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In recent times the unmanned quadcopter aircraft has been used for a widening range of applications, but for longer distances it still falls short of conventional airplanes in terms of energy usage. There exists hybrid configurations of unmanned aircraft which combine the mobility of quadcopters and the range of fixed-wing aircraft. The transition between the hovering mode and the gliding mode, however, is a complex non-linear control problem. To solve this a recent study applied a neural network as a closed loop controller. This controller was capable of seamless mode transition and could be trained for any copter configuration using reinforcement learning. The work presented here focuses on improvements to the method of controller design established by said study, mainly focusing on increased realism of the aerodynamic simulations and the addition of control surfaces for increased maneuverability. These improvements resulted in a lift of 37% of the total copter weight and a higher achievable top speed of 8 m/s before instability occurs. To verify these improvements were not only present in the simulations a physical prototype was also constructed which when tested succeeded in hovering flight but failed to sustain any significant forward flight. / På senare tid har obemannade quadcopters kraftigt expanderat sina användningsområden, men för längre sträckor slås de fortfarande av konventionella flygplan när det gäller energiåtgång. Det finns hybridkonfigurationer av obemannade farkoster som kombinerar quadcopterns rörlighet och räckvidden av flygplan. Övergången mellan hovrande läge och horisontell flygning är emellertid ett komplext icke-linjärt reglerproblem. För att lösa detta använde en nyligen genomförd studie ett neuralt nätverk som en regulator i ett återkopplat system. Den här styrenheten kunde sömlöst övergå mellan flyglägen och kunde tränas för valfri copterkonfiguration med hjälp av reinforcement learning. Arbetet som presenteras här fokuserar på förbättringar av metoden för regulatordesign som fastställts av nämnda studie, främst med fokus på ökad realism av de aerodynamiska simuleringarna och tillägget av kontrollytor för ökad manövrerbarhet. Dessa förbättringar resulterade i en genererad lyftkraft upp till 37% av farkostens vikt och en förhöjd maxhastighet till 8 m/s före instabilitet. För att verifiera dessa resultat i verkligheten konstruerades en fysisk prototyp som vid försök lyckades stabilisera sig i hovrande läge men inte upprätthålla någon signifikant framåtfart.

Even as the current linear value chains (LVC) of organic waste and animal feed hold the potential to become circular, these practices continue to pose major environmental risks such as deforestation and overfishing. Therefore, a novel circular value chain (CVC) is proposed, connecting the organic waste stream with animal feed production by the use of insect-based organic waste conversion technology. The Black Soldier Fly (BSF) is chosen as the insect-based conversion technology since it has nutritional properties, which serves both waste treatment and animal feed material production purposes. Although there are already initiatives and collaborations in the Swedish context, the transition has not yet been successful. The study aims to identify and propose required solutions for the value chain transition. By using the transitional study tools of Technological Innovation System (TIS) and Multi Level Perspective (MLP) alongside sustainable value chain transition studies, it is found that technological and information-related adjustments are required to further enable the transition. Technological adjustments are studied from the perspective of Ragn-Sells AB as a potential insect- based organic waste conversion actor. Scenarios to see economical sustainability were designed based on the quantity fluctuation of waste as material input (3,000 tons per year and 15,000 tons per year), possibility of automated operation which affects both investment and operating costs of the facility, and procurement of small BSF larvae (off-site and in-site breeding). From the different scenarios designed, it is found that the scenario with the capacity of 15,000 tons per year, higher investment due to automation, and on-site breeding is the most preferable for the case. To answer information- related needs, an Informational Flow Framework (IFF) is proposed. The IFF consists of “Value Chain Stakeholders”, “CVC Relevant Regulations”, “Information Data Pool”, and “Information Flow”. The framework’s main function is to identify the type of material information required to be distributed in the system and the stakeholders whom require and/or provide various information, with the main goal of increasing the trust among the stakeholders related to material information. / Trots att den nuvarande linjära värdekedjan (Linear Value Chain) för organiskt avfall och djurfoder har potentialen för en cirkulär ekonomi, så utgör den nuvarande praxisen fortfarande stora risker såsom avskogning samt överfiske. Därför föreslås en ny cirkulär värdekedja (Circular Value Chain), som förbinder den organiska avfallsströmmen med djurfoderproduktion med användning av insektbaserad omvandlingsteknologi för organiskt avfall. Svart soldat fluga (Black Soldier Fly/BSF) utses som den insektsbaserade omvandlingsteknologin eftersom den har näringsegenskaper som bistår både avfallsbehandling och djurfoderproduktionsändamål. Trots att det redan finns initiativ och samarbeten i det svenska sammanhanget har övergången ännu inte lyckats. Studien syftar till att identifiera och föreslå nödvändiga lösningar för den cirkuläravärdekedjan. Genom att använda övergångsstudieverktygen av Teknologiskt Innovations System (TIS) samt Multi Level Perspective (MLP) och diverse värdekedjeövergångsstudier, konstateras det att tekniska och informationsrelaterade justeringarkrävs för att ytterligare möjliggöra övergången från en linjär till en cirkulär värdekedja. Teknologiska anpassningar studeras ur Ragn-Sells ABs perspektiv som en potentiell aktör för omvandling av organiskt avfall. Scenarier för att undersöka ekonomisk hållbarhet utformades baserat påfluktuering av mängden avfall som materialinmatning (3,000 ton per år och 15, 000 ton per år), möjlighet till automatiserad drift som påverkar både CAPEX & OPEX i anläggningen (hög CAPEX och låg CAPEX), och upphandling av små BSF-larver (avel utanför anläggningen). Från de olika utformade scenarierna konstaterades att scenariot med en kapacitet på 15,000 ton per år, hög CAPEX och avel på plats är det mest fördelaktiga för Ragn Sells AB. För att besvara informationsrelaterad justering föreslås en informationsflödesram (IFF). IFF består av ”Value Chain Interessholders”, “CVC Relevant Regulations”, “Information Data Pool” och “Information Flow”. Ramens huvudfunktion är att identifiera vilken typ av materialinformation som krävs för att distribueras i systemet och den aktör som kräver och/eller tillhandahåller informationen, med det huvudsakliga målet att öka förtroendet bland aktörerna relaterade till materiell information.

Insects maintain blood (haemolymph) Ca2+ concentrations within a narrow range in order to support the health of internal tissues and organs. The Malpighian (renal) tubules play a primary role in haemolymph Ca2+ homeostasis by sequestering excess Ca2+ within calcified biomineral deposits (Ca-rich granules) often located within type I (principal) tubule cells. Using the classic Ramsay assay, the scanning ion-selective microelectrode technique (SIET), and modifications of these two electrophysiological techniques, this thesis begins to unravel the sites and mechanisms of Ca2+ transport by the Malpighian tubules isolated from eight insects, representing seven orders. A segment-specific pattern of Ca2+ flux was observed along the length of the Malpighian tubules isolated from D. melanogaster, A. aegypti and A. domesticus and was uniform along the length in the remaining species. The majority (≥ 90%) of Ca2+ entering the tubule cells is sequestered within intracellular calcium stores in Ca2+-transporting segments of D. melanogaster and A. domesticus tubules, consistent with the presence of Ca-rich storage granules in these tubule segments. In addition, this thesis provides the first measurements of basolateral Ca2+ flux across single principal and secondary tubule cells of T. ni, where Ca2+ uptake occurs only across principal cells. Perhaps the most important finding of this thesis is that increasing fluid secretion through manipulation of intracellular levels of cAMP or Ca2+ in isolated tubules of A. domesticus had opposite effects on tubule Ca2+ transport. The adenylyl cyclase-cAMP-PKA pathway promotes Ca2+ sequestration whereas both 5-hydroxytryptamine and thapsigargin inhibited sequestration. In contrast, tubules of the remaining species were generally insensitive to cAMP or thapsigargin and v rates of tubule Ca2+ transport were often very low. The presence of Ca-rich granules in the cells of the midgut in several of the species with low rates of tubule Ca2+ transport provide evidence for a putative role of the midgut in haemolymph Ca2+ homeostasis. Taken together, these results suggest that the principal cells of the Malpighian tubules contribute to haemolymph calcium homeostasis through neuroendocrine regulated sequestration of excess Ca2+ during periods of high dietary calcium intake. Sequestration of dietary Ca2+ by the midgut may reduce Ca2+ entry into the haemolymph and therefore Ca2+ sequestration by the Malpighian tubules need not be so rapid. Finally, reversible tubule Ca2+ transport may allow internal reserves of Ca2+ (Ca-rich granules) to be returned to the haemolymph allowing insects to survive prolong periods of Ca2+ deficiency (i.e. overwintering). / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) / This thesis contributes to our understanding of how insects regulate the calcium content of their blood (haemolymph). Using electrophysiological techniques with improved spatial resolution (from millimeters to micrometers) this thesis sought to determine the sites, mechanisms and regulation of Ca2+ transport by insect Malpighian (renal) tubules in order to gain insights into the role of Ca-rich granules (similar to those identified in early stages of human kidney stone formation i.e. nephrolithiasis) within these tissues. Using eight insect species this thesis demonstrates that the Malpighian tubules act as dynamic Ca2+ stores that appear to be under neuroendocrine control: actively taking up Ca2+ through calcium entry channels, where the majority (≥ 90%) of excess haemolymph Ca2+ is sequestered within intracellular stores (Ca-rich granules) during period of excess dietary calcium and passively releasing Ca2+ back to the haemolymph during periods of metamorphosis or calcium deficiency (i.e. overwintering).

The primary objectives of this research are to determine effective biological and alternative control strategies of insect and disease pests in order to reduce harsh chemical use during greenhouse crop production and transport s. This research includes two separate studies: 1) testing the practical viability of rearing and storing four species of entomopathogenic nematode (EPN), Steinernema feltiae, Steinernema carpocapsae, Heterorhabditis bacteriophora, Heterorhabditis indica; and, 2) the efficacy of UV-C radiation applied, pre-transport, as a preventative disease control strategy against Botrytis cinerea. A study was conducted testing EPN infectious juvenile (IJ) rearing production counts and IJ viability after a six-day storage period. When all four species are compared, S. feltiae had a greater number of infectious juveniles emerge from the wax moth cadavers and S. carpocasae had the least. All four species survived the six day storage period but EPN infectious juvenile counts were significantly different among species. Our second study tested the efficacy of UV-C radiation as an alternative control to traditional fungicides to deactivate B. cinerea in vitro and to determine plant tolerance to UV-C. The crops tested were poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima) and primula (Primula vulgaris). All the UV-C doses, 1.0, 2.8, 3.7 or 4 W/m2, significantly decreased B. cinerea conidial germination in vitro and resulted in zero percent damage on poinsettia bracts. However, all UV-C doses during both replications caused minor damage, 15% or less, to primula flowers. / Master of Science in Life Sciences / Entomopathogenic nematodes (EPN) shows promise in being non-chemical and environmentally friendly solution for greenhouse pest and disease control. These can also be referred to as Biological Controls (Biocontrols). Entomopathogenic nematodes are used widely to control multiple greenhouse plant pests which include both Lycoriella spp., Fungus Gnats, and Frankliniella spp., Western Flower Thrips. However, there are challenges with EPN viability and storage from the manufacture to the greenhouse producer. We studied four EPN species, Steinernema feltiae, Steinernema carpocapsae, Heterorhabditis bacteriophora, Heterorhabditis indica, which were reared and stored to determine differences in production viability between species. Results show that the EPN species do not respond the same to storage and produce different amounts of infectious juveniles during rearing when conditions are the same. Separate from, but just as concerning as greenhouses plant pests are plant diseases. Ultraviolet radiation in the C spectra is known to be germicidal due to its narrow wavelengths. Because of this, UV-C has been shown to deactivate many different plant pathogens on contact and is being considered as a possible Biocontrol alternative to harsh traditional fungicides and bactericides. One disease that is known to contribute to the highest volume of annual crop losses is Botrytis cinerea. Botrytis cinerea is a plant disease that impacts floricultural crops to vegetables during propagation through the production supply chain to shipping and storage. We evaluated UV-C radiation at different doses, to determine if it could be used to replace a traditional fungicide before plants are shipped to reduce B. cinerea infection during transport. We found that UV-C successfully deactivated B. cinerea in vitro, but the viability of the application to plant tissue before transport has yet to be proven successful as a practical method of reducing B. cinerea during transport.

Betong är ett av de vanligaste byggnadsmaterialen och har goda egenskaper som hög beständighet, god formbarhet och lång livslängd. Huvudbeståndsdelen cement orsakar däremot en negativ klimatpåverkan där tillverkningen av bindemedlet cement står för cirka 8 procent av världens koldioxidutsläpp. För att minska de stora koldioxidutsläppen finns det alternativa bindemedel där de vanligaste är flygaska och masugnsslagg, vilket är restprodukter från kolkraft- och stålindustrin. Alternativa bindemedel är det mest effektiva sättet på kort sikt att minska klimatpåverkan. Däremot kan inte de alternativa bindemedlen ersätta cement helt utan att tryckhållfastheten försämras, vilket gör att upp till 20 procent vanligtvis ersätts. För att byggbranschen i en större utsträckning ska tillämpa betong med lägre klimatpåverkan är det viktigt att egenskaperna är minst lika bra som hos traditionell betong. Uttorkningsegenskaperna är av stor vikt då uttorkningstiden är styrande för applicering av golvmaterial. När det kommer till hållfasthet tillverkas idag komponenter med överkvalité, vilket gör att en onödigt stor mängd cement används. Ett klimatsmart alternativ skulle vara att ändra nuvarande norm på klassificeringen av hållfastheten. Dagens norm klassificerar hållfastheten vid 28 dygn efter gjutning. Betong fortsätter dock att öka i hållfasthet efter 28 dygn, men ökningen är inte stor hos traditionell betong, medan betong med alternativa bindemedel fortsätter att härda i en högre grad efter 28 dygn. Skulle en klassificering av hållfastheten hos betong med lägre klimatpåverkan bestämmas i ett senare skede som 56 eller 91 dygn, skulle konstruktionens krav fortfarande uppfyllas samtidigt som mängden cement kan reduceras. Idag behöver byggprojekt vänta på uttorkningstiden, vilket medför att ett projekt sällan är färdigt redan vid 28 dygn. Det gör att byggnaden inte belastar betongplattan fullt ut vid 28 dygn och den potentiella hållfastheten behöver inte uppfyllas förrän i ett senare skede. Om hållfasthetsklassen sänks tillkommer dock ett högre vattencementtal, vilket gör att krav på uttorkningsegenskaperna ökar. Tillsammans med Skanska jämfördes i föreliggande arbete betongrecept med lägre klimatpåverkan i tryckhållfasthet och uttorkning. Det var två Portlandkompositcement av typen CEM II/B-M, med cirka 20 procent slagg eller flygaska. De jämfördes även mot en referensbetong av typen CEM II/A-LL. Provkropparna gjöts vid Skanskas betonglabb i Farsta och testades sedan för uttorkning och hållfasthet av auktoriserade företag. Studien tyder på att det inte finns någon anledning att välja bort slagg eller flygaska när det kommer tilltryckhållfasthet och uttorkning. Det går att argumentera för att betong med alternativa bindemedel har högre hållfasthet vid 7 och 28 dygn i jämförelse med traditionell betong i föreliggande arbete, där slaggbaserad betong är cirka 16 procent högre och betong med flygaska är cirka 5 procent högre. Hållfasthetsutvecklingen från 28 till 91 dygn tyder på att betong med alternativa bindemedel ökar med cirka 12 procent medan traditionell betong nästan stannar av, där hållfasthetsutvecklingen är cirka 4 procent. Det går att argumentera för att slaggbaserad betong har cirka 2 och 5 procent snabbare uttorkning vid 35 och 85 dygn i jämförelse med traditionell betong, medan betong med flygaska tenderar att torka ut minst lika bra vid 35 dygn och cirka 3 procent snabbare vid 85 dygn. Resultaten tyder på att vid en minskad hållfasthetsklass skulle betong med lägre klimatpåverkan inte medföra samma förlängda uttorkningstid som en traditionell betong. En klassificering i ett senare skede som 56 eller 91 dygn för betong med lägre klimatpåverkan indikerar på att konstruktionens krav fortfarande skulle uppfyllas, cementanvändningen reduceras och klimatpåverkan minskas. / Concrete is one of the most common building materials and possesses favorable properties such as high durability, good workability, and long lifespan. However, its main component, cement, has a negative climate impact, with cement production accounting for approximately 8 percent of the world's carbon dioxide emissions. To reduce these CO2 emissions alternative binders can be used. The most common being fly ash and blast furnace slag, which are by-products of the coal power and steel industries. Alternative binders are the most effective way to reduce climate impact. Alternative binders cannot completely replace cement without lose strength, which means that up to 20 precent is usually replaced. For the construction industry to more widely adopt concrete with lower climate impact, it is important that the properties are at least as good as those of traditional concrete. Drying properties are crucial since drying time dictates the application of flooring materials. In terms of strength, components are currently manufactured with high qualities, leading to unnecessary large amounts of cement being used. A climate-smart alternative would be to change the current norm for strength classification. Today strength classifies at 28 days after casting. Concrete continues to gain strength beyond 28 days, but the increase is not significant in traditional concrete, whereas concrete with alternative binders continues to cure to a greater extent after 28 days. If the strength classification were determined at a later stage, such as 56 or 91 days, the construction's requirements would still be met while reducing the amount of cement used. Today construction projects need to wait for the drying time, meaning a project is rarely completed at 28 days. This means the building does not fully load the concrete slab at 28 days, and the potential strength does not need to be achieved until a later stage. However, if the strength class is lowered the demands on drying increases. In collaboration with Skanska, concrete with lower climate impact was compered in terms of strength and drying. Two Portland composite cements of the type CEM II/B-M, around 20 percent of slag or fly ash, were compared to a reference concrete of the type CEM II/A-LL. The test specimens were cast at Skanska's concrete lab in Farsta and tested for strength and drying by authorized companies. The study suggests that there is no reason to avoid slag or fly ash concerning compressive strength and drying. It can be argued that concrete with alternative binders has higher strength at 7 and 28 days compared to traditional concrete, with slag-based concrete being approximately 16 percent stronger and fly ash concrete about 5 percent stronger. The strength development from 28 to 91 days indicates that concrete with alternative binders increases by about 12 percent, while traditional concrete almost levels off, with a strength development of about 4 percent. It can also be argued that slag-based concrete has about 2 and 5 percent faster drying at 35 and 85 days compared to traditional concrete, while fly ash concrete tends to dry at least as well at 35 days and about 3 percent faster at 85 days compared to traditional concrete. The results indicate that with a reduced strength class, concrete with lower climate impact would not entail the same extended drying time as traditional concrete. Classification at a later stage, such as 56 or 91 days, for concrete with lower climate impact indicates that the construction's requirements would still be met, cement usage would be reduced, and climate impact minimized.

The current study therefore aims to provide a comprehensive characterisation of weathered dry disposed ash cores, to reveal mobility patterns of chemical species as a function of depth and age of ash, with a view to assessing the potential environmental impacts. Fifty-nine samples were taken from 3 drilled cores obtained respectively from the 1 year, 8 year and 20-year-old sections of sequentially dumped, weathered, dry disposed ash in an ash dump site at Tutuka - a South African coal burning power station.

<p>The management and disposal of huge volumes of coal combustion by products such as fly ash has constituted a major challenge to the environment. In most cases due to the inadequate alternative use of coal fly ash, the discarded waste is stored in holding ponds, slag heaps, or stock piled in ash dumps. This practice has raised concerns on the prospect of inorganic metals release to the surface and groundwater in the vicinity of the ash dump. Acceptable scientific studies are lacking to determine the best ash disposal practices. Moreover, knowledge about the mobility patterns of inorganic species as a function of mineralogical association or pH susceptibility of the dry disposed ash dump under natural weathering conditions are scarce in the literature. Fundamental understanding of chemical interactions of dry disposed ash with ingressed CO2 from atmosphere, percolating rain water and brine irrigation within ash disposal sites were seen as key areas requiring investigation. The mineralogical association of inorganic species in the dry disposed ash cores can be identified and quantified. This would provide a basis for understanding of chemical weathering, mineralogical transformations or mobility patterns of these inorganic species in the dry ash disposal scenario. The current study therefore aims to provide a comprehensive characterisation of weathered dry disposed ash cores, to reveal mobility patterns of chemical species as a function of depth and age of ash, with a view to assessing the potential environmental impacts. Fifty-nine samples were taken from 3 drilled cores obtained respectively from the 1 year, 8 year and 20-year-old sections of sequentially dumped,&nbsp / weathered, dry disposed ash in an ash dump site at Tutuka - a South African coal burning power station. The core samples were characterized using standard analytical procedures viz: X-ray fluorescence (XRF), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transforms infrared (FTIR) techniques, Scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM/EDS) and Acid neutralisation capacity (ANC) test. A modified sequential extraction (SE) method was used in this study. The chemical partitioning, mobility and weathering patterns in 1 year, 8 year and 20-year-old sections of the ash dump were respectively investigated using this modified sequential extraction scheme. The sequence of the extractions was as follows: (1) water soluble, (2) exchangeable, (3) carbonate, (4) iron and manganese and (5) residual. The results obtained from the 5 steps sequential extraction scheme were validated with the total metal content of the original sample using mass balance method. The distribution of major and trace elements in the different liquid fractions obtained after each step of sequential extraction of the 59 drilled core samples was determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICPMS). The data generated for various ash core samples were explored for the systematic analysis of mineralogical transformation and change in ash chemistry with ageing of the ash. Furthermore, the data was analyzed to reveal the impact of ingressed CO2 from atmosphere, infiltrating rain water and brine irrigation on the chemistry of ash core samples. Major mineral phases in original ash core samples prior to extraction are quartz (SiO2) and mullite (3Al2O3&middot / 2SiO2). Other minor mineral phases identified were hematite (Fe2O3), calcite (CaCO3), lime (CaO), anorthite (CaAl2Si2O8), mica (Ca (Mg, Al)3 (Al3Si) O10 (OH)2), and enstatite (Mg2Si2O6). X-ray diffraction results show significant loss of crystallinity in the older ash cores. The presence of minor phases of calcite and mica in dry disposed ash cores are attributed to reduction in the pore water pH due to hydration, carbonation and pozzolanic reactions. The X-ray diffraction technique was unable to detect Fe-oxyhydroxide phase and morealuminosilicate phases in ash core samples due to their low abundance and amorphous character. X-ray fluorescence results of the original ash core samples showed the presence of major oxides, such as SiO2, Al2O3, Fe2O3, while CaO, K2O, TiO2, Na2O, MnO, MgO, P2O5, and SO3 occur in minor concentrations. The ratio of SiO2/Al2O3 classified the original core samples prior to extraction as a silico-aluminate class F fly ash. The ternary plot of major elements in 1-year-old ash core samples was both sialic and ferrocalsialic but 8 year and 20-year-old ash core samples were sialic in chemical composition. It is noteworthy that the mass % of SiO2 varies through the depth of the core with an increase of nearly 3 %, to 58 mass % of SiO2 at a depth of 6 m in the 1-year-old core whereas in the case of the 8-year-old core a 2 % increase of SiO2 to a level of 57.5 mass % can be observed at levels between 4-8 m, showing dissolution of major components in the matrix of older ash cores.. The Na2O content of the Tutuka ash cores was low and varied between 0.6-1.1 mass % for 1-year-old ash cores to around 0.6-0.8 mass % for 8-year-old ash cores. Sodium levels were higher in 1-year-old ash cores compared to 8 year and 20-year-old ashcores. Observed trends indicate that quick weathering of the ash (within a year) leached out Na+ from the ash dump. No evidence of Na+ encapsulation even though the ash dump was brine irrigated. Thus the dry disposal ash placement method does not result in a sustainable salt sink for Na-containing species over time. The total content of each of the elements in 1 year and 20-year-old ash cores was normalised with their total content in fresh ash from same power station to show enrichment and depletion factor. Major elements such as K+, Mn showed enrichment in 1-year-old ash cores whereas Al, Si, Na+, Ti, Ca, Mg, S and Fe showed depletion due to over time erosion. Trace elements such as Cr, Sr, P, Ba, Pb, V and Zn showed enrichment but Ni, Y, Zr showed depletion attributed to over time erosion. In 20-year-old ash cores, major elements such as Al, Na+ and Mn showed enrichment while Si, K+, Fe, Mg and Ca showed depletion highlighting their mobility. Trends indicated intensive flushing of major soluble components such as buffering constituents (CaO) by percolating rain water. The 1-year-old and 20-year-old coal ash cores showed a lower pH and greater loss/depletion of the soluble buffering constituents than the 2-week-old placed ash, indicating significant chemical weathering within a year. Based&nbsp / on ANC results the leaching behaviours of Ca, Mg, Na+, K+, Se, Cr, and Sr were found to be controlled by the pH of the leachant indicating high mobility of major soluble species in the ash cores when in contact with slightly acid rain water. Other investigated toxic metals such as As, Mo and Pb showed amphoteric behaviour with respect to the pH of the leachant. Chemical alterations and formation of transient minor secondary mineral phases was found to have a significant effect on the acid susceptibility and depletion pattern of chemical species in the core ash samples when compared to fresh ash. These ANC results correlated well with the data generated from the sequential extraction scheme. Based on sequential extraction results elements, showed noticeable mobility in the water soluble, exchangeable and carbonate fractions due to adsorption and desorption caused by variations in the pore water pH. In contrast, slight mobility of elements in the Fe and Mn, and residual fractions of dry disposed fly ashes are attributed to the co-precipitation and dissolution of minor amount of less soluble secondary phase overtime. The 1-year-old dry disposed ash cores were the least weathered among the 3 drilled ash cores. Therefore low concentration of toxic metals in older ash cores were ascribed to extensive weathering with slower release from residual mineral phases over time. Elements were found to associate with different mineral phases depending on the age or depth of the core samples showing greater heterogeneity in dispersion. For instance the average amount of total calcium in different mineral associations of 1-year-old ash cores is as follows / water soluble (10.2 %), exchangeable (37.04 %), carbonate (37.9 %), Fe and Mn (7.1 %) and residual (2.97 %). The amount of total Na+ in different mineral phases of 1-year-old ash cores followed this trend: water soluble (21 %), exchangeable (11.26 %), carbonate (2.6 %), Fe and Mn (4.7 %) and residual (53.9 %). The non-leachable portion of the total Na+ content (namely that contained in the residual fraction) in the 1-year-old ash core samples under conditions found in nature ranged between 5-91 %. This non-leachable portion of the Na+ showed the metastability of the mineral phases with which residual Na+ associates. Results showed older ash cores are enriched in toxic elements. Toxic elements such as As, B, Cr, Mo and Pb are enriched in the residual fraction of older ash cores. For instance As concentration in the residual fraction varied between 0.0003- 0.00043 mg kg-1 for 1-year-old ash cores to around 0.0003-0.0015 mg kg-1 for 20-year-old ash cores. This suggests that the older ash is enriched in toxic elements hence dust from the ash dump would be toxic to human health. The knowledge of mobility and ecotoxicological significance of coal fly ash is needed when considering its disposal or reuse in the environment. The mobility and ecotoxicology of inorganic metals in coal fly ash are determined by (i) mineralogical associations of inorganic species (ii) in-homogeneity in the ash dumps (iii) long and short term exposure to ingress CO2 and percolating rain water. Management issues such as inconsistent placement of ash in the dumps, poor choice of ash dump site, in-homogeneity in brine irrigation, no record of salt load put on the ash dumps and lack of proper monitoring requires improvement. The thesis provides justification for the use of the modified sequential extraction scheme as a predictive tool and could be employed in a similar research work. This thesis also proved that the dry ash disposal method was not environmental friendly in terms of overall leaching potential after significant chemical weathering. Moreover the study proved that the practice of brine co-disposal or irrigation on ash dumps is not sustainable as the ash dump did not act as a salt sink.</p>