The functional group composition of acid polysaccharides was determined after isolation using cross-flow ultrafiltration, radiolabeling with 234Th(IV) and other isotopes, and separation using isoelectric focusing (IEF) and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE). Phosphate and sulphate concentrations were determined from cultured bacterial and phytoplankton colloid, particulate and colloidal samples collected from the Gulf of M??xico (GOM). Characterization of the 234Th(IV)-binding biomolecule was performed using ion chromatography (IC), and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Radiotracer experiments and culture experiments were conducted in determining the binding environment of the 234Th(IV)-binding ligand (i.e., sorption onto suspended particles), as well as the origin of the ligand in seawater systems. In all samples, 234Th(IV) isoelectric focusing profiles indicated that 49% to 65% of the 234Th(IV) labeled EPS from Roseobacter gallaeciensis, Sagittula stellata, Emiliania huxleyi, Synechococcus elongatus and GOM Station 4-72m was found at a pHIEF of 2 in the IEF spectrum. The carboxylic acid group appeared at the same pHIEF as 234Th(IV) for EPS from Roseobacter gallaeciensis, Emiliania huxleyi, Synechococcus elongatus and GOM colloidal organic matter sample. The phosphate group appeared at the same pHIEF as 234Th(IV) for EPS from Roseobacter gallaeciensis, and Synechococcus elongatus sample. The sulphate group was found at the same pHIEF as 234Th(IV) for EPS from S. elongatus and GOM colloidal organic matter sample. The total polysaccharide content was only 14% and 8%, uronic acids were approximately 5.4% and 87.1%, and total protein content was 2.6% and 6.2% of total carbon content of Sagittula stellata and Synechococcus elongatus, respectively. Monosaccharides identified in both Sagittula stellata and Synechococcus elongatus were galactose, glucose, and xylose in common. In addition, Sagittula stellata contained mannose and Synechococcus elongatus had galactoglucuronic acid. Thus, depending on the species, the size, structural composition, and functional groups of the 234Th(IV)-binding, acidic polysaccharides will vary. From these observations, it is concluded that the steric environment and not necessarily the exact functional group might actually be responsible for thorium-234 complexation to macromolecular organic matter. This research helped to improve our understanding of the observed variability in POC/234Th ratios in the ocean and provided insights into factors that regulate organic carbon export fluxes.

From a fire perspective EPS insulation has characteristics that makes it inflammable and can cause fast fire spread which is aggravating for the fire and rescue services. Reports from fire and rescue operations related to both EPS insulation and construction sites of buildings, show that fires most often are related to faults in protecting combustible materials during hot works such as welding. A case study was performed with the purpose to investigate flaws during handling and installation of EPS insulation at four construction sites. The project consisted of field studies with interviews with respective site managers and a supplier of façade systems. Interviews were also conducted with the fire and rescue services to obtain a deeper understanding for the problems of fire rescue operations during fires with large quantities of EPS insulation and the risks from using combustible insulation in modern building technology. The study showed that fire safety measurements were not taken during handling and installation of EPS insulation in particular. EPS insulation was only looked at from an economical perspective which resulted in large quantities of insulation stored at the construction sites and in scaffolds prior to installation. It was concluded that handling and installation of EPS insulation was inadequate from a construction site fire safety point of view. Furthermore irregularities and lack of thoroughly made inspections of insulation of façade installations show that there are a lot of uncertainty regarding the fire safety of a façade with combustible insulation. Suggestions to limit fires in combustible insulations, increase quality of the construction of facades as well as raise awareness of fire hazards during planning and construction of buildings were made.

Darbe apžvelgiama bendrų pinigų Europoje svarba bei pateikiama ECB funkcijų EPS analizė. Apžvelgiamas ECB ir LB bendradarbiavimas. Remiantis ECB pranešimais apie konvergenciją pateikiama Lietuvos bei Slovėnijos makroekonominių rodiklių palyginamoji analizė bei remiantis Lietuvos finansų ministerijos ir EK parengtais makroekonominių rodiklių prognozių analizė. Išryškinamos pagrindinės ekonomikos problemos. / The importance of common currency in Europe is surveyed and analysis of ECB functions is the EMU is made. The paper also contains an analysis of ECB and LB's cooperation. According to the data given in Convergence Reports a comparable analysis of Lihuania and Slovenia's macroeconomic indexes is performed. According to the data prepared by the Ministry of Finance of Lithuania and the European Commission an analysis of the macroeconomic indexes forecasts is made. Main economic problems in Lithuania are highlighted.

Vertical inclusions of expanded polystyrene (EPS) placed behind rigid retaining walls were investigated as geofoam seismic buffers to reduce earthquake-induced loads. A numerical model was developed using the program FLAC and the model validated against 1-g shaking table test results of EPS geofoam seismic buffer models. Two constitutive models for the component materials were examined: elastic-perfectly plastic with Mohr-Coulomb (M-C) failure criterion and non-linear hysteresis damping model with equivalent linear method (ELM) approach. It was judged that the M-C model was sufficiently accurate for practical purposes. The mechanical property of interest to attenuate dynamic loads using a seismic buffer was the buffer stiffness defined as K = E/t (E = buffer elastic modulus, t = buffer thickness). For the range of parameters investigated in this study, K ≤ 50 MN/m3 was observed to be the practical range for the optimal design of these systems. Parametric numerical analyses were performed to generate design charts that can be used for the preliminary design of these systems. A new high capacity shaking table facility was constructed at RMC that can be used to study the seismic performance of earth structures. Reduced-scale models of geosynthetic reinforced soil (GRS) walls were built on this shaking table and then subjected to simulated earthquake loading conditions. In some shaking table tests, combined use of EPS geofoam and horizontal geosynthetic reinforcement layers was investigated. Numerical models were developed using program FLAC together with ELM and M-C constitutive models. Physical and numerical results were compared against predicted values using analysis methods found in the journal literature and in current North American design guidelines. The comparison shows that current Mononobe-Okabe (M-O) based analysis methods could not consistently satisfactorily predict measured reinforcement connection load distributions at all elevations under both static and dynamic loading conditions. The results from GRS model wall tests with combined EPS geofoam and geosynthetic reinforcement layers show that the inclusion of a EPS geofoam layer behind the GRS wall face can reduce earth loads acting on the wall facing to values well below those recorded for conventional GRS wall model configurations. / Thesis (Ph.D, Civil Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2011-04-28 16:56:57.084

Global concern about the environmental impacts of waste disposal and stringent implementation of environmental laws lead to numerous research on recycled materials. Increased awareness about the inherent engineering values of waste materials, lack of landfill sites and strong demand for construction materials have encouraged research on composite materials, which are either fully or partly made of recycled materials. This trend is particularly strong in transportation and geotechnical projects, where huge quantities of raw materials are normally consumed. Owing to the low mass-to-volume ratio, disposal of Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) is a major problem. In addition, EPS recycling methods are expensive, labour intensive and energy demanding. Hence, this thesis is focused on the development of a new soil composite made by mixing recycled EPS with expansive clays. Given the high cost of damage to various buildings, structures and pavements caused by the unpredictable ground movements associated with expansive soils, it has been considered prudent to try and develop a new method of soil modification using recycled EPS beads as a swell-shrink modifier and desiccation crack controller. The innovative application of recycled EPS as a soil modifier will minimise the quantity of waste EPS destined to the landfill considerably. An extensive experimental investigation has been carried out using laboratory reconstituted expansive soils - to represent varied plasticity indices - consisting of fine sand and sodium bentonite. Three soils notated as SB16, SB24 and SB32 representing 16%, 24% and 32% of bentonite contents respectively were tested with four EPS contents of 0.0%, 0.3%, 0.6% and 0.9%. The tests performed include compaction, free swell, swell pressure, shrinkage, desiccation, shear strength and hydraulic conductivity. All the tests have been performed at the respective maximum dry unit weight and optimum moisture content of the mixes. It has been observed that by mixing of recycled EPS beads with the reconstituted soil, a lightweight geomaterial is produced with improved engineering properties in terms of dry unit weight, swelling, shrinkage and desiccation. The EPS addition depends on the moulding moisture content of the soil. With increasing moisture content, additional EPS can be added. Also, there is a reduction in dry unit weight with the addition of EPS. Furthermore, the reduction of swell-shrink potential and desiccation cracking in soils, for example, is related to the partial replacement of soil particles as well as the elasticity of the EPS beads. There is a reduction in shear strength with the addition of EPS to soils. However, mixing of chemical stabilisers along with EPS can enhance the strength in addition to improved overall properties.

Timber walls are known to be an energy efficient component in the building envelope. These building elements are essential in the passive design and have been pointed out to their ability to regulate the indoor climate and reduce energy demand. Heat transfer measurements of thermal transmittance value of Iso-timber wall component have been performed with the climate chamber at three temperature differences. The influence of temperature variations on the thermal conduction of the wall were investigated. The temperature on the warm side was kept at room temperature 20 °C while the cold side temperature was decreased from 0 C to -20 C during the tests. As the temperature difference is increased, the thermal transmittance value of the timber wall component decreased slightly due to decrease in the thermal conductivity value. The effect of density and porosity on the thermal conductivity may be related to the presence of air voids and cell boundaries inside the timber wall. Results have showed that the U-value of the timber wall component decreases at higher temperature differences which indicates the higher degree of insulation of the timber wall component.

Espumas à base de amido possuem limitações para utilização como embalagens na indústria alimentícia, principalmente, devido à alta hidrofilicidade e fragilidade. Para melhorar essas propriedades, torna-se necessário o uso de plastificantes e outros aditivos, como proteínas e fibras lignocelulósicas, ou ainda um aditivo fonte desses recursos, como a torta de gergelim obtida como resíduo do processamento do gergelim. Sendo assim, o objetivo deste trabalho foi desenvolver e caracterizar espumas à base de amido de mandioca adicionadas de 0 – 40 % (m/m) de resíduo de gergelim, produzidas pelo processo de expansão térmica, a fim de avaliar a influência do aditivo nas propriedades físicas, morfológicas e mecânicas dos materiais obtidos para utilização como embalagens para alimentos. A adição do resíduo resultou em espumas com menores espessuras e densidade aparente, bem como, maior capacidade de expansão dos materiais. Além disso, apresentaram melhores propriedades mecânicas e, em geral, menores capacidade de absorção de água e adsorção de água em baixas umidades relativas, em relação aos materiais compostos somente por amido. Embora as propriedades mecânicas das espumas sejam influenciadas pelas condições de umidade relativa de armazenamento, as espumas contendo 20 % de resíduo (20R) apresentaram uma combinação de propriedades no ensaio de tração (resistência à tração e módulo de elasticidade) que podem ser consideradas comparáveis às amostras de bandejas comercias de poliestireno expandido (EPS), nas três umidades relativas avaliadas (33, 53 e 90 %). Os resultados obtidos nos ensaios de flexão dessas espumas indicaram que as mesmas foram mais rígidas e menos flexíveis do que as amostras de EPS. A adição de 20 % de resíduo resultou em importantes melhorias nas propriedades físicas e mecânicas em comparação às espumas à base de amido de mandioca, além de apresentarem menos defeitos morfológicos do que os observados em espumas com maiores teores do resíduo (30 e 40 %). Foram realizados testes de aplicação das espumas 20R no acondicionamento de dois tipos de alimentos com diferentes teores de umidade: bolo (23 %) e brócolis (91 %), em comparação ao armazenamento em embalagens comerciais de EPS. A partir dos resultados obtidos para a variação de umidade, perda de massa e propriedades mecânicas na flexão das embalagens, foi observado que as espumas propostas não foram adequadas para o acondicionamento das amostras de brócolis, apresentando alta absorção de umidade e deformações após três dias de contato com o alimento. Por outro lado, as espumas 20R mostraram bom desempenho no acondicionamento das amostras de bolo, não apresentando mudanças significativas nas propriedades mecânicas no período de 3 a 9 dias de armazenamento. Dessa forma, o resíduo de gergelim em combinação com o amido de mandioca mostrou elevado potencial para o desenvolvimento de espumas que podem ser utilizadas como embalagens para alimentos com baixos teores de umidade, sendo necessários estudos mais detalhados, considerando principalmente aspectos de segurança para utilização de resíduos em produtos em contato direto com alimentos. / Starch based foams have limitations for use as food packaging, mainly due to high hydrophilicity and fragility. In order to improve these properties it is necessary the use of plasticizers and others additives, such as lignocellulosic fibers and proteins, or an additive source of these constituents like sesame cake, which it is obtained from sesame processing. In this way, the main objective of this work was to develop and characterize starch based foams added with 0 – 40 % (w/w) of sesame residue to evaluate the influence of this additive on physical, morphological and mechanical properties of materials for using as food packaging. The foams were produce by thermal expansion process. Residue addition resulted in foams with smaller thickness and density, as well as greater expansion capacity of the materials produced. In addition, foams incorporated with residue exhibited better mechanical properties and, in general, lower water capacity absorption and water adsorption at low relative humidities compared to foams made only with starch. Although mechanical properties of the foams are affected by storage humidity conditions, foams added with 20 % of residue (20R) showed tensile properties (tensile strength and tensile elasticity modulus) that can be considered comparable to expanded polystyrene (EPS) commercial trays for different relative humidities evaluated (33, 53 and 90 %). Flexural properties indicated that starch foams produced was tougher and less flexible than EPS commercial trays. Addition of 20 % of sesame residue on cassava starch-based foams resulted in relevant improvements compared to foams without residue. Besides that, fewer morphological defects were noted, as observed in foams with higher residue content (30 and 40 %). Thus, 20R formulation was selected to carrying out applicability tests of starch-based foams in packaging of two types of food with different moisture content: cake (23 %) and broccoli (91 %) compared to EPS commercial packaging. From the results obtained for moisture variation, loss of weight and flexural properties of the foams, it was found that the material proposed was not applicable to package broccoli samples. Due to high water absorption by the foams alterations on the shape were noted in the materials after 3 days in contact with this food. Nonetheless, foams based on cassava starch and 20 % of sesame residue exhibited a good performance during storage time of cake samples (9 days). It was not observed any effect on flexural mechanical properties for 3 to 9 days of storage. Thereby, sesame cake added to cassava starch showed high potential to developing foams that could be used as packaging for low moisture food. Additionally, more detailed studies are necessary, especially considering safety aspects mainly for using agricultural residues directly in contact with food products.

Espumas à base de amido possuem limitações para utilização como embalagens na indústria alimentícia, principalmente, devido à alta hidrofilicidade e fragilidade. Para melhorar essas propriedades, torna-se necessário o uso de plastificantes e outros aditivos, como proteínas e fibras lignocelulósicas, ou ainda um aditivo fonte desses recursos, como a torta de gergelim obtida como resíduo do processamento do gergelim. Sendo assim, o objetivo deste trabalho foi desenvolver e caracterizar espumas à base de amido de mandioca adicionadas de 0 – 40 % (m/m) de resíduo de gergelim, produzidas pelo processo de expansão térmica, a fim de avaliar a influência do aditivo nas propriedades físicas, morfológicas e mecânicas dos materiais obtidos para utilização como embalagens para alimentos. A adição do resíduo resultou em espumas com menores espessuras e densidade aparente, bem como, maior capacidade de expansão dos materiais. Além disso, apresentaram melhores propriedades mecânicas e, em geral, menores capacidade de absorção de água e adsorção de água em baixas umidades relativas, em relação aos materiais compostos somente por amido. Embora as propriedades mecânicas das espumas sejam influenciadas pelas condições de umidade relativa de armazenamento, as espumas contendo 20 % de resíduo (20R) apresentaram uma combinação de propriedades no ensaio de tração (resistência à tração e módulo de elasticidade) que podem ser consideradas comparáveis às amostras de bandejas comercias de poliestireno expandido (EPS), nas três umidades relativas avaliadas (33, 53 e 90 %). Os resultados obtidos nos ensaios de flexão dessas espumas indicaram que as mesmas foram mais rígidas e menos flexíveis do que as amostras de EPS. A adição de 20 % de resíduo resultou em importantes melhorias nas propriedades físicas e mecânicas em comparação às espumas à base de amido de mandioca, além de apresentarem menos defeitos morfológicos do que os observados em espumas com maiores teores do resíduo (30 e 40 %). Foram realizados testes de aplicação das espumas 20R no acondicionamento de dois tipos de alimentos com diferentes teores de umidade: bolo (23 %) e brócolis (91 %), em comparação ao armazenamento em embalagens comerciais de EPS. A partir dos resultados obtidos para a variação de umidade, perda de massa e propriedades mecânicas na flexão das embalagens, foi observado que as espumas propostas não foram adequadas para o acondicionamento das amostras de brócolis, apresentando alta absorção de umidade e deformações após três dias de contato com o alimento. Por outro lado, as espumas 20R mostraram bom desempenho no acondicionamento das amostras de bolo, não apresentando mudanças significativas nas propriedades mecânicas no período de 3 a 9 dias de armazenamento. Dessa forma, o resíduo de gergelim em combinação com o amido de mandioca mostrou elevado potencial para o desenvolvimento de espumas que podem ser utilizadas como embalagens para alimentos com baixos teores de umidade, sendo necessários estudos mais detalhados, considerando principalmente aspectos de segurança para utilização de resíduos em produtos em contato direto com alimentos. / Starch based foams have limitations for use as food packaging, mainly due to high hydrophilicity and fragility. In order to improve these properties it is necessary the use of plasticizers and others additives, such as lignocellulosic fibers and proteins, or an additive source of these constituents like sesame cake, which it is obtained from sesame processing. In this way, the main objective of this work was to develop and characterize starch based foams added with 0 – 40 % (w/w) of sesame residue to evaluate the influence of this additive on physical, morphological and mechanical properties of materials for using as food packaging. The foams were produce by thermal expansion process. Residue addition resulted in foams with smaller thickness and density, as well as greater expansion capacity of the materials produced. In addition, foams incorporated with residue exhibited better mechanical properties and, in general, lower water capacity absorption and water adsorption at low relative humidities compared to foams made only with starch. Although mechanical properties of the foams are affected by storage humidity conditions, foams added with 20 % of residue (20R) showed tensile properties (tensile strength and tensile elasticity modulus) that can be considered comparable to expanded polystyrene (EPS) commercial trays for different relative humidities evaluated (33, 53 and 90 %). Flexural properties indicated that starch foams produced was tougher and less flexible than EPS commercial trays. Addition of 20 % of sesame residue on cassava starch-based foams resulted in relevant improvements compared to foams without residue. Besides that, fewer morphological defects were noted, as observed in foams with higher residue content (30 and 40 %). Thus, 20R formulation was selected to carrying out applicability tests of starch-based foams in packaging of two types of food with different moisture content: cake (23 %) and broccoli (91 %) compared to EPS commercial packaging. From the results obtained for moisture variation, loss of weight and flexural properties of the foams, it was found that the material proposed was not applicable to package broccoli samples. Due to high water absorption by the foams alterations on the shape were noted in the materials after 3 days in contact with this food. Nonetheless, foams based on cassava starch and 20 % of sesame residue exhibited a good performance during storage time of cake samples (9 days). It was not observed any effect on flexural mechanical properties for 3 to 9 days of storage. Thereby, sesame cake added to cassava starch showed high potential to developing foams that could be used as packaging for low moisture food. Additionally, more detailed studies are necessary, especially considering safety aspects mainly for using agricultural residues directly in contact with food products.

Submitted by João Arthur Martins (joao.arthur@ufpe.br) on 2015-04-16T18:56:30Z No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 1232 bytes, checksum: 66e71c371cc565284e70f40736c94386 (MD5) Dissertação Biblioteca_Diniz Ramos de Lima Junior pdf.pdf: 5006107 bytes, checksum: a48c411c4d1e3bfb09f9032dfde70aa3 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2015-04-16T18:56:30Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 1232 bytes, checksum: 66e71c371cc565284e70f40736c94386 (MD5) Dissertação Biblioteca_Diniz Ramos de Lima Junior pdf.pdf: 5006107 bytes, checksum: a48c411c4d1e3bfb09f9032dfde70aa3 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013 / LIMA JÚNIOR, Diniz Ramos de. Caracterização microestrutural e mecânica de juntas soldadas utilizando os processos GTAW, FCAW e SMAW. Recife, 2013. 81 f. Dissertação (mestrado) - UFPE, Centro de Tecnologia e Geociências , Programa de Pós-graduação em Engenharia Mecânica, 2013..

Les estuaires, de par leur position stratégique à l'interface entre les eaux continentales et les eaux marines jouent un rôle écologique de première importance et sont le siège de nombreuses activités humaines. L’estuaire de Seine est caractéristique des grands estuaires anthropisés. Le management à long terme de ces écosystèmes soumis à des pressions croissantes réside notamment en une meilleure connaissance de la dynamique spatiale et temporelle des réseaux trophiques estuariens. Le phytoplancton et le microphytobenthos sont les principaux contributeurs de la production primaire (PP) dans ces écosystèmes et sont à la base des réseaux trophiques. Ces compartiments sont souvent réduits à la teneur en chlorophylle du milieu et leur productivité n’a jamais été mesurée à l’échelle de l’estuaire de Seine. L’objectif de ces travaux a été d’estimer la PP de ces compartiments le long du gradient halin. Afin d’accéder à des mesures à une haute résolution spatiale, des mesures de fluorescence modulée (PAM) à haute fréquence ont été couplées à des mesures d’incorporation de carbone (13C) à basse fréquence. Les mesures de production primaire ont été mises en perspective avec la dynamique des paramètres physico-chimiques du milieu et la structure communautés phytoplanctoniques déterminés par différentes techniques (microscopie, cytométrie, biologie moléculaire). La dynamique du carbone excrété sous forme de TEP (Transparent Exopolymeric Particules) et EPS (Exopolymeric substances) a également été étudiée pour chacun des compartiments. Au-delà des méthodologies innovantes mises en place qui montre l’intérêt des mesures à haute fréquence dans ces écosystèmes très dynamiques, ce travail apporte une nouvelle vision de la dynamique du phytoplancton et de la richesse spécifique du microbiome estuarien et apporte une estimation fiable de la production primaire. / The estuaries play an important ecological role and are the site of many human activities because of their strategic position at the interface between continental and marine waters. Seine estuary is characteristic of large anthropized estuaries. Long-term management requires better knowledge of the spatial and temporal dynamics of the estuarine food webs. Phytoplankton and microphytobenthos are the main contributor of primary production (PP) in these ecosystems and are at the basis of trophic food webs. These compartments are often reduced to the chlorophyll concentration and their productivity has never been measured along the Seine estuary. The objective of this study was to estimate the PP of these compartments along the salinity gradient. In order to access to measurements at high spatial resolution, high-frequency measurements of modulated fluorescence (PAM) were coupled to low-frequency carbon (13C) incorporation measurements. The primary production measurements have been put into perspective with the dynamics of the physical and chemical parameters and the structure of phytoplankton communities determined by different techniques (microscopy, cytometry, molecular biology). The dynamics of carbon excreted as TEP (Transparent Exopolymeric Particles) and EPS (Exopolymeric substances) were also studied for each compartment. Beyond the innovative methodologies which demonstrate the interest of high-frequency measurements in these highly dynamic ecosystems, this work provides a new insight into the phytoplankton dynamics and the specific richness of the estuarine microbiome and provides a reliable estimate of primary production.