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  • About
  • The Global ETD Search service is a free service for researchers to find electronic theses and dissertations. This service is provided by the Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations.
    Our metadata is collected from universities around the world. If you manage a university/consortium/country archive and want to be added, details can be found on the NDLTD website.
21

The potential impact of greenhouse gas emissions constraints on the Southern African primary aluminium business

Pittendrigh, Alistair 12 1900 (has links)
Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2006. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The Kyoto protocol was signed early in 2005 whereby Annexure 1 industrialised countries committed to reducing their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. South Africa signed the Protocol. however being a developing country it has no GHG emissions reduction target for the first commitment period until 2012. Primary aluminium is a GHG intensive global commodity to which Southem Africa contributes significantly. This dissertation aims to investigate how the profitability of the Southern African primary aluminium sector may be affected by Kyoto Protocol GHG restrictions even though the smelters are situated in non-Annexure 1 countries. A Delphi-type survey is conducted to gather opinions on identified pressures and drivers that could affect the industry. The survey respondents indicate that the greatest impact will occur from internal pressures from holding companies. Further pressure will originate from external sources namely government, Non Governmental Organisations, shareholders and investors. Direct manufacturing costs are not expected to increase as a result of the Protocol. Rather. industry changes are expected to be the result of internal and external pressures. Opportunities for Clean Development Mechanism (COM) projects are rated as highly importance and are strongly recommended. Various strategies are identified and presented in a matrix to compare the effect of each on the various identified pressures and drivers. From the matrix it is observed that the majority of the selected strategies have a profound impact on the internal and external pressures. From this research report it is recommended that a cooperative proactive strategy be followed . focusing initially on low cost GHG emissions reduction projects and rigorously pursuing COM projects. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die Kyoto Protokol, waardeur Anneks 1 geindustraliseerde lande hul daartoe verbind het om hul kweekhuis gas (GHG) emissies te verminder, is vroeg in 2005 onderteken. Suidelike Afrika het die Protokol onderteken, maar weens sy status as ontwikkelende land, het dit geen GHG emissieverminderingsdoelwit vir die eerste verpligtingsfase tot en met 2012 nie. Primere aluminium is 'n GHG intensiewe globale kommoditeit waartoe Suidelike Afrika 'n groot bydrae lewer. Hierdie tesis poog om ondersoek in te stel na die impak van Protokol GHG beperkings op die winsgewendheid van die Suidelike Afrika primere aluminium sektor, ten spyle daarvan dat die smelters in nie-Annex 1 lande gelee is. 'n Delphi-tipe opname was geloods om opinies in te win oor geidentifiseerde drukpunte en drywers wat 'n impak kon he op die industrie. Die respondente het aangedui dat die grootste impak sal kom van interne druk van beheermaatskappye. Addisionele druk sal afkomstig wees van eksteme bronne soos die regering, Nie-regerings organisasies (NGO's), aandeelhouers en beleggers. Daar word nie verwag dat die direkte vervaardigingskoste sal eskaleer as gevolg van die Protokol nie. Daar word eerder verwag dat veranderinge in die industrie die gevolg sal wees van interne en eksterne druk. Geleenthede vir skoon-ontwikkelings meganisme (COM) projekte is geweldig belangrik en word sterk aanbeveel. Verskeie strategiee word geidentifiseer en voorgele in 'n matriks om sodoende 'n vergelyking te tref tussen die effek wat elk het op die onderskeie drukpunte en drywers. Uit die matriks kan afgelei word dat die meerderheid strategiee 'n diepgaande invloed het op die inteme en eksterne drukpunte. Hierdie navorsingsverslag beveel aan dat 'n samewerkende proaktiewe strategie gevolg word, wat aanvanklik sal fokus op lae-koste GHG emissieverminderingsprojekte, asook die nougesette najaag van CDM projekte.
22

The Effect of Aluminium Industry Effluents on Sediment Bacterial Communities

Gill, Hardeep 19 October 2012 (has links)
The goal of this project was to develop novel bacterial biomarkers for use in an industrial context. These biomarkers would be used to determine aluminium industry activity impact on a local ecosystem. Sediment bacterial communities of the Saguenay River are subjected to industrial effluent produced by industry in Jonquière, QC. In-situ responses of these communities to effluent exposure were measured and evaluated as potential biomarker candidates for exposure to past and present effluent discharge. Bacterial community structure and composition between control and affected sites were investigated. Differences observed between the communities were used as indicators of a response to industrial activity through exposure to effluent by-products. Diversity indices were not significantly different between sites with increased effluent exposure. However, differences were observed with the inclusion of algae and cyanobacteria. UniFrac analyses indicated that a control (NNB) and an affected site (Site 2) were more similar to one another with regard to community structure than either was to a medially affected site (Site 5) (Figure 2.4). We did not observe a signature of the microbial community structure that could be predicted with effluent exposure. Microbial community function in relation to bacterial mercury resistance (HgR) was also evaluated as a specific response to the mercury component present in sediments. Novel PCR primers and amplification conditions were developed to amplify merP, merT and merA genes belonging to the mer-operon which confers HgR (Table 5.6). To our knowledge, the roles of merP and merT have not been explored as possible tools to confirm the presence of the operon. HgR gene abundance in sediment microbial communities was significantly correlated (p < 0.05) to total mercury levels (Figure 3.4) but gene expression was not measurable. We could not solely attribute the release of Hg0 from sediments in bioreactor experiments to a biogenic origin. However, there was a 1000 fold difference in measured Hg0 release between control and affected sites suggesting that processes of natural remediation may be taking place at contaminated sites (Figure 3.7). Abundance measurements of HgR related genes represent a strong response target to the mercury immobilized in sediments. Biomarkers built on this response can be used by industry to measure long term effects of industrially derived mercury on local ecosystems. The abundance of mer-operon genes in affected sites indicates the presence of a thriving bacterial community harbouring HgR potential. These communities have the capacity to naturally remediate the sites they occupy. This remediation could be further investigated. Additional studies will be required to develop biomarkers that are more responsive to contemporary industrial activity such as those based on the integrative oxidative stress response.
23

The Effect of Aluminium Industry Effluents on Sediment Bacterial Communities

Gill, Hardeep 19 October 2012 (has links)
The goal of this project was to develop novel bacterial biomarkers for use in an industrial context. These biomarkers would be used to determine aluminium industry activity impact on a local ecosystem. Sediment bacterial communities of the Saguenay River are subjected to industrial effluent produced by industry in Jonquière, QC. In-situ responses of these communities to effluent exposure were measured and evaluated as potential biomarker candidates for exposure to past and present effluent discharge. Bacterial community structure and composition between control and affected sites were investigated. Differences observed between the communities were used as indicators of a response to industrial activity through exposure to effluent by-products. Diversity indices were not significantly different between sites with increased effluent exposure. However, differences were observed with the inclusion of algae and cyanobacteria. UniFrac analyses indicated that a control (NNB) and an affected site (Site 2) were more similar to one another with regard to community structure than either was to a medially affected site (Site 5) (Figure 2.4). We did not observe a signature of the microbial community structure that could be predicted with effluent exposure. Microbial community function in relation to bacterial mercury resistance (HgR) was also evaluated as a specific response to the mercury component present in sediments. Novel PCR primers and amplification conditions were developed to amplify merP, merT and merA genes belonging to the mer-operon which confers HgR (Table 5.6). To our knowledge, the roles of merP and merT have not been explored as possible tools to confirm the presence of the operon. HgR gene abundance in sediment microbial communities was significantly correlated (p < 0.05) to total mercury levels (Figure 3.4) but gene expression was not measurable. We could not solely attribute the release of Hg0 from sediments in bioreactor experiments to a biogenic origin. However, there was a 1000 fold difference in measured Hg0 release between control and affected sites suggesting that processes of natural remediation may be taking place at contaminated sites (Figure 3.7). Abundance measurements of HgR related genes represent a strong response target to the mercury immobilized in sediments. Biomarkers built on this response can be used by industry to measure long term effects of industrially derived mercury on local ecosystems. The abundance of mer-operon genes in affected sites indicates the presence of a thriving bacterial community harbouring HgR potential. These communities have the capacity to naturally remediate the sites they occupy. This remediation could be further investigated. Additional studies will be required to develop biomarkers that are more responsive to contemporary industrial activity such as those based on the integrative oxidative stress response.
24

The Effect of Aluminium Industry Effluents on Sediment Bacterial Communities

Gill, Hardeep January 2012 (has links)
The goal of this project was to develop novel bacterial biomarkers for use in an industrial context. These biomarkers would be used to determine aluminium industry activity impact on a local ecosystem. Sediment bacterial communities of the Saguenay River are subjected to industrial effluent produced by industry in Jonquière, QC. In-situ responses of these communities to effluent exposure were measured and evaluated as potential biomarker candidates for exposure to past and present effluent discharge. Bacterial community structure and composition between control and affected sites were investigated. Differences observed between the communities were used as indicators of a response to industrial activity through exposure to effluent by-products. Diversity indices were not significantly different between sites with increased effluent exposure. However, differences were observed with the inclusion of algae and cyanobacteria. UniFrac analyses indicated that a control (NNB) and an affected site (Site 2) were more similar to one another with regard to community structure than either was to a medially affected site (Site 5) (Figure 2.4). We did not observe a signature of the microbial community structure that could be predicted with effluent exposure. Microbial community function in relation to bacterial mercury resistance (HgR) was also evaluated as a specific response to the mercury component present in sediments. Novel PCR primers and amplification conditions were developed to amplify merP, merT and merA genes belonging to the mer-operon which confers HgR (Table 5.6). To our knowledge, the roles of merP and merT have not been explored as possible tools to confirm the presence of the operon. HgR gene abundance in sediment microbial communities was significantly correlated (p < 0.05) to total mercury levels (Figure 3.4) but gene expression was not measurable. We could not solely attribute the release of Hg0 from sediments in bioreactor experiments to a biogenic origin. However, there was a 1000 fold difference in measured Hg0 release between control and affected sites suggesting that processes of natural remediation may be taking place at contaminated sites (Figure 3.7). Abundance measurements of HgR related genes represent a strong response target to the mercury immobilized in sediments. Biomarkers built on this response can be used by industry to measure long term effects of industrially derived mercury on local ecosystems. The abundance of mer-operon genes in affected sites indicates the presence of a thriving bacterial community harbouring HgR potential. These communities have the capacity to naturally remediate the sites they occupy. This remediation could be further investigated. Additional studies will be required to develop biomarkers that are more responsive to contemporary industrial activity such as those based on the integrative oxidative stress response.

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