Integrated Condition Monitoring of Large Captive Power Plants and Aluminum Smelters

Condition monitoring is implementation of the advanced diagnostic techniques to reduce downtime and to increase the efficiency and reliability. The research is for determining the usage of advanced techniques like Vibration analysis, Oil analysis and Thermography to diagnose ensuing problems of the Plant and Machinery at an early stage and plan to take corrective and preventive actions to eliminate the forthcoming breakdown and enhancing the reliability of the system. Nowadays, the most of the industries have adopted the condition monitoring techniques as a part of support system to the basic maintenance strategies. Major condition monitoring technique they follow is Vibration Spectrum Analysis, which can detect faults at a very early stage. However implementation of other techniques like Oil analysis or Ferrography, Thermography etc. can further enhance the data interpretation as they would detect the source of abnormality at much early stage thus providing us with a longer lead time to plan and take the corrective actions. In Large Captive Power Plants and Aluminium Smelters, Integrated Condition Monitoring techniques play an important role as stoppage of primary system and its auxiliaries (boiler, steam turbine, generator, coal and ash handling plants etc.) results into the stoppage of the entire plant, which in turn leads to loss of productivity. From economical and operational point of view, it is desirable to ensure optimum level of system availability.     

以印染废水为主的城镇污水处理厂锑污染来源特征分析

为研究以印染废水为主的城镇污水处理厂锑污染来源特征,对浙江省嘉善县某污水处理厂及纳管行业进行水体锑（Sb）的采样分析,同时对印染和喷水纺织两大行业的锑污染源进行分析.研究表明,在污水处理厂纳管废水中,印染行业废水占纳管总量的55.2%,排锑量占总量的79.3%,是该污水处理厂锑污染的主要来源;在印染生产过程中,布料中锑的平均流失量为7 mg·kg^-1,平均损失率为13%,污染物锑在退浆、水洗和染色工艺段中的释放量依次为：染色 > 退浆 > 水洗;喷水纺织织造工艺中锑的释放量较少,布料中锑的平均流失量为2.2 mg·kg^-1,平均损失率仅为2.1%;污水处理厂进出水、印染各工段废水和织造废水中,锑主要以Sb（V）形态存在.     

Challenges and opportunities in quantitative analyses of lead,cadmium, and hexavalent chromium in plant materials by laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy: A review

Bearing the merits of rapid, minimally destructive, and simultaneous multi-element analyses, laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) shows its unique advantages in quantitative analyses of lead, cadmium, and hexavalent chromium in plant materials. However, the greatest challenge LIBS must confront is calibration. Various methods for calibration are proposed and put into effect; nevertheless, limits of detection acquired by LIBS are not acceptable when they are compared with the maximum residue limits drawn up by governments, and LIBS's performances in quantitative analyses are to be improved. This review summarizes recent studies of analyzing lead, cadmium, and hexavalent chromium in plant materials quantitatively by LIBS; weighs the strengths and weaknesses of their calibration methods; and recommends the combination of matrix-matched standards based on spiked sample materials and internal standard as well as chemometrics in complicated situations for calibration in LIBS. Selecting the emission line of the analyte, sample enrichment and signal enhancement are measures that this review puts forward to improve the performances of LIBS in calibration. These quantitative analyses of lead, cadmium, and hexavalent chromium in plant materials by LIBS provide an opportunity to be utilized in mapping distributions and remediation for soil and water, as well as supervision for agricultural products safety and pollution treatments.     

Use of stable carbon isotope ratios to determine the source of cypermethrin in so-called natural plant extract formulations used for organic farming

Some natural plant extract formulations (NPEFs, also referred to as essential oils) used in organic farming have been shown to contain synthetic pesticides. We obtained samples of four NPEFs (Muso, Hekiro, Kensogen-Ten, and Nurse Green) that were contaminated with the synthetic pyrethroid cypermethrin, and we used gas chromatography coupled with combustion, cryofocusing, and isotope ratio mass spectrometry to determine the stable carbon isotope ratios (δ¹³C) for the cypermethrin in the four NPEF samples, as well as in ten cypermethrin reagents and two commercial pesticide formulations (Agrothrin emulsion and Agrothrin water-dispersible powder). Our goal was to identify the source of the cypermethrin in the NPEFs. Cryofocusing markedly sharpened the cypermethrin peak and thus improved the accuracy and precision of the determined δ¹³C values. The δ¹³C values (±?SD) of the 16 cypermethrin samples ranged from ?28.3?±?0.2 to ?24.5?±?0.2?‰. Surprisingly, the four NPEFs showed similar δ¹³C values (?26.8 to ?27.3?‰), suggesting that the cypermethrin in all the samples came from the same source (either the same chemical reaction or the same primary material). This possibility was supported by previously published results. In addition, the δ¹³C values of the two commercial pesticides were similar to the values for the NPEFs, suggesting that the commercial pesticides had been diluted and sold as NPEFs.     

Electric Field‐Aided Formation Combined with a Nanoimprinting Technique for Replicating a Plant Leaf

The surface of the taro plant leaf was replicated using a nanoimprinting technique (NIT) supplemented with an electric field. This field‐aided nanoimprinting method (FA‐NIT) consists of two steps: applying an electric field to a liquid polymer under the plant leaves and the curing process of the polymer with the applied electric field. An appropriate electric field was needed to induce the electrokinetic phenomena of a liquid polymer to obtain a good replicated surface. The roughness fabricated by the FA‐NIT was about 45% higher than the one prepared by NIT. The FA‐NIT method is a good supplementary technique to improve the quality of NIT.

     

Scarlet Flax Linum grandiflorum (L.) In Vitro Cultures as a New Source of Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Lignans

In vitro cultures of scarlet flax (Linum grandiflorum L.), an important ornamental flax, have been established as a new possible valuable resource of lignans and neolignans for antioxidant and anti-inflammatory applications. The callogenic potential at different concentrations of α-naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) and thidiazuron (TDZ), alone or in combinations, was evaluated using both L. grandiflorum hypocotyl and cotyledon explants. A higher callus induction frequency was observed on NAA than TDZ, especially for hypocotyl explants, with a maximum frequency (i.e., 95.2%) on 1.0 mg/L of NAA. The presence of NAA (1.0 mg/L) in conjunction with TDZ tended to increase the frequency of callogenesis relative to TDZ alone, but never reached the values observed with NAA alone, thereby indicating the lack of synergy between these two plant growth regulators (PGRs). Similarly, in terms of biomass, NAA was more effective than TDZ, with a maximum accumulation of biomass registered for medium supplemented with 1.0 mg/L of NAA using hypocotyls as initial explants (DW: 13.1 g). However, for biomass, a synergy between the two PGRs was observed, particularly for cotyledon-derived explants and for the lowest concentrations of TDZ. The influence of these two PGRs on callogenesis and biomass is discussed. The HPLC analysis confirmed the presence of lignans (secoisolariciresinol (SECO) and lariciresinol (LARI) and neolignan (dehydrodiconiferyl alcohol [DCA]) naturally accumulated in their glycoside forms. Furthermore, the antioxidant activities performed for both hypocotyl- and cotyledon-derived cultures were also found maximal (DPPH: 89.5%, FRAP 866: µM TEAC, ABTS: 456 µM TEAC) in hypocotyl-derived callus cultures as compared with callus obtained from cotyledon explants. Moreover, the anti-inflammatory activities revealed high inhibition (COX-1: 47.4% and COX-2: 51.1%) for extract of hypocotyl-derived callus cultures at 2.5 mg/L TDZ. The anti-inflammatory action against COX-1 and COX-2 was supported by the IC₅₀ values. This report provides a viable approach for enhanced biomass accumulation and efficient production of (neo)lignans in L. grandiflorum callus cultures.     

Pyrolytic and catalytic conversion of rape oil into aromatic and aliphatic fractions in a fixed bed reactor on Al2O3 and Al2O3/B2O3 catalysts

In the, at present, unstable fuel market, much attention is devoted to alternative technologies for fuel production and development of alternative products of the petrochemical industry. One of the prospective sources of fuel and alternative petrochemical products is biomass, and the use of oil plants is one of the possibilities. This paper reports on a possible conversion of rapeseed oil produced in Poland into intermediate hydrocarbon fractions by pyrolysis combined with parallel catalytic conversion. The products were analysed by gas chromatography coupled with a mass detector. The process was performed in a fixed-bed reactor and was monitored by FTIR and ¹H NMR. Depending on the catalysts applied, the products contained: water, carbon oxides, hydrogen, aliphatic or aromatic hydrocarbons accompanied by some amount of C2-C5 hydrocarbons formed during the cracking process. Presented at the 35th International Conference of the Slovak Society of Chemical Engineering, Tatranské Matliare, 26–30 May 2008.     

Gas chromatographic–mass spectrometric analysis of polychlorostyrene congener mixtures in sediments,human sera and cord sera

Complex mixtures of polychlorostyrenes are produced and released into the environment by reaction of chlorine with graphite at high temperatures, e.g. in electrodes. The occurrence of these compounds in the environment or human tissues is often indicative of pollution from electrolytic processes. Combined gas chromatography coupled to electron impact and negative ion chemical ionization mass spectrometry is described here for the analysis of these compounds in sediments, human venous sera and cord sera. This method has allowed a specific congener identification and quantification of the chlorostyrene mixtures present in fluvial sediments polluted by effluents from a chlorine-alkali plant. Besides octachlorostyrene, the mixture of compounds identified involved the six possible heptachlorostyrenes, fifteen hexachlorostyrenes and seven pentachlorostyrenes, having concentrations in the range of 76–16 000 ng g⁻¹ dry weight. In human sera from the population exposed to airborne emissions from this plant these compounds ranged between 17 and 63 ng L⁻¹ and the distributions were dominated by octachlorostyrene, three heptachlorostyrenes, including β,β-2,3,4,5,6-heptachlorostyrene, and α-2,3,4,5,6-hexachlorostyrene. Both distribution patterns showed major differences in composition despite the common pollution source that was influencing both types of samples. The method also revealed qualitative differences between maternal and cord sera from the exposed population.     

支持向量机回归法在近红外光谱测定植物纤维原料中甲氧基含量中的应用

以26个植物纤维原料为实验材料,由20个样品作校正样品,采用径向基核函数方法对纤维原料中甲氧基含量与纤维原料样品近红外光谱进行支持向量机(SVM)回归建模.以所建SVM回归模型对6个纤维原料样品中甲氧基含量进行预测,回归模型的预测结果与采用改良的维伯克法确定的甲氧基含量的相关系数为0.977,预测样本集的标准偏差为0.43.将SVM回归模型的预测效果与PLS回归模型的预测结果进行比较,所建近红外光谱测定植物纤维原料中甲氧基含量的SVM回归模型可用于实际植物纤维原料样品的定量分析,且具有较好的分析效果.     

EDXRF spectrometry determination of tungsten in tobacco plants after antiviral treatment with 12-tungstophosphoric acid and its compounds

In this study, we have developed a sensitive, rapid and simple procedure for the energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) spectrometry measurement of tungsten in tobacco plant parts. Only 0.1 g of dried plant material is needed instead of the usual 1 g. EDXRF spectrometry is used for quantitative measurement, after the foliar application of solutions of tungstophosphoric acid (WPA), its magnesium salt and compounds with glycine (Gly) and alanine (Ala), in exact quantities. After that, the leaves, trunks and summits were collected and prepared separately. Tungsten is determined directly in raw dried material, and the overlap of the tungsten peak with zinc's that is present is avoided by the spectral deconvolution to obtain quantitative results. The prepared dry tablets weighed 100 mg, and measurement time was 2000 s. The radioisotope excitation source used was ¹⁰⁹Cd and tungsten was identified and quantified at the L_α1 and L_α2 lines at the energies of 8397.6 eV and 8335.2 eV, respectively. EDXRF spectrometry was applied in a wide range of concentrations (up to 2000 mg/kg), with an estimated detection concentration limit of 15 mg/kg, calculated on dried material. Quantitative analysis of different parts of the treated plant plus the washings gave 94.47% recovery of the applied tungsten in different compound forms. After the foliar application of investigated WPA compounds, there were noticed both vertical and horizontal distributions of tungsten through out the tobacco plants, according to the EDXRF spectrometry results. This conclusion is also in agreement with the positive effects of WPA on Tobacco mosaic tobamovirus (TMV) infection of Nicotiana tabacum (Solanaceae).