Enhancement of boron removal in treatment of spent rinse from a plating operation using RO

Boron removal is a critical issue in the production of drinking water and of ultra-pure water in the electronics industry. Boron rejection in a RO process is typically in the range of 40-60%. The objective of this study was to distinguish the factor contributing to enhanced boron rejection in reclamation of a spent rinse stream from a plating operation. The effects of different known components used in the feed on boron removal were investigated in the laboratory. The results indicated that glycolic acid and antifoulants could not individually enhance boron rejection in a RO process. A high boron rejection of 95% was achieved as the concentration of iron in the feed was 10 times higher than that of boron, which might be due to formation of a complex between iron oxide and boron. The finding was confirmed in a pilot study.

Digestion of selected foods by Yunnan snub-nosed monkey Rhinopithecus bieti (Colobinae)

Three digestion trials were conducted to quantify aspects of digestive physiology in the Yunnan snub-nosed monkey Rhinopithecus bieti, a foregut fermenter that feeds primarily on lichens. Mean retention time (MRT, the average time plastic markers spent in

Characterization of the sleep architecture in two species of fruit bat

Bats (Chiroptera) are the second-most abundant mammalian order in the world, occupying a diverse range of habitats and exhibiting many different life history traits. In order to contribute to this highly underrepresented group we describe the sleep architecture of two species of frugivorous bat, the greater short-nosed fruit bat (Cynopterus sphinx) and the lesser dawn fruit bat (Eonycteris spelaea). Electroencephalogram (EEG) and electromyogram (EMG) data were recorded from multiple individuals (>= 5) by telemetry over a 72-h period in a laboratory setting with light/dark cycles equivalent to those found in the wild. Our results show that over a 24-h period both species spent more time asleep than awake (mean 15 h), less than previous reported for Chiroptera (20 h). C sphinx spent significantly more of its non-rapid eye movement sleep (NREM) and rapid eye movement sleep (REM) quotas during the light phase, while E. spelaea divided its sleep-wake architecture equally between both light and dark phases. Comparing the sleep patterns of the two species found that C. sphinx had significantly fewer NREM and REM episodes than E. spelaea but each episode lasted for a significantly longer period of time. Potential hypotheses to explain the differences in the sleep architecture of C. sphinx with E. spelaea, including risk of predation and social interaction are discussed. (C) 2010 Published by Elsevier B.V.

Seasonal variations in the activity budget of Nomascus concolor jingdongensis at Mt. Wuliang, Central Yunnan, China: Effects of diet and temperature

We studied seasonal variation in the activity budget of a habituated group of Nomascus concolor jingdongensis at Mt. Wuliang, Central Yunnan, China from March 2005 to April 2006 via scan sampling at 5-min intervals. The study site is near the northern extreme of the distribution of hylobatids, at high altitude with extreme seasonality of temperature and rainfall. During the day, feeding manifested a bimodal pattern of high activity levels in mid-morning and mid-afternoon, whereas resting reached a peak at midday, with proportionally less time used for traveling. Annually, the group spent an average of 40.0% of the time resting, 35.1% feeding, 19.9% traveling, 2.6% singing, 1.2% playing, and 1.3% in other activities. The proportion of time allocated to activities showed significant monthly variations and was influenced by the diet and temperature. Gibbons increased traveling and playing time and decreased feeding time when they ate more fruit, and they decreased traveling, singing, and playing time and increased feeding time when they ate more leaves. Moreover, when the temperature was low, the gibbons decreased time traveling and increased time resting. In summary, black-crested gibbons employed high-effort activities when they ate more fruit and energy-conservation patterns when they ate more leaves and in low temperature. Behavioral data from the site are particularly useful in understanding gibbon behavioral adaptations to different sets of ecological conditions.

Effects of food and topography on ranging behavior of black crested gibbon (Nomascus concolor jingdongensis) in Wuliang mountain, Yunnan, China

We studied the ranging behavior of a habituated group of black crested gibbons (Nomascus concolor jingdongensis) in a high, seasonal habitat on Mt. Wuliang, central Yunnan, China, between March 2005 and April 2006. Our results indicated that the total home range size for the study group was 129 ha, or 151 ha if the lacunae within the borders in which gibbons were not observed were included. This is a much bigger range size than that of other gibbon species. However, 69.7% of their activities occurred within 29 ha. The intensity of quadrant use was significantly correlated with the distribution of important food patches. The mean yearly daily path length was 1,391 m. Gibbons traveled farther when they spent more time feeding on fruit. To avoid often passing through ridges with little food, gibbons usually stayed in the same valley for successive days, and then moved on to another valley for another several days, which resulted in a concentrated ranging pattern.

Altitudinal Ranging of Black-Crested Gibbons at Mt. Wuliang, Yunnan: Effects of Food Distribution, Temperature and Human Disturbance

We studied the altitudinal ranging of one habituated group of black-crested gibbons (Nomascus concolor) at Dazhaizi, Mt. Wuliang, Yunnan, China, between March 2005 and April 2006. The group ranged from 1,900 to 2,680 m above sea level. Food distribution was the driving force behind the altitudinal ranging patterns of the study group. They spent 83.2% of their time ranging between 2,100 and 2,400 m, where 75.8% of important food patches occurred. They avoided using the area above 2,500 m despite a lack of human disturbance there, apparently because there were few food resources. Temperature had a limited effect on seasonal altitudinal ranging but probably explained the diel altitudinal ranging of the group, which tended to use the lower zone in the cold morning and the higher zone in the warm afternoon. Grazing goats, the main disturbance, were limited to below 2,100 m, which was defined as the high-disturbance area (HDA). Gibbons spent less time in the HDA and, when ranging there, spent more time feeding and travelling and less time resting and singing. Human activities directly influenced gibbon behaviour, might cause forest degradation and create dispersal barriers between populations. Copyright (C) 2010 S. Karger AG, Basel

Foraging habitats and utilization distributions of Black-necked Cranes wintering at the Napahai Wetland, China

One of the most endangered populations of Black-necked Cranes (Grus nigricollis), the central population, is declining due to habitat loss and degradation, but little is known about their space use patterns and habitat preferences. We examined the space use and habitat preferences of Black-necked Cranes during the winter of 2007-2008 at the Napahai wetland in northwest Yunnan, China, where approximately 300 Black-necked Cranes (>90% of the total central population) spent the winter. Euclidean distance analysis was employed to determine the habitat preferences of Black-necked Cranes, and a local nearest-neighbor, convex-hull construction method was used to examine space use. Our results indicate that Black-necked Cranes preferred shallow marsh and wet meadow habitats and avoided farmland and dry grassland. Core-use areas (50% isopleths) and total-use areas (100% isopleths) accounted for only 1.2% and 28.2% of the study area, respectively. We recommend that habitat protection efforts focus on shallow marsh and wet meadow habitats to maintain preferred foraging sites. Core-use areas, such as the primary foraging areas of Black-necked Cranes, should be designated as part of the core zone of the nature reserve. Monthly shifts in the core-use areas of the cranes also indicate that the reserve should be large enough to permit changes in space use. In addition to preserving habitat, government officials should also take measures to decrease human activity in areas used by foraging Black-necked Cranes.

EARLY MOTHER-INFANT RELATIONSHIPS OF MACACA-THIBETANA AT MT-EMEI CHINA

Quantitative data on early mother-infant relationships in the Tibetan macaque was collected during the first 23 weeks of infant life in spring, 1987, at Mt. Emei, China. During the first week of life, infants spent 98.3% of their time in ventroventral contact with their mothers. This contact rapidly decreased to 33.8% by the 4th week and thereafter to 0.85% by the 23rd week. Nipple contact decreased relatively slowly from 89.7% to 62.9% within the first 4 weeks of infant life and to 19.8% by the 23rd week. Ventrolateral and ventrodorsal contact appeared by the 2nd week, mean-while, maternal restraining behavior appeared, and reached a peak by the 3rd week. The mother neither encouraged nor discouraged her infant's independence during 4-8th weeks. Maternal rejection of the infant was first observed when the infant was 11 weeks old and continued thereafter.

PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION OF THE HABITATS OF PRESBYTIS-FRANCOISI AND PRESBYTIS-LEUCOCEPHALUS, WITH NOTES ON THE ACTIVITY PATTERN OF PRESBYTIS-LEUCOCEPHALUS

In this paper the habitat structure and ecology of Presbytis francoisi and Presbytis leucocephalus are compared. Observations were made of the two langur species in areas of southwest Guangxi province in which the langurs occur but are not sympatric. The results showed that the habitat of P. leucocephalus differs from that of P. francoisi and that the habitat in western areas was different from that in eastern areas in terms of vegetation and other criteria. P. francoisi was limited in its distribution to localities at higher altitudes, in contrast to P. leucocephalus. This may be due to human activities such as crop cultivation and logging. With respect to its activity pattern, P. leucocephalus spent 51.8% of its day in the trees and 48.2% on the rocky substrate. The results of this study suggest that Presbytis may best be regarded as a semiarboreal form.

Responses to seasonal changes in nutrient quality and patchiness of food in a multigroup community of Tibetan macaques at Mt. Emei

Provisioning along pedestrian trails by tourists much increased the nutrient quality and patchiness of food (NqPF)for Tibetan macaques (Macaca thibetana) at Mt Emei in spring and summer. In the habitat at a temperate-subtropical transition zone, the mncaque's NqPF could be ordered in a decreasing rank from spring summer to autumn to winter With the aid of a radio-tracking system, I collected ranging data on a multigroup community in three 70-day periods representing the different seasons in 1991-92, Rank-order correlation on the data show that with the decline of NqPF; the groups tended to increase days away from the trail, their effective range size (ERS) their exclusive area (EA) and the number of days spent in the EA, and reduced their group/community density and the ratio of the overlapped range to the seasonal range (ROR). In icy/snowy winter; the macaques searched for mature leaves slowly and carefully in the largest seasonal range with a considerable portion that was nor used in other seasons. Of the responses, the ROR decreased with the reduction in group/community density; and the ERS was the function of both group size (+) and intergroup rank (-) when favorite food was highly clumped. All above responses were clearly bound to maximize foraging effectiveness and minimize energy expenditure, and their integration in term of changes in time and space leads to better understanding macaque ecological adaptability. Based on this study and previous work on behavioral and physiological factors, I suggest a unifying theory of intergroup interactions. Ir! addition, as the rate of behavioral interactions,was also related to the group density, I Waser's (1976) gas model probably applies to behavioral, as well as spatial, data on intergroup interactions.

Rhinopithecus bieti at Tacheng, Yunnan: Diet and daytime activities

We collected data on diet and activity budget in a group of Rhinopithecus bieti at Tacheng (99degrees 18'E, 27degrees 36' N, between 2,700 - 3,700 m asl), Yunnan, from March 1999 to December 2000. We mainly recorded species-parts eaten with feeding scores from scanning state behaviors of one-male units in tree-crowns. We also conducted microscopic analysis of feces collected monthly. The subjects consumed 59 plant species, belonging to 42 genera in 28 families, of which 90 species-parts were distributed as follows: 21 in Winter, 38 in spring, 39 in Summer, 47 in autumn. Conversely, the group annually spent, on average, 35% of daytime feeding, 33% resting, 15% moving, and 13% in social activities. Seasonal changes are apparent in daytime budget and food item-related feeding time in tree-crowns, food remains in feces, and the number of species-parts eaten. Correlations within and between food items and time budget clearly indicate maximization of foraging effectiveness and minimization of energy expenditure. In consideration of reports from northern and southern groups, that which underlay the specific adaptation to the habitat appeared to be similar to those of other colobines. Thus, the ultimate factors for survival of the species are more hopeful than expected.

Effect of ration and body size on the energy budget of juvenile white sturgeon

Growth and energy budget were measured for three sizes(2.4, 11.1 and 22.5 g) of juvenile white sturgeon Acipenser transmontanus held at 18.5 degrees C and fed tubificid worms at different levels ranging from starvation to ad libitum. For each size-class, specific growth rate increased linearly with increasing ration, and conversion efficiency was highest at the maximum ration. Growth rate decreased with increasing fish size at the maximum ration, but increased with size al each restricted ration. Conversion efficiency increased with increasing ration for each size-class and was usually highest at the maximum ration. Faecal production accounted for 3.2-5.2% of food energy. The proportion of food energy lost in nitrogenous excretion decreased with increasing ration. With increases in ration, the allocation of metabolizable energy to metabolism decreased, while that to growth increased. Fish size had no significant effect on the allocation of metabolizable energy to metabolism or growth. Al the maximum ration, on average 64.9% of metabolizable energy was spent on metabolism, and 35.1% on growth. (C) 1996 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles

回转窑热解处理废锌锰电池试验研究

我国电池生产量已经达到209亿节（2003年），多年来一直占据世界第一大电池生产国的地位，其中锌锰电池占大多数。废锌锰电池丢弃后，其中的重金属物质会逐渐渗透到地下，污染土壤和水体。重金属在生物体内富集，会使生物体致畸或致变。但同时，废锌锰电池中也含有大量有用的资源如锌、二氧化锰等。应对其进行回收利用，变废为宝。本文介绍了废锌锰电池回收处理的主要技术及研究进展，不同的处理技术回收废锌锰电池时的目标产物各不相同，但一般可分为以下几种：以单质形式回收锌、锰和汞；以合金的形式回收锌和锰；回收锌和二氧化锰；回收各金属元素制备复合微量元素肥料；回收锌、锰元素制备锰锌铁氧体；回收锌、锰元素制备硫酸锌和碳酸锰等。本文对一些废锌锰电池回收处理技术的优缺点从无害化程度、资源化程度、产品等级、工艺要求以及二次污染五个方面进行了分析和比较。在对国内外废锌锰电池回收处理技术进行分析比较的基础上提出了一种成本较低、可操作性较强的处理技术：先以干法除去废锌锰电池中的汞，然后以湿法除去其它的有害重金属并进一步加工制备有机螯合微量元素肥料。 本文以回转窑中物料停留时间的经验公式和传热学的知识设计和计算了回转窑的长度和内径尺寸、电热丝的功率以及外围的保温材料厚度等参数。用保温材料和润滑油相结合的方式对回转窑的连接部分实行密封。通过调整回转窑的转速和回转窑支架两端高度差的方式控制物料在回转窑中的停留时间，从而调节热解时间的长短。利用自动控制设备调节电热丝的功率从而调节试验中的热解温度。利用该回转窑在不同条件下对热解处理废锌锰电池进行了试验研究，热解过程中产生的尾气和颗粒物用一系列吸收液进行吸收和固定。 在热解试验中改变影响热解过程的三种因素：热解温度、热解时间和载气流速并按三因素四水平的正交方法安排试验。改变废锌锰电池热解过程中的热解温度、热解时间和载气流速三种因素进行正交试验并利用正交统计学的方法分析了这三种因素对热解除汞率的影响。利用ICP检测仪测定了各吸收液中汞的含量，并分析热解气体产物经过系列吸收液时汞被吸收的情况以及汞的形态分布。利用气相色谱仪对尾气成分进行了测定，并对热解过程中产气的过程和规律进行了分析。用X射线衍射测试的方法研究了热解前后锌锰电池的物质形态变化情况。对除汞率的正交统计分析表明，合适的热解条件为：热解温度690℃，热解时间100min，载气流速0.06m3/h，在这种试验条件下热解处理废锌锰电池的除汞率达到100%。同时还得到：热解时间对除汞效果影响最大，热解温度次之，载气流速的影响较小。ICP测试的结果表明：热解尾气在经过试验中设置的吸收瓶后，其中的汞被完全吸收，尾气中95%以上的汞以单质的形式存在。气相色谱分析的结果表明，热解开始后，废锌锰电池中的有机质迅速分解，其产物为C2H4、CH4和H2等。一段时间后，有机质的分解量大幅度减少，同时废电池中的石墨碳和高价金属氧化物发生氧化还原反应，生成CO气体。对废锌锰电池原料以及热解残渣的X射线衍射分析表明，当热解温度为350℃时，X射线衍射图谱上2θ值为35°附近的区域有新峰出现，但不明显，说明有结晶体形成但量不大。500℃时上述峰明显增强，这是由于ZnO和FeO形成了结晶体，同时在2θ值为41°附近有新峰出现，这是高价锰氧化物与石墨碳发生氧化还原反应生成了MnO并形成了结晶体。650℃时，2θ值在41°附近的峰显著增强，且热解过程中形成的峰稳定下来，基本上不再有新的结晶体生成。热解后，高价锰氧化物的相对含量从32.2%下降到4.6%，而MnO的相对含量则从6.4%上升到38.6%。热解后的残渣中晶体物质含量大，金属元素大多以低价态存在，适合于制备有机螯合微量元素肥料。