Graduation date: 1997

Volumes of trade between the European Union and China have increased tremendously over the last decades, with the EU becoming China`s largest trading partner. Among the academic world there are serious concerns about the impacts of trade on national environmental regulation setting. There is fear that international trade will not only put advanced nations under strong competitive pressure to lower their environmental standards in order to stay competitive (race to the bottom) but also provide developing nations no incentives to strengthen their environmental protection measures as this would carry costs and reduce their global competitiveness (stuck at the bottom). In contrast to that believe, some scholars, such as David Vogel, argue that engaging in international trade can ¡V under certain assumptions ¡V result in tighter national regulation setting among trading partners (trading-up). This study sets out to analyze the linkage of trade and environmental standards between two major trading powers ¡V the EU and China. China`s integration with the world economy has spurred concerns among environmentalists as it was feared that the country`s national environmental regulatory system will be kept at low levels due to competitiveness considerations. However, China, the opposite can be observed. The EU has adopted strict environmental directives in several areas, and China has upgraded its environmental regulatory system. This study aims to find answers to the question if in the case of trade between the EU and China a situation of trading-up can be identified. In order to bring in domestic as well as international developments, the study applies a two-level games approach. The research is based on recent environmental directives that have been adopted by the EU. A selection of three directives forms the basis of the case studies: the Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS), car emissions standards, and the Registration, Evaluation, Authorization, and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH). The study provides insights into how China is affected by these external regulations, how it responded to them and how it tries to utilize them to boost its economic development and enhance the quality of its environment. As the study reveals, European environmental directives have positive impacts on China`s national environmental regulatory setting processes, since the EU regulations not only raise the awareness of the issue among China`s policy makers and public interest groups but they also called for responses from affected domestic constituents. The external regulations raised the stakes of numerous domestic actors which then had to decide how to react adequately. All in all, the study concludes that EU environmental directives have worked in favor of stricter regulation setting in China.

Aerobic biodegradation kinetics of 4-Chlorophenol (4-CP) and 2,4-Dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP) by acclimated mixed cultures were examined separately and in mixture using batch and sequencing batch reactors (SBRs). Biodegradation abilities of acclimated mixed cultures were also compared with those of isolated pure species. Complete degradation of chlorophenols and high COD removal efficiencies were observed throughout the SBRs operation. During the degradation of 4-CP, 5-chloro-2-hydroxymuconic semialdehyde, (the -meta cleavage product of 4-CP), accumulated but was subsequently removed completely. Chlorophenol degradation rates increased with increasing chlorophenols concentration in the feed of the SBRs. Gradually decreasing feed peptone concentration did not adversely affect chlorophenol degradation profiles in SBRs. Only competent biomass was thought to be responsible for chlorophenol degradation due to required unique metabolic pathways. It was assumed that the fraction of competent biomass (specialist biomass) is equal to COD basis fraction of chlorophenols in the feed of the reactors as competent biomass grows on chlorophenols only. Models developed using this assumption agreed well with experimental data. The performance of a two stage rotating biological contactor (RBC) was also evaluated for the treatment of synthetic wastewater containing peptone, 4-CP and 2,4-DCP at 5 rpm. High chlorophenols (&gt / 98%) and COD (&gt / 94%) removals were achieved throughout the reactor operation up to 1000 mg/L 4-CP and 500 mg/L 2,4-DCP in the feed. Results showed that RBC is more resistant than suspended growth reactors to high chlorophenols load. The change of dominant species during the operation of SBRs and RBC was also followed using API 20NE identification kits.

In this study, Hazardous Waste Production potential for the selected priority sectors in OSTIM Organized Industrial Zone (OIZ), Ankara is investigated. A general inventory study is conducted based on both absolute and minor entries in Waste List of Regulation on General Principles of Waste Management, Annex 4. Processes included in priority sectors are identified / moreover, each process is analyzed in terms of inputs entering and outputs leaving. Generated hazardous wastes from each sector are classified as process based, side processes based, and non-process based. After determination of codes and amounts of wastes, hazardous qwaste generation factors are generally calculated as &quot / kg of waste generated per ton of product or raw material processed&quot / . Calculated hazardous waste generation factors are compared with the estimated ones in literature if there is any and a specific range is determined for each waste factor. By use of sector specific hazardous waste generation factors and total capacity values sectoral hazardous waste generation amounts are calculated for OSTIM OIZ. The most crowded and potentially polluter sectors are determined from 14 main producer sectors of OSTIM OIZ. Accordingly, machining, casting of ferrous metals, treatment and coating of metals, maintenance and repair of motor vehicles and manufacture of rubber products are selected priority sectors studied in this thesis study. It is observed that among selected priority sectors highest generation occurs in machining sector, which involve high amounts of 12 01 coded HWs as metal grindings and waste oil mixtures. In addition, manufacturing of rubber products sector has no significant hazardous waste generation.

Metal organic frameworks (MOFs) and metal oxide-MOF composites were investigated for adsorption and oxidation of carbon monoxide. Metal oxides were successfully included in MOFs via both impregnation and encapsulation. UiO-66, a zirconium-based MOF, was impregnated with magnesium or cobalt oxide. Cobalt oxide in UiO-66 increases the room temperature CO capacity and shows increased adsorption at 65°C due to strong cobalt-CO interactions. Titania and magnetic nanoparticles were encapsulated in HKUST-1, a copper-based MOF. Including titania in HKUST-1 lowers the CO oxidation onset temperature by over 100°C compared with HKUST-1, and the composite reaches complete conversion by 250°C. HKUST-1 with magnetic nanoparticles shows enhanced structural stability and increased room temperature adsorption of CO and hexane. MOF-74, an isostructural family with coordinatively unsaturated metal centers of cobalt, magnesium, nickel, or zinc, was investigated for the metal center’s impact on stability and adsorption. Pre-treatment conditions to optimize accessibility were found that maximize solvent removal while retaining structural integrity. The impact of air exposure on equilibrium CO capacity was investigated, and these predictions were compared to dynamic conditions, separating CO from nitrogen or air at room temperature. The cobalt analog loses only 25% of its CO capacity with air exposure, retaining higher capacity than the other analogs under ideal conditions. Unlike cobalt, the magnesium analog does not follow the predicted trends with air exposure, having higher dynamic capacities with pre-exposed samples. Under all dynamic conditions, the nickel analog oxidized a portion of the carbon monoxide feed.

Thesis (D.P.H.)--University of Michigan.

Thesis (D.P.H.)--University of Michigan, 1993.

Thesis (D.P.H.)--University of Michigan.

Thesis (D.P.H.)--University of Michigan, 1993.

Thesis (LL. M.)--George Washington University, 1992. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references.