Sequential injection has, over the past eight years, developed into a viable alternative to flow-injection, but its full potential has not yet been fully realized. It developed out of existing flow-injection methods when a need for mechanically simple and robust flow-injection methodology arose. In this study the development of this method is discussed with its numerous advantages and disadvantages over existing flow-injection methods. The theoretical basis on which this technique is based is outlined as well as parameters that influence the design of the manifold. With the manifold design principles established, the manifold is evaluated using real sample analysis, with liquid fertilizer as the source of selected elements. Adjustments made to existing flow-injection methods, for the determination of nitrite with sequential injection analysis, are discussed, while a new method is proposed for nitrate determination. The viability of solid-phase reductors and in situ preparation of reagents, combined with sequential injection analysis, is also studied. / Dissertation (MSc (Chemistry))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Chemistry / unrestricted

The citrus industry is one of South Africa's largest agricultural sectors in terms of export earnings with lemon fruits and juice as a trendsetter due to their high grade quality. According to growers, the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa alone produces an excess of about 10-14,000 tons of lemon juice which is presently of no economic value due to the sour taste and “bitterness”. As a result of this excess and in order to make use of the polyprotic acids naturally occurring in the lemon juice, four fertilizer nutrient mixtures are formulated, using lemon juice as base. From a conceptual scientific approach, characterization (physico-chemical and functional properties determinations) of Eureka Lemon fruit juices were undertaken, followed by smaller scale batch formulation experiments. On the basis that these lemon juice-based fertilizer mixtures are prepared following standard liquid fertilizer formulation guidelines, a field test was conducted to evaluate their potential effectiveness to influence plant growth. A growth chamber testing on tomato plants revealed high growth response (> 99.9 % certainty) potential in two of the semi-organic mixtures formulated while the organic mixture showed a relatively good growth rate as compared to the control (pure tap water). According to statistical analysis (ANOVA) comparison, two of the semi-organic mixtures performed considerably better than the two commercial samples evaluated. Potential benefits profoundly associated with these nutrient mixtures as compared to similar liquid fertilizer products on the market is that most nutrients are chelated and dissolved in solution. Also, the mixtures contain all necessary nutrients including plant growth substances required for healthier plant growth. The most important socioeconomic impact is the value addition to the technology chain in the citrus industry. The use of fluid fertilizers in significant quantities is less than twenty years old. Nevertheless, growth has been so rapid that in South Africa demand for mixed liquid fertilizer has greatly increased from 90 000 tons NPK & blended micronutrients in 1955 to more than 600 000 per annum tons today (Report 41/2003, Department of Minerals and Energy). The liquid fertilizers market is sparsely specialized with major competitors like Omnia, Kynoch and Foskor supplying more than 50 % of the market demand. Amongst the nutrient mixtures formulated, mixture one is an NPK (1-1-2) based nutrient mixture containing both secondary nutrients (0.5 % Mg & 1.0 % Ca) and seven micronutrients (0.1 % Fe, 0.05 % Cu, 0.05 % Zn, 0.05 % Mn, 0.02 % B, 0.0005 % Mo and 0.0005 % Co). The composition of this mixture offers the formula a potential to be used as a general purpose (all stages of plant growth) fertilization mixture in view of its balanced composition (containing all essential plant nutrients). Mixture two contains essentially the micronutrients and in higher concentrations (0.3 % Fe, 0.3 % Cu, 0.1 % Zn, 0.2 % Mn, 0.02 % B, 0.0005 % Mo and 0.0005 % Co) as compared to mixture one except for boron, molybdenum and cobalt. The concentration of the micronutrients contained in this mixture is adequately high which offers a potential for it to be used in supplementing nutrition in plants with critical micronutrient-deficient symptoms. Mixture three is very similar to mixture two (1.0 % Fe, 0.05 % Cu, 0.05 % Zn, 0.05 Mn, 0.05 % B, 0.0005 % Mo and 0.0005 % Co) except that the concentrations of all seven micronutrients are considerably less than those of contained in mixture two. However, the concentration of iron in this mixture is as high as 1.0 %. The mixture has a potential to be used in high iron-deficient situations. Mixture four is an organic formula with relatively low nutrient concentrations (NPK-0.02-0.02-1, 0.27 % Mg, 0.02 % Ca, 0.008 % Fe, 0.26 % Cu, 0.012 % Zn, 0.009 % Mn). Nevertheless, this mixture is appealing for organically grown crops where the use of chemicals is prohibited by standards. These lemon juice-based nutrient mixtures were further characterized and tested for stability and storability over a period of eight weeks. This study revealed no major change in the physical quality (colour, pH and “salt out” effect). The basic formulation methodology is a two-step procedure that involves filtration of the lemon juice to remove membranous materials, mixing at ambient temperature and stabilization of the nutrient mixtures. However, for the organic nutrient formula mix, filtration follows after extraction of nutrients from plant materials using the lemon juice.

Skystosios trąšos yra laikomos, gaminamos ir transportuojamos plieninėse talpose, kurios visiškai surūdytų, jei nebūtų pridedama korozijos inhibitorių. Korozijos inhibitoriai yra sudaryti iš cheminių junginių, kurie apsaugo plieno paviršių formuodami apsauginį sluoksnį. Šis sluoksnis apsaugo plieno paviršių nuo reakcijos su skystųjų trąšų komponentėmis ir taip galima sutaupyti milijonines lėšas, nesant būtinybės keisti ar taisyti plienines talpas. Lietuvoje AB „Achema“ per metus pagamina apie 1 milijoną tonų skystųjų trąšų. Dažniausiai korozijos inhibitorius sudaro riebiosios rūgštys, aminai, paviršiaus aktyvios medžiagos, glikoliai ir kt. Korozijos inhibitoriai plačiai analizuojami dujų ir skysčių chromatografijos - masių spektrometrijos metodais. Šiame darbe bus pristatyti dujų chromatografijos - masių spektrometrijos, efektyviosios skysčių chromatografijos - elektropurkštuvinės jonizacijos - skrydžio laiko masių spektrometrijos ir matrica skatinamos lazeriu sužadinamos - skrydžio laiko masių spektrometrijos metodai komercinių korozijos inhibitorių sudėties nustatymui ir indentifikavimui. Šio darbo tikslas buvo optimizuoti chromatografijos ir masių spektrometrijos metodikas skirtas korozijos inhibitorių analizei ir nustatyti komercinių korozijos inhibitorių kiekybinę ir kokybinę sudėtį. Darbo rezultatai. Ištirti trys skirtingų gamintojų komerciniai korozijos inhibitoriai: Cordon 99, Galoryl Ic 22, Ixonol-5. Dujų chromatografijos - masių spektrometrijos metodu nustatyta... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / Liquid fertilizers are stored, manufactured, and transported in metallic tanks which can completely corrode if corrosion inhibitor will not be added. Corrosion inhibitors are chemical compounds which protect metallic surface by forming a protection layer. This layer protects metallic surface from reaction with liquid fertilizers compounds and can save millions of dollars, since there are no need to replace or repair the tanks. In Lithuania Achema corporation is producing about 1 million tons of liquid fertilizers in the year. Usual ingredients of corrosion inhibitors are fatty acids, amines, surfactants, glycols etc. Corrosion inhibitors are widely analyzed by gas and liquid chromatographic mass spectrometry methods. In this work will be presented gas chromatography- mass spectrometry, high performance liquid chromatography - electrospray ionization – time-of-flight - mass spectrometry and matrix assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry, methods for commercial corrosion inhibitors determination and identification. The aim of this work is optimize chromatographic and mass spectrometry methods for corrosion inhibitors analysis and determinate quantitative and qualitative composition of commercial corrosion inhibitors. Results. Analyses of corrosion inhibitors: Cordon 99, Galoryl Ic 22, Ixonol-5 from three different manufacturers were performed. The main compound determined in all the corrosion inhibitors samples by gas chromatography mass... [to full text]

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Massachusetts Amherst, 2009. / Open access. Includes bibliographical references (p. 59-64).

A project was developed to determine the feasibility of using liquid hog manure as a nutrient source (Nitrogen) for the potato crop. A survey of liquid hog manure storage facilities on Prince Edward Island (P.E.I.) provided a sampling technique and the range of nutrients found on hog farms. It was concluded from the data that there were large differences between farms and on farm manure sampling was required to determine accurate nutrient applications. An infrastructure was designed, constructed and tested for storage, handling and the application of liquid hog manure at the Harrington Research Farm, Crops and Livestock Research Centre, Charlottetown, P.E.I. Data from the first of two three year experiments determined that the placement of liquid hog manure under the sown potato row and beside the row (0.23 m) provided yields better than manure placed between the sown rows. These yields were not different for the extra Nitrogen fertilizer treatment. The second field experiment examined the placement of liquid hog manure by various injector designs between the rows after the potato crop was planted. Potato tuber yield data over the three years indicated no differences among injector design nor between the injector treatments and the treatment which received the extra Nitrogen fertilizer. Over both experiments there was a decline in the severity of Rhizoctonia ( Rhizoctonia solani) in one year for plots receiving manure compared to those which received only inorganic fertilizer. There were no differences in the incidence or severity of scab (Streptomyces scabies) over the study. In general liquid manure can be used as nutrient source for the potato crop on P.E.I.

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / O uso de fertilizantes orgânicos e organominerais fluidos têm crescido bastante no mundo e também no Brasil, nas últimas duas décadas. Esse rápido crescimento da demanda por esses produtos levou o Ministério da Agricultura, Pecuária e Abastecimento a buscar novas metodologias para a verificação da qualidade dos mesmos. Este trabalho tem como objetivo obter informações sobre a natureza desses fertilizantes, avaliando metodologias existentes e testando novos métodos, visando contribuir para o desenvolvimento de um protocolo de controle de qualidade a ser adotado pelo Ministério da Agricultura e pelas empresas produtoras. Em uma primeira etapa, os fertilizantes foram caracterizados por meio de análises físicas e químicas conforme os métodos de rotina previstos na legislação. Adicionalmente, foram avaliados diferentes métodos de determinação de carbono, além do fracionamento das substâncias húmicas presentes nas amostras de fertilizantes, e posterior determinação do teor de carbono nas frações ácido húmico e fúlvico. Por meio da titulação potenciométrica, fez-se a especiação, identificação e quantificação dos grupos funcionais mais reativos presentes nas amostras. Na segunda etapa do trabalho, purificaram-se os ácidos húmicos de 15 amostras de fertilizantes. Após esse procedimento foi realizada a caracterização dos ácidos húmicos por espectrometria no infravermelho (FTIR) e por análise elementar (CHN). Os fertilizantes avaliados apresentaram grande variação em relação aos atributos analisados. Foram Observadas variações acentuadas em relação aos teores de carbono orgânico e carbono total, como também na qualidade dos compostos orgânicos presentes nos fertilizantes, o que deve refletir na sua eficiência agronômica. Pela correlação entre os métodos utilizados, observou-se a possibilidade de substituição de métodos de difícil execução, por métodos simplificados de baixo custo, permitindo sua aplicação em análises de rotina. Novos estudos, abrangendo um maior espectro de amostras, devem ser conduzidos para que se possam determinar parâmetros para os diferentes atributos químicos e físicos desses produtos, subsidiando tecnicamente a legislação. / The use of organic and organic-mineral fertilizers has grown fastly in the world and also in Brazil in the last two decades. This fast increase in the demand for these products took the Ministry of Agriculture to search new methodologies for the verification of their quality. This work has objective of obtaining information on the nature of these fertilizers, by evaluating existing methodologies and testing new ones, contributing to the development of a quality control protocol to be adopted by the Ministry of Agriculture and the producing companies. In a first stage, the fertilizers were characterized by means of physical and chemical analyses as the foreseen methods of routine in the legislation. Additionally, different methods of carbon determination were evaluated, beyond the humic substances fractionation in the samples of fertilizers, and posterior determination of the carbon in the humic and fulvic fractions. The most reactive functional groups in the samples were identified and quantified by potentiometric titration. The humic acids of fifteen fertilizer samples were extracted and purified. The humic acids were characterized by infrared spectrometry (FTIR) and elemental analysis (CHN). The evaluated fertilizers presented a large variation in relation to the analyzed characteristics. Large variations in relation to the levels of organic carbon and total carbon were observed, as well as in the quality of organic compounds in fertilizers that was reflected in its agronomic efficiency. By the correlation between the used methods, it was observed the possibility of substitution of methods of difficult execution for simplified methods of low cost allowing their application in routine analyses. New studies including a more representative set of samples must be carried out in order to determine parameters for the different chemical and physical attributes of these products given technical subsides to the legislation.

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / O uso de fertilizantes orgânicos e organominerais fluidos têm crescido bastante no mundo e também no Brasil, nas últimas duas décadas. Esse rápido crescimento da demanda por esses produtos levou o Ministério da Agricultura, Pecuária e Abastecimento a buscar novas metodologias para a verificação da qualidade dos mesmos. Este trabalho tem como objetivo obter informações sobre a natureza desses fertilizantes, avaliando metodologias existentes e testando novos métodos, visando contribuir para o desenvolvimento de um protocolo de controle de qualidade a ser adotado pelo Ministério da Agricultura e pelas empresas produtoras. Em uma primeira etapa, os fertilizantes foram caracterizados por meio de análises físicas e químicas conforme os métodos de rotina previstos na legislação. Adicionalmente, foram avaliados diferentes métodos de determinação de carbono, além do fracionamento das substâncias húmicas presentes nas amostras de fertilizantes, e posterior determinação do teor de carbono nas frações ácido húmico e fúlvico. Por meio da titulação potenciométrica, fez-se a especiação, identificação e quantificação dos grupos funcionais mais reativos presentes nas amostras. Na segunda etapa do trabalho, purificaram-se os ácidos húmicos de 15 amostras de fertilizantes. Após esse procedimento foi realizada a caracterização dos ácidos húmicos por espectrometria no infravermelho (FTIR) e por análise elementar (CHN). Os fertilizantes avaliados apresentaram grande variação em relação aos atributos analisados. Foram Observadas variações acentuadas em relação aos teores de carbono orgânico e carbono total, como também na qualidade dos compostos orgânicos presentes nos fertilizantes, o que deve refletir na sua eficiência agronômica. Pela correlação entre os métodos utilizados, observou-se a possibilidade de substituição de métodos de difícil execução, por métodos simplificados de baixo custo, permitindo sua aplicação em análises de rotina. Novos estudos, abrangendo um maior espectro de amostras, devem ser conduzidos para que se possam determinar parâmetros para os diferentes atributos químicos e físicos desses produtos, subsidiando tecnicamente a legislação. / The use of organic and organic-mineral fertilizers has grown fastly in the world and also in Brazil in the last two decades. This fast increase in the demand for these products took the Ministry of Agriculture to search new methodologies for the verification of their quality. This work has objective of obtaining information on the nature of these fertilizers, by evaluating existing methodologies and testing new ones, contributing to the development of a quality control protocol to be adopted by the Ministry of Agriculture and the producing companies. In a first stage, the fertilizers were characterized by means of physical and chemical analyses as the foreseen methods of routine in the legislation. Additionally, different methods of carbon determination were evaluated, beyond the humic substances fractionation in the samples of fertilizers, and posterior determination of the carbon in the humic and fulvic fractions. The most reactive functional groups in the samples were identified and quantified by potentiometric titration. The humic acids of fifteen fertilizer samples were extracted and purified. The humic acids were characterized by infrared spectrometry (FTIR) and elemental analysis (CHN). The evaluated fertilizers presented a large variation in relation to the analyzed characteristics. Large variations in relation to the levels of organic carbon and total carbon were observed, as well as in the quality of organic compounds in fertilizers that was reflected in its agronomic efficiency. By the correlation between the used methods, it was observed the possibility of substitution of methods of difficult execution for simplified methods of low cost allowing their application in routine analyses. New studies including a more representative set of samples must be carried out in order to determine parameters for the different chemical and physical attributes of these products given technical subsides to the legislation.

No description available.

A strategy for beneficiation of wastewater streams from fissure and process water developed for a gold mine operation in the west of Johannesburg was tested for viability in a pilot study. The investigation was aimed at evaluating the compliance of the finally discharged effluent streams with the current Water Use Licence (WUL). The core of the water recovery process consisted of softening to remove divalent cationic species, followed by ion exchange processes employing Strong Acid Cationic (SAC) resins and Weak Acid Cationic (WAC) resins. An operational design limitation was that the crystalactor used in the softening stage had a minimum capacity of 20 000 L/h, whereas the rest of the system could be operated at flow rates of as low as 2 000 L/h. For this reason, the softening step was done in semi-batch mode. Calcium hardness was decreased from 70 mg/L to values lower than 40 mg/L (as Ca2+). During the ion exchange (water recovery) process, columns using SAC resin produced better quality water than the WAC resins. The SAC columns produced water compatible with South African Water Quality Standards. Additionally, the use of SAC proved to be a more financially favourable option, since the regenerant stream contained high concentrations of calcium nitrate, magnesium nitrate and sodium nitrate fertilizer. The latter could be sold as a liquid fertilizer to farmers. In addition to the above findings, the pilot system reduced the concentration of toxic and radiotoxic metals such as uranium. The final concentration of the uranium in the effluent (0.01 mg/L) was below the regulation limit 0.07 mg/L. The selective removal of uranium is crucial in order to produce high-quality fertilizer from the ion exchange regeneration streams. Copyright / Dissertation (MEng)--University of Pretoria, 2013. / Chemical Engineering / unrestricted