ cc sorbent at 1 atm and 49 cc (STP) CO2/ cc sorbent at 5 atm and 308 K. The novel CO2 sorbents were characterized in terms of chemical composition, density changes, molecular structure, thermal stability, and surface morphology.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Institute of Paper Chemistry, 1942. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 106-107).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Institute of Paper Chemistry, 1964. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 67-72).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Institute of Paper Chemistry, 1940. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 113-117).

Both novel membrane materials with better separation characteristics and a better fundamental understanding of membrane transport stability are needed to improve the competitiveness of commercial membrane separations. In this work, the effect of a novel moiety, hexafluoroalcohol, on the gas transport properties of an aromatic polyimide membrane are evaluated. The hexafluoroalcohol group increases the membrane’s fractional free volume, which increases the membrane’s permeability to all gases. Additionally, the HFA-containing polyimide shows resistance to plasticization by carbon dioxide. However, ideal selectivity for several gas pairs is unchanged by the inclusion of hexafluoroalcohol and the increase in the polymer’s fractional free volume. This lack of selectivity loss with increasing free volume is attributed to hydrogen bonding between the hexafluoroalcohol and imide groups, which reduces chain mobility. The ethanol dehydration characteristics of a so-called “TR” polymer are also evaluated in this work. TR polymers are heterocyclic, aromatic polymers synthesized by a solid-state, high temperature condensation from ortho-functional polyimides. Pervaporation studies on a representative TR polymer film demonstrate that the material has separation properties that exceed those of a commercial ethanol dehydration membrane. The transport properties of the TR film, combined with high thermal and chemical stability characteristic of these materials, make TR polymers promising materials for high-temperature, high-water content ethanol dehydration. Finally, the physical aging and plasticization of cellulose triacetate, the dominant natural gas purification membrane, is presented. Although this material has been used industrially for over 30 years, the physical aging and plasticization of the material, particularly in sub-micron films, has never been studied. Although cellulose triacetate does show physical aging behavior, as observed by permeability decreases over time, cellulose triacetate thin films do not show accelerated aging. Furthermore, the plasticization of thin cellulose triacetate films is reduced, rather than increased as seen in other polymers. The unusual transport stability of thin cellulose triacetate films may be due to their complex, semi-crystalline morphology, which, due to the thermal instability of the material, may not be thermally controlled. / text

Open wounds account for about 50% of military injuries and 10% of non‐fatal traffic injuries. Scar tissue formation in these wounds may be reduced or prevented if treated with a combination of molecules whose release is tuned to the healing phases. The goal of this research was to develop flexible, layered drug delivery films for sequential, localized release of anti‐inflammatory, anti‐oxidant, and anti‐fibrotic molecules to soft tissue. Films were composed of cellulose acetate phthalate (CAP) and Pluronic F‐127 (Pluronic). To impart flexibility, plasticizers, triethyl citrate (TEC) or tributyl citrate (TBC), were added. Mechanical analysis was performed on films as prepared and following phosphate‐buffered saline incubation to determine property changes after implantation. Tensile tests revealed higher plasticizer content increased film elongation but decreased elastic modulus and ultimate tensile strength. TEC films elongated twice as much as those with TBC. After incubation, properties increased because plasticizer leached from films. Micro computerized tomography and scanning electron microscopy determined how erosion and plasticizer leaching affected the film’s structures before and after incubation. Porosity increased as plasticizer content increased; however, plasticizer content did not significantly affect erosion rates. Next, effects of drugs with plasticizers on film erosion, release, and mechanical properties were investigated. Films were loaded with quercetin, an anti‐oxidant, or pirfenidone, an anti‐fibrotic, and plasticized with TEC or TBC. TEC‐plasticized films containing quercetin released drug at a slower rate than TBC films. Pirfenidone‐loaded films released drug at a faster rate than erosion occurred for both plasticizers. Increased pirfenidone loading resulted in significantly higher modulus and decreased elongation, an anti‐plasticizer effect. Increasing quercetin loading significantly increased elongation. Size, solubility, and structure differences between quercetin and pirfenidone affected drug interaction with the films and the consequent mechanical and release properties. Cell studies found TBC to be toxic even in low concentrations. Consequently, only TEC was further analyzed. Layered devices containing two drugs demonstrated sequential release regardless of drug order. Plasticizer concentration did not significantly affect the release profiles. Lastly, in vitro and in vivo 9‐layered device studies sequentially released drugs confirming the research objective: sequential, local release of anti‐inflammatory, anti‐oxidant, and anti‐fibrotic molecules from CAPPluronic films.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:33:29Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2010-02-25Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T20:05:27Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 oliveira_gf_dr_arafcf.pdf: 1597111 bytes, checksum: 8e048dc196c11ce687d14ea7159987ad (MD5) / Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) / Neste estudo foi desenvolvido um sistema multiparticulado magnético (SMM) à base de quitosana (QS), pectina (PC) e acetoftalato de celulose (CAP), pelo método da coacervação complexa. O sistema contém um glicocorticóide, a triancinolona (TC), e, como material magnético, a ferrita (F). Em estudos anteriores, este SMM mostrou-se promissor para conduzir a liberação modificada de fármacos para a região colônica. Segundo análises in vitro, ele associou a liberação pH-dependente à liberação enzimática, típica do ambiente colônico. Entretanto, devido à complexidade do trato gastrintestinal (TGI), torna-se essencial que formas farmacêuticas desenvolvidas para liberação alvo-específica sejam avaliadas in vivo, para que se possa estabelecer uma correlação in vitro/in vivo adequada. Baseado nesses fatos, o objetivo deste trabalho foi o monitoramento do trânsito gastrintestinal (TG) do sistema proposto até sua chegada ao cólon, através de uma técnica não invasiva, livre de radiação, a Biosusceptometria de Corrente Alternada (BAC), que pudesse avaliar o trânsito gastrintestinal (TG) do SMM em voluntários saudáveis em jejum e no estado alimentado. Foram também realizadas análises do perfil de liberação in vivo da TC. Os resultados obtidos mostraram que o sistema desenvolvido foi capaz de produzir campo magnético de intensidade suficiente para ser detectado e que a BAC foi capaz de monitorar o trânsito gastrintestinal do SMM até sua chegada ao cólon. O estado pós-prandial influenciou significativamente o esvaziamento gástrico, sendo o tempo médio de 107,5 min ± 43,37 min no estado de jejum e de 260min ± 67,64 min no estado alimentado. Além do esvaziamento gástrico mais demorado no estado alimentado, o trânsito pelo intestino delgado e a chegada ao cólon também foram influenciados pelo estado pós-prandial. Não foi possível estabelecer correlação... / In this study a magnetic multiparticulate system (MMS) based on chitosan (CS), pectin (PC) and cellulose acetophtalate (CAP) was developed by means of a complex coacervation method. The system contains a glucocorticoid, triamcinolone (TC), and ferrite (F) as magnetic material. In earlier studies, this MMS showed to be a promising system for modified drug release to target the colonic region. As in vitro analyses proved, it was able to associate pHdependent and enzymatic controlled, typical from the colonic environment, drug releases. However, due to the complexity of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT), it is essential that pharmaceutical dosage forms developed to perform target specific drug release may be evaluated also in vivo, in order to establish an adequate in vitro/in vivo correlation. Based on these issues, the aim of this work was the monitoring of the gastrointestinal transit (GT) of the proposed system until it reaches the colon, by means of a non-invasive, radiation free technique, namely the Alternate Current Biosusceptometry (ACB), which could evaluate the MMS transit in healthy volunteers both in fasting and fed states. Analyses of the in vivo TC release profile were also carried out. The results showed that the developed system was able to generate magnetic field strong enough to be detected and that ACB was efficient to monitoring the MMS transit until its arrival in the colon. The postprandial state influenced significantly the gastric emptying, being 260.0 min ± 67.64 min the mean time for the fed state and 107.5 min ± 43.37 min for the fasting state. Additionally to a longer gastric emptying time, the transit within the small intestine and the arrival in the colon were also influenced by the postprandial state. It was not possible to establish a valid in vivo/in vitro correlation between the drug released profiles... (Complete abstract click electronic access below)