Conversion of sugarcane bagasse to carboxylic acids using a mixed culture of mesophilic microorganisms

Using the MixAlco process, biomass can be converted into carboxylic acids, which can be chemically converted into mixed alcohol fuels. This study focused on the use of countercurrent fermentation to anaerobically convert sugarcane bagasse and chicken manure to mixed carboxylic acids using a mixed culture of mesophilic microorganisms from terrestrial and marine sources. Bagasse was pretreated with lime to increase digestibility. The continuum particle distribution model (CPDM) simulated continuous fermentors based on data collected from batch experiments. This model saves considerable time in determining optimum operating conditions. For an 80% bagasse/20% chicken manure fermentation with terrestrial inoculum at a volatile solids loading rate (VSLR) of 7.36 g/(L of liquid·d) and a liquid residence time (LRT) of 8.88 d, total carboxylic acid productivity, total acid selectivity, and yield were 2.49 g/(L of liquid·d), 0.581 g of total acid/g of VS digested, and 0.338 g of total acid/g of VS fed, respectively, at a concentration of 18.7 g of total acid/L. At the same VSLR and LRT, fermentation with marine inoculum gave higher total acid productivity, total acid selectivity, and yield than fermentation with terrestrial inoculum. For an 80% bagasse/20% chicken manure fermentation with marine inoculum at a VSLR of 3.83 g/(L of liquid·d) and an LRT of 12.1 d, total carboxylic acid productivity, total acid selectivity, and yield were 1.38 g/(L of liquid·d), 0.667 g of total acid/g of VS digested, and 0.359 g of total acid/g of VS fed, respectively, at a concentration of 16.2 g of total acid/L.     

Effect of some additives on the reactions in fly ASH-Ca(OH)2 system

Differential thermal analysis and thermogravimetry were used to evaluate the effect of some additives, such as CaSO₄, CaCl₂ and silica fume amorphous silica from ferrosilicon synthesis on the mechanism and kinetics of reactions occurring in fly ash-Ca(OH)₂ system. The accelerating role of these additives was demonstrated from the data relating to Ca(OH)₂ consumption in hydrated pastes, determined by TG measurements. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

A Study of the Hydration of Lime-Pozzolan Binders

DTA/TG and TG/DTG thermal studies and XRD investigations were carried out on pastes of lime-pozzolan binders to examine the relative hydration process. The binders were prepared with two natural pozzolans and hydrated lime, mixed together in different proportions. The main hydrated phases formed in the pastes are calcium silicate hydrate (CSH) and mono-carboaluminate. The growth of CSH was greater for the paste of the pozzolan richer in reactive constituents. For pastes with a higher lime/pozzolan ratio, a slowing of the formation of CSH was observed, while the formation of monocarboaluminate was more intense. The calcium hydroxide contents of the pastes obtained by thermogravimetric analysis made it possible to determine the pozzolanic activities of the two pozzolans under examination. The mortars for the various lime-pozzolan binders displayed characteristic hardening. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Flow system to gas capture from a nebulized solution

The use of aerosol produced in a nebulization chamber is proposed as an alternative to gas sample capture in flow systems. This paper describes the coupling of a sampling interface with a flow system, for in situ gas monitoring. Aspects related with the behavior of aerosol formation and gas solubilization in liquid drops are discussed. The method is applied to the determination of residual lime in acidic soils. Aliquots of 5.0 ml of 1.0 mol l⁻¹ HCl were mixed with soil samples (1 g). The CO₂ released from these samples was captured by a nebulized aerosol and determined conductivity. The analytical curve from 1.0×10⁻² to 5.0×10⁻² mol kg⁻¹ CaCO₃ was ploted applying the matrix matching approach. This proposition, allowed an increase in the sensibility with detection limit of 6.0×10⁻³ mol kg⁻¹. The precision was good (R.S.D. <3%) for an analytical frequency of 22 determinations per hour. A fair agreement, at 95% confidence level, was found between the results from the proposed method and certified values of the investigated samples.     

Hydration behaviour of a lime-pozzolan cement containing MSW incinerator fly ash

A lime-pozzolan cement was used to make pastes containing different quantities of MSW fly ash. After setting, the pastes were cured in water at room temperature from 1 h to 260 days. The hydration characteristics and the nature of the hydration products of the various pastes were studied by simultaneous TG/DSC thermal analysis and X-ray diffractometry. The MSW fly ash was found to induce a slowing of the hydration process in lime-pozzolan pastes, and after some days an evident acceleration of hydration reactions occurred. Sulphate and chloride in the MSW fly ash yield hydration products forming a cementitious matrix.The author is grateful to D. Calabrese for assistance with the thermal and XRD analyses.     

外掺剂加固吹填泥浆的机理分析

以吹填土的粒度成分、化学成分、物理化学性质测试为基础,从物理化学角度出发,对混合体系中的物理化学反应进行分类阐述,结合加固后土体结构强度的测算和微观结构特征分析,对外掺剂加固吹填泥浆的机理加以探讨。     

水硬性石灰合成及拉破坏特性试验研究

水硬性石灰在欧洲石质文物修复和加固中获得了很大成功。我国的石质文物主要是砂岩,水硬性石灰的修复效果不好。为满足我国石质文物修复和加固的需求,本文以石灰石和黏土为原料,在950℃煅烧不同时间,制备出水硬性石,对试样的成分、微观形貌、收缩率、抗拉强度和拉破坏过程等进行了研究。结果表明:(1)试样中含有水硬性成分2CaO·SiO2(C2S);煅烧8h时,成分与欧洲水硬性石灰NHL5接近;1.5CaO·SiO2·xH2O(C-S-H)和CaCO3的含量随龄期的增加逐渐增加。(2)龄期1~3d,收缩率较小;龄期4~6d,收缩率以线性规律增加;7d以后,收缩率趋于稳定。(3)局部变形区随拉应力的增加而变大,邻近局部变形区逐渐合并,形成面积更大的应变局部化带;载荷超过峰值后,产生微裂隙;随载荷进一步增加,微裂隙扩展,贯穿整个试件,发展成宏观裂隙,使试件破坏。(4)抗拉强度随龄期的增加而增加,水硬性石灰中C-S-H、CaCO3等相互交织,构成空间致密体,使试件力学强度提高。合成的水硬性石灰物理力学性能与欧洲水硬性石灰NHL5相近,并且成分均匀、可控,在石质文物修复和加固工程中具有良好应用前景。     

Geochemical Anomaly Characteristics of Cd in Soils around Abandoned Lime Mines: Evidence from Multiple Technical Methods

Lime mines are a potential source of pollution, and the surrounding soil environment is generally at threat, especially in abandoned lime mines. This paper focuses on the study area in eastern Anhui, attempting to analyze whether Cd enrichment is related to abandoned mines. On the basis of geological investigation, this study systematically used XRD, XRF, GTS and universal Kriging interpolation to determine the distribution law of Cd in the study area, and evaluated the potential ecological risk of Cd. The results showed that the main mineral types of soil samples of red clastic rock soil parent material (RdcPm) and soil samples of carbonate soil parent material (CPm) were not completely the same. Correlation analysis showed that CaO, MgO and Cd were positively correlated with the CPm. Human activities led to the accumulation of Cd in the study area. High Cd was mainly concentrated in the northwest of the study area, which was correlated with abandoned mines and soil parent materials. The study area was dominated by slight potential risks, although some areas had medium potential risks and high potential risks. All potential high risks were in the CPm field. This study provides a scientific basis for the comprehensive utilization and development planning of soil in the study area.     

Autoradiographische Untersuchungen zur Vermisechung von Baustoffkomponenten

Die Feinverteilung des Kalkes im Kalk-Quarzsand-Gemisch ist eine notwendige Bedingung fur hohe erreichbare Festigkeit der Silikatbaustoffe. Vergleiehende Untersuchungen über die Kalkverteilung an neutronenaktivierten feinkörnigen Baustoffproben mit Hilfe von Szintillationsmessungen des ⁴⁷Ca-Gehaltes und mittels autoradiographischer Darstellung der Kalkverteilung in kleinen Prüfkörpern unter Ausnützung der relativ weichen β-Strahlung des ⁴⁵Ca ergaben, daβ die autoradiographischen Aussagen über die Homogenität der Proben am besten mit den Festigkeitsiwerten der Prüfkörper korrespondieren.     

Characterization of FDR fly ash and brick/lime mixtures

The present research is concerning the characterization of FDR (fuel derived from residues) fly ash and mixtures with lime/brick hydraulic binder by DTA/TG/DTG thermo-analysis, X-ray diffractometry and chemical analysis. The use of hydraulic binder obtained from building brick rejects, which is less expensive than the usual solidifiers such as cementitious binder and silicates, allows us to reutilize, in the meantime, this wreckage material, to the advantage of environmental sustainability. Fly ash samples investigated in the present study were separated in a thermo-incineration plant. Mineralogical DTA/TG/DTG and XRD investigations reveal the presence of different phases as well as chemical analysis shows a moderate concentration of heavy metals and high content of chloride and sulphate. Results obtained from leaching tests with water carried out on hardened pastes containing fly ash lead to interesting results, which highlight behaviour to the release of contaminants. The whole of the results obtained in the present study make it possible to regard the objective of disposing such hardened materials in inert waste landfill sites as achievable.