Taking precautions to restrain aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) from milk is critical, particularly due to the health and economic impact AFM1 imposes. The predominant post-harvest means of reducing AFM1 in milk includes the addition of sequestering agents to feed to diminish the bioavailability of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), the parent compound of AFM1 found in contaminated feed. Still, residual AFM1 has been found in the milk. Using sequestering agents added to raw milk, we found that activated carbon was the most effective binder to reduce AFM1 contamination. The combination of 0.75% granular activated carbon (GAC) and a flow rate of 0.4 mL/min to pump contaminated milk through a glass column were chosen as optimum conditions for the removal of AFM1. These conditions obtained a 98.4% reduction of 0.75 ng/mL AFM1 from raw milk. The treated milk was also analyzed to assess the effects of GAC on milk constituents. The results determined that GAC had no significant effect on major nutritive milk constituents: total protein, lactose, minerals, and fat. Additionally, we optimized an extraction method coupled to high performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) that minimized matrix effects, lowered the levels of detection, and reduced analysis costs. The optimized extraction method was based on QuEChERS (Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged, and Safe). Results determined 5 mL milk (15°C) with 10 mL acetonitrile, 3200 g centrifugation, and 0.2 μm syringe filter were the optimum conditions for the extraction of 0.5 ng/mL AFM1 from raw milk. The method was validated according to AOAC guidelines. This study reports experimental results on AFM1 remediation from raw bovine milk. The use of GAC for the removal of AFM1 in raw milk has reduced the amount of AFM1 below the FDA action limit and European Union maximum regulatory level. This method could have a global health impact, particularly, for people in developing nations and for infants and children who are more susceptible to the adverse effects of AFM1.

Des solutions d'acides carboxyliques contenant principalement de l'acide formique sont obtenues par oxydation photo-Fenton des polysaccharides. Une irradiation dans le visible de 60 W sous des conditions douces suffit à fournir des résultats reproductibles. Les produits d'oxydation issus d'amidon de pomme de terre et d'amidon de blé ont montré des capacités de complexation comparables aux solutions commerciales d'acide gluconique et glucuronique.Un système d'oxydation innovant, comprenant des sels d'halogénures et du DMSO, convertit quantitativement le HMF en DFF. Cette méthode permet aussi la transformation one-pot du fructose en DFF avec de bons rendements. Selon l'étude mécanistique, le bromo-HMF serait un intermédiaire réactionnel. / Solutions of carboxylic acids, containing mainly formic acid, are produced under photo-Fenton conditions. Visible irradiation with a 60 W spot is sufficient to provide reproducible results under mild conditions. The oxidation products of potato starch and wheat starch have shown Ca sequestering properties similar to those of gluconic and glucuronic acids.Using halide salts and DMSO, an innovating method has been elaborated for the selective oxidation of HMF to DFF with quantitative yields. The one-pot transformation of fructose to DFF occurs with fair yields. Based on the mechanistic study, Br-HMF would be the reaction intermediate.

A pesquisa em questão visou demonstrar as vantagens não só comerciais e técnicas, como também, ecológicas e ocupacionais da utilização do ácido cítrico nas empresas de beneficiamento têxtil, em comparação com o ácido acético, objetivando a implantação de um processo de tingimento mais sustentável, visto que, a exigência dos órgãos fiscalizadores tem crescido nos últimos anos e a busca na redução de custos operacionais e adequações ambientais são de vital importância para a sobrevivência e perpetuação das empresas de beneficiamento têxtil. Foram efetuados testes comparativos de medições de pH, neutralização de banhos alcalinos, comparação teórica de biodegradabilidade e danos à saúde e testes práticos comparativos contra dispersantes de tingimento e sequestrante e por fim os resultados práticos de tingimento em escala laboratorial. Os resultados demonstraram a compatibilidade do ácido cítrico frente ao acético no acerto de pH e neutralização de banhos alcalinos, demonstrado a capacidade do ácido cítrico em dispersar corantes dispersos superior à dispersantes de mercado, e superior poder de complexação frente à outros ácidos e ao Ladiquest 1097, e por fim foi constatado com base em dados teóricos a superioridade do ácido cítrico em comparação ao acético em questões ecológicas, possuindo o ácido cítrico valor de DQO em torno de 30% inferior ao ácido acético e toxicidade em torno de 70% inferior e por fim através dos tingimentos realizados pode-se comprovar a eficácia do ácido cítrico em processos de tingimento de poliéster e poliamida sem haver significativa alteração dos processos com ácido acético. A pesquisa pode demonstrar que a substituição do ácido acético, em processos de tingimento, pelo ácido cítrico é perfeitamente viável e além de trazer redução nos custos de processo na ordem de 12% nos tingimentos de poliéster e 0,76 no tingimento de poliamida, trará benefícios ambientais e ocupacionais às empresas que adotarem esta substituição, fazendo com que o ácido cítrico nas empresas de beneficiamento seja considerado um insumo sustentável. / The research in question aimed to demonstrate the advantages not only commercial and technical, but also environmental and occupational use of citric acid in textile dying companies, compare with acetic acid, aiming at implementing a more sustainable dyeing process, as that the requirement of regulatory agencies has grown in recent years and the search on reducing operating costs and environmental adaptations are of vital importance for the survival and perpetuation of textile dyeing companies. Comparative tests were of measurements of pH, neutralization of alkaline baths, theoretical comparison of biodegradability and damage to health and comparative practice tests against dispersants and sequestering dyeing and finally the practical results of dyeing in laboratory scale. The results demonstrated the compatibility of citric acid compare with acetic in the pH adjustment and neutralization of the alkali bath, demonstrated the ability of citric acid in the dispersing disperse dyes upper market dispersants, and higher power as compared to other complexing acids and Ladiquest 1097 and finally based on the environmental data theoretical superiority of citric acid compared to acetic acid, citric acid having a COD value of approximately 30% lower than the toxicity acetic acid and around 70% lower, and finally by the dyes could prove the efficacy of citric acid in polyester and polyamide dyeing processes with no significant change in the processes with acetic acid. The research may show that the substitution of acetic acid, in dyeing processes, the citric acid is feasible and also brings reduction in process costs in the order of 12% in the dyeing of polyester and 0.76%in the polyamide dyeing, will environmental and occupational benefits to companies that adopt this replacement, causing the citric acid in the processing firms is considered a sustainable feedstock.

<p>Human existence and welfare depend on functional ecosystems. Ecosystems are critical to sustain life-support services for human well-being. One method that visualizes that humanity requires ecosystem services for resource consumption and assimilation of produced waste is ecological footprints. This study focuses on the ecosystem service carbon sequestering. A quantification of this ecosystem service showed the potential for accumulation of carbon in different ecosystems in Stockholm and Norrbotten County for the years of 1995 and 2004. This study also provides an estimate of the ecosystem area that is appropriated to accumulate all carbon from total carbon dioxide emissions in Stockholm and Norrbotten County respectively. The appropriated ecosystem area represents the ecological footprint. The ecological footprint is also calculated for Stockholms läns landsting`s total carbon dioxide emissions in 2004. The total potential for accumulation of carbon is lower in the ecosystems in Stockholm County in 2004 than in 1995 and the corresponding figure for Norrbotten County has increased. The results indicate that the total potential for carbon accumulation in Stockholm County was approximately 427 kton C year-1 in 1995 and 352 kton C year -1 in 2004. In 1995 the ecosystems in Stockholm County could assimilate 26% of the county’s total emissions whereas the figure for 2004 was 21%. In Norrbotten County, the total potential for accumulation was approximately 2 824 kton C year -1 in 1995 and 2 983 kton C year -1 in 2004. The ecosystem area that is appropriated to assimilate total emissions of carbon dioxide was smaller in 2004 than in 1995 in Stockholm County and larger in Norrbotten County. The ecological footprint for total carbon dioxide emissions in Stockholm County was 12 696 km2 in 1995 and 12 506 km2 in 2004. The corresponding estimate for Norrbotten County indicate that the ecological footprint for total carbon sequestering was 14 457 km2 in 1995 and 32 146 km2 in 2004. The result shows that both regions require large areas of ecosystem to absorb total emissions of carbon dioxide. Stockholms läns landsting´s ecological footprint was 409 km2, which corresponds to 3.3 % of the County’s total ecological footprint. Stockholm County depends on ecosystem areas outside the region for assimilation of the region’s total emissions of carbon dioxide. According to the results Norrbotten County is self-sufficient with regard to the ecosystem service carbon accumulation. This study also includes a discussion of the advantages and limitations of the ecological footprint as a methodology. The received results serve as the starting point for this discussion. Ecological footprints are pedagogic and communicative indicators and can therefore reach out to a broad audience which is a great advantage with the method. It is a static measure and is therefore incapable of giving any presages. Ecological footprints do not take the dynamics and complexity of ecosystems into account and can therefore not provide any information about the possibilities for ecosystems to deliver ecosystem services at the same quality and quantity in the future. The method does not take socio-economic factors into consideration. For these reasons, ecological footprint should not be used as an indicator for sustainability. On the other hand, ecological footprint can illustrate why an ecologically sustainable development is necessary by visualizing that human welfare and existence rely on functional ecosystems.</p>

Human existence and welfare depend on functional ecosystems. Ecosystems are critical to sustain life-support services for human well-being. One method that visualizes that humanity requires ecosystem services for resource consumption and assimilation of produced waste is ecological footprints. This study focuses on the ecosystem service carbon sequestering. A quantification of this ecosystem service showed the potential for accumulation of carbon in different ecosystems in Stockholm and Norrbotten County for the years of 1995 and 2004. This study also provides an estimate of the ecosystem area that is appropriated to accumulate all carbon from total carbon dioxide emissions in Stockholm and Norrbotten County respectively. The appropriated ecosystem area represents the ecological footprint. The ecological footprint is also calculated for Stockholms läns landsting`s total carbon dioxide emissions in 2004. The total potential for accumulation of carbon is lower in the ecosystems in Stockholm County in 2004 than in 1995 and the corresponding figure for Norrbotten County has increased. The results indicate that the total potential for carbon accumulation in Stockholm County was approximately 427 kton C year-1 in 1995 and 352 kton C year -1 in 2004. In 1995 the ecosystems in Stockholm County could assimilate 26% of the county’s total emissions whereas the figure for 2004 was 21%. In Norrbotten County, the total potential for accumulation was approximately 2 824 kton C year -1 in 1995 and 2 983 kton C year -1 in 2004. The ecosystem area that is appropriated to assimilate total emissions of carbon dioxide was smaller in 2004 than in 1995 in Stockholm County and larger in Norrbotten County. The ecological footprint for total carbon dioxide emissions in Stockholm County was 12 696 km2 in 1995 and 12 506 km2 in 2004. The corresponding estimate for Norrbotten County indicate that the ecological footprint for total carbon sequestering was 14 457 km2 in 1995 and 32 146 km2 in 2004. The result shows that both regions require large areas of ecosystem to absorb total emissions of carbon dioxide. Stockholms läns landsting´s ecological footprint was 409 km2, which corresponds to 3.3 % of the County’s total ecological footprint. Stockholm County depends on ecosystem areas outside the region for assimilation of the region’s total emissions of carbon dioxide. According to the results Norrbotten County is self-sufficient with regard to the ecosystem service carbon accumulation. This study also includes a discussion of the advantages and limitations of the ecological footprint as a methodology. The received results serve as the starting point for this discussion. Ecological footprints are pedagogic and communicative indicators and can therefore reach out to a broad audience which is a great advantage with the method. It is a static measure and is therefore incapable of giving any presages. Ecological footprints do not take the dynamics and complexity of ecosystems into account and can therefore not provide any information about the possibilities for ecosystems to deliver ecosystem services at the same quality and quantity in the future. The method does not take socio-economic factors into consideration. For these reasons, ecological footprint should not be used as an indicator for sustainability. On the other hand, ecological footprint can illustrate why an ecologically sustainable development is necessary by visualizing that human welfare and existence rely on functional ecosystems.

A pesquisa em questão visou demonstrar as vantagens não só comerciais e técnicas, como também, ecológicas e ocupacionais da utilização do ácido cítrico nas empresas de beneficiamento têxtil, em comparação com o ácido acético, objetivando a implantação de um processo de tingimento mais sustentável, visto que, a exigência dos órgãos fiscalizadores tem crescido nos últimos anos e a busca na redução de custos operacionais e adequações ambientais são de vital importância para a sobrevivência e perpetuação das empresas de beneficiamento têxtil. Foram efetuados testes comparativos de medições de pH, neutralização de banhos alcalinos, comparação teórica de biodegradabilidade e danos à saúde e testes práticos comparativos contra dispersantes de tingimento e sequestrante e por fim os resultados práticos de tingimento em escala laboratorial. Os resultados demonstraram a compatibilidade do ácido cítrico frente ao acético no acerto de pH e neutralização de banhos alcalinos, demonstrado a capacidade do ácido cítrico em dispersar corantes dispersos superior à dispersantes de mercado, e superior poder de complexação frente à outros ácidos e ao Ladiquest 1097, e por fim foi constatado com base em dados teóricos a superioridade do ácido cítrico em comparação ao acético em questões ecológicas, possuindo o ácido cítrico valor de DQO em torno de 30% inferior ao ácido acético e toxicidade em torno de 70% inferior e por fim através dos tingimentos realizados pode-se comprovar a eficácia do ácido cítrico em processos de tingimento de poliéster e poliamida sem haver significativa alteração dos processos com ácido acético. A pesquisa pode demonstrar que a substituição do ácido acético, em processos de tingimento, pelo ácido cítrico é perfeitamente viável e além de trazer redução nos custos de processo na ordem de 12% nos tingimentos de poliéster e 0,76 no tingimento de poliamida, trará benefícios ambientais e ocupacionais às empresas que adotarem esta substituição, fazendo com que o ácido cítrico nas empresas de beneficiamento seja considerado um insumo sustentável. / The research in question aimed to demonstrate the advantages not only commercial and technical, but also environmental and occupational use of citric acid in textile dying companies, compare with acetic acid, aiming at implementing a more sustainable dyeing process, as that the requirement of regulatory agencies has grown in recent years and the search on reducing operating costs and environmental adaptations are of vital importance for the survival and perpetuation of textile dyeing companies. Comparative tests were of measurements of pH, neutralization of alkaline baths, theoretical comparison of biodegradability and damage to health and comparative practice tests against dispersants and sequestering dyeing and finally the practical results of dyeing in laboratory scale. The results demonstrated the compatibility of citric acid compare with acetic in the pH adjustment and neutralization of the alkali bath, demonstrated the ability of citric acid in the dispersing disperse dyes upper market dispersants, and higher power as compared to other complexing acids and Ladiquest 1097 and finally based on the environmental data theoretical superiority of citric acid compared to acetic acid, citric acid having a COD value of approximately 30% lower than the toxicity acetic acid and around 70% lower, and finally by the dyes could prove the efficacy of citric acid in polyester and polyamide dyeing processes with no significant change in the processes with acetic acid. The research may show that the substitution of acetic acid, in dyeing processes, the citric acid is feasible and also brings reduction in process costs in the order of 12% in the dyeing of polyester and 0.76%in the polyamide dyeing, will environmental and occupational benefits to companies that adopt this replacement, causing the citric acid in the processing firms is considered a sustainable feedstock.

The mechanism by which ionic lanthanum (La3+) increases and subsequently decreases spontaneous transmitter release was investigated by recording miniature endplate potentials (MEPPs) at frog neuromuscular junctions. Addition of tetrodotoxin and Co2+ delayed the onset of MEPP frequency increase but did not otherwise prevent the response. Dinitrophenol substantially reduced but did not eliminate the increase, whereas 3,4,5-trimethoxybenzoic acid8-(diethylamino) octyl ester (TMB-8) completely abolished it. Thus, La3+ does not act by depolarizing the terminal or by substituting for Ca2+ at transmitter release sites. Instead, it appears to enter the terminal through Na+ channels and promote Ca2+ release from intracellular organelles. The profound depletion of transmitter with time may be due to the high turnover of transmitter coupled with the inhibition of metabolic processes by La3+.

No description available.

During the last decade, the academic interest for Earth’s natural carbon sinks and their role concerning climate change has increased. Today, many scientists around the world are trying to calculate different ecosystem’s potential to sequester and store carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. As a newcomer to the scientific arena, the term ‘blue carbon’ has been well received by scientists in the field. ‘Blue carbon’ highlights the carbon captured and stored by productive ecosystems along the world’s coasts. The term refers to coastal wetlands – such as mangrove forests, salt marshes and seagrass meadows – and it came to life as the scientific community recognized these ecosystems’ significant potential as effective carbon sinks. New research indicates that these ecosystems’ complex and vertical root systems can store much larger amounts of carbon in the soil than any other terrestrial ecosystem. By studying this subject, scientists are trying to understand how these ecosystems can help us in the quest of removing excessive carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. The goal of this thesis is to conduct a literature review, aiming to analyse and compile the new research on ‘blue carbon’ that has been published during the last 10 years. The paper aims to investigate whether the ecosystem’s potential as carbon sinks differ from each other, and what threats they will face in the future. It will additionally review if scientists have been able to unite around any predictions about what the future for ‘blue carbon’ – and its role in mitigating climate change – will look like. / Under det senaste decenniet har intresset kring naturliga kolsänkors potential och roll i att mildra klimatförändringar ökat. Idag är det många forskare som arbetar med att beräkna mängden kol som olika ekosystem runt om världen kan lagra i sin biomassa och i jorden under dess rötter. Som en nykomling på den vetenskapliga arenan, har termen ’blue carbon’ blivit väl mottaget av forskare inom området. ’Blue carbon’ syftar på det kol som fixeras och lagras av de produktiva ekosystemen längs världens kuster. Termen refererar till kustbelägna våtmarker – så som mangroveskogar, saltträsk och sjögräsbäddar – och introducerades efter att den vetenskapliga världen erkänt deras imponerande potential som kolsänkor. Ny forskning tyder på att deras avancerade och vertikala rotsystem kan lagra mer koldioxid i marken än vad vanliga terrestra skogar kan. Genom att studera detta ämne försöker forskare att förstå hur dessa ekosystem kan hjälpa oss att avlägsna överskottet av koldioxid från atmosfären. Målet med denna uppsats är att utföra en litteraturstudie och analysera, samt sammanställa den nya forskningen om ’blue carbon’ som publicerats de senaste 10 åren. Uppsatsen kommer undersöka hur stor skillnad det är mellan de olika ekosystemen och vilka hot de står inför i framtiden. Dessutom kommer den undersöka ifall forskare kommit närmre i att enas kring förutsägelser om framtiden för ’blue carbon’, och hur dess roll i att mildra klimatförändringarna kommer se ut.

Calcite stalactites ranging in length from several inches to a foot long are found forming on the southeastern slag pile at the former Gadsden Steel Mill of the Gulf States Steel Corporation. Analyses of samples collected per EISOPQAM guidelines include the following: petrographic, conductivity, pH, XRD, XRF, TDS, and major cations and anions. Preliminary field pH and conductivity measurements indicate that waters near the slag pile have a pH ranging from 11-12 and a conductivity ranging from 1115-6300 μS/ cm. Titration data indicate that the maximum pH value is 12.5. These calcite stalactites and stream coatings result from the dissolution of the steelmaking slag by rainfall. These alkaline waters precipitate calcite when they are in contact with atmospheric CO2. Improper management of slag products can lead to aesthetically impacted environments and ecosystems. Several studies and this study show that steel slag could be used to sequester atmospheric CO2.