Energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions in rail and road freight transport in Spain: a case study of car carriers and bulk petrochemicals

This article provides a new methodology for estimating fuel consumption and emissions by enabling a correct comparison between freight transportation modes. The approach is developed and integrated as a part of an intelligent transportation system dealing with goods movement. A key issue is related to energy consumption ratios and consequent CO2 emissions. Energy consumption ratios are often used based on transport demand. However, including other ratios based on transport supply can be useful. Furthermore, it is important to indicate which factors are associated with variations in energy consumption and emissions; especially of interest are parameters that have a higher incidence and order of magnitude, in order to fairly compare and understand the difference between transport modes and sub-modes. The study finds that the use of an energy consumption equation can improve the quality of the estimates. The study proposes that coefficients that define the energy consumption equation should be tested to determine market niches and sources of improvement in energy consumption according to the category of vehicles, fuel types used, and classes of products transported.

Methods of analysis for petrochemicals.

Mode of access: Internet.

Sibilância em crianças e adolescentes vizinhos a uma indústria petroquímica no Rio Grande do Norte, Brasil

OBJETIVO: Verificar a associação entre relato de sibilância em crianças e adolescentes e o local de residência em relação à dispersão dos poluentes atmosféricos emitidos pelo Pólo Petroquímico (PPQ) de Guamaré (RN). MÉTODOS: Estudo transversal de relato de sibilância em crianças e adolescentes de 0 a 14 anos de idade, residentes no entorno do PPQ de Guamaré, em 2006. Foi utilizado o questionário padronizado do International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood, acrescido de questões relativas ao tabagismo, renda, moradia e escolaridade. Concentrações diárias de PM10, PM2,5, carbono grafítico, SO2, NO2, O3, benzeno, tolueno e xilenos foram medidas em uma estação de monitoramento fixa. As comunidades residentes na área de influência das emissões do PPQ foram classificadas, segundo a direção preferencial dos ventos, em expostas e de referência. RESULTADOS: Participaram do estudo 209 crianças e adolescentes. As concentrações médias diárias dos poluentes monitorados mantiveram-se abaixo dos limites estabelecidos nos padrões de qualidade do ar. A prevalência de sibilos nos últimos 12 meses foi de 27,3%. Associações estatisticamente significantes com sibilos nos últimos 12 meses foram verificadas mesmo após ajustamentos para comunidades expostas [razão de chances (odds ratio, ORajust) = 2,01; intervalo de confiança de 95% (IC95%) 1,01-4,01], gênero masculino (ORajust = 2,50; IC95% 1,21-5,18) e idade de 0 a 6 anos (ORajust = 5,00; IC95% 2,41-10,39). CONCLUSÃO: Mesmo em baixas concentrações de poluentes atmosféricos, a ocorrência de sintomas respiratórios em crianças e adolescentes nas comunidades no entorno de um PPQ esteve associada a residência na direção preferencial dos ventos, mostrando-se mais vulnerável o grupo de pré-escolares do gênero masculino.

Prospects for biopolymer production in plants.

It is likely that during this century polymers based on renewable materials will gradually replace industrial polymers based on petrochemicals. This chapter gives an overview of the current status of research on plant biopolymers that are used as a material in non-food applications. We cover technical and scientific bottlenecks in the production of novel or improved materials, and the potential of using transgenic or alternative crops in overcoming these bottlenecks. Four classes of biopolymers will be discussed: starch, proteins, natural rubber, and poly-beta-hydroxyalkanoates. Renewable polymers produced by chemical polymerization of monomers derived from sugars, vegetable oil, or proteins, are not considered here.

Production of Acetic Acid by Fermentation with Propionibacteria, HR-321, 1993

This project was undertaken jointly with a project supported by the Iowa Corn Promotion Board. Together the projects aimed at producing the organic acids, propionic acid and acetic acid, by fermentation. The impacts were to provide agriculturally-based alternatives to production of these acids, currently produced mainly as petrochemicals. The potentially high-demand use for acetic acid is as the "acetate" in Calcium Magnesium Acetate (CMA), the non-corrosive road deicer. Fermentation was, however, far from being an economically acceptable alternative. Gains were made in this work toward making this a feasible route. These advances included (1) development of a variant strain of propionibacteria capable of producing higher concentrations of acids; (2) comparison of conditions for several ways of cultivating free cells and establishment of the relative benefits of each; (3) achievement of the highest productivity in fermentations using immobilized cells; (4) identification of corn steep liquor as a lower cost substrate for the fermentation; (5) application of a membrane extraction system for acid recovery and reduction of product inhibition; and (6) initial use of more detailed economic analysis of process alternatives to guide in the identification of where the greatest payback potential is for future research. At this point, the fermentation route to these acids using the propionibacteria is technically feasible, but economically unfeasible. Future work with integration of the above process improvements can be expected to lead to further gains in economics. However, such work can not be expected to make CMA a less expensive deicer than common road salt.

A evolução da indústria petroquímica brasileira

The Brazilian Petrochemical Industry is about to turn fifty years old, and endures profound changes. In less than four years, it has moved from a system of centralized decisions and a national lever of planning, to another which is spread, without massive actions and with less integration with the raw material supplying company. On this issue it is presented, briefly, a small history of the development of this industrial type, including issues on how the growth of this activity, so important to the development of Brazil, shall be lead.

A indústria petroquímica no próximo século: como substituir o petróleo como matéria-prima?

The world reserves of petroleum will finish in about 100 years. For a tropical country like Brazil, biomass will be the natural substitute for petroleum. For the best utilization of biomass, it first needs to be separated into its principal components: cellulose, hemicelluloses, lignins, vegetable and essential oils, non-structural carbohydrates, bark and foliage. All feedstocks for the chemical industry can be obtained from these biomass components, as shown in the first part of this paper. In the second part we discuss how the major products from petrochemicals can be obtained from the different biomass components. We show that Brazil can use different strategies, compared to other countries, to obtain petrochemical products, which could result in innovations. However, it is necessary that the government starts to invest immediately in order to keep the petrochemical industries competitive with foreign industries, so that they continue to be one of Brazil's major employers.

Inovação tecnológica e produção no setor químico

Innovation is the main tool for competitiveness and growth in the chemical sector and the main factors for innovation activities in industry as well as the innovation dynamics are discussed in this paper. Success indicators of innovation in Oxiteno are the following: 54% of the current production derives from RD&E projects, 11% of the gross margin in the internal market is due to new products, the company is a technology licensor, holding 17 patents and keeping a strong participation in the production and service sales in the high technology catalysts area, beyond its core petrochemicals and surfactants area.

Caracterização de amostras petroquímicas e derivados utilizando cromatografia gasosa bidimensional abrangente (GCxGC)

The goal of this article is to discuss the application of comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GCxGC) to petrochemical samples. The use of GCxGC for petroleum and petroleum derivatives characterization, through group type analysis, or BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylenes), total aromatic hydrocarbons, polyaromatic hydrocarbons, sulfur-containing, oxygen-containing, and nitrogen-containing compounds is presented. The capability of GCxGC to provide additional specific chemical information regarding petroleum processing steps, such as dehydrogenation of linear alkanes, the Fischer-Tropsch process, hydrogenation and oligomerization is also described. In addition, GCxGC analyses of petrochemical biomarkers and environmental pollutants derived from petrochemicals are reported.

Óleo da castanha de caju: oportunidades e desafios no contexto do desenvolvimento e sustentabilidade industrial

The new millennium is marked by a growing search for renewable fuels and alternative raw materials from biomass in the petrochemicals industry. However, there are many challenges to overcome regarding technological and human resources aspects. In this scenario, cashew nut oil, which is rich in natural phenols, is considered to be very promising for the development of synthetic and functional products and as a feedstock for production of fine chemicals and a wide variety of new materials.

Ácidos naftênicos no petróleo

Brazilian petroleum is known by its high acidity due to the presence of acidic constituents, especially naphthenic acids (NA). The total characterization of the NA in petrochemical samples has been receiving special attention in research and comprises an analytical challenge, mainly due to the complexity of their mixtures. Gas chromatography with mass detector (GC/MS) is the technique of analysis more used, but recently comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GC × GC) has been used, due to its high resolution, peak capacity and sensitivity. The goal of this article is to discuss the techniques for sample preparation and analysis of NA in petroleum.

Carboidratos como fonte de compostos para a indústria de química fina

Coal, oil, natural gas, and shale gas are biomass that is formed millions of years ago. These are non-renewable and depleting, even considering the recent discovery of new sources of oil in the presalt and new technologies for the exploitation of shale deposits. Currently, these raw materials are used as a source of energy production and are also important for the production of fine chemicals. Since these materials are finite and their (oil) price is increasing, it is clear that there will be a progressive increase in the chemical industry to use renewable raw materials as a source of energy, an inevitable necessity for humanity. The major challenge for the society in the twenty first century is to unite governments, universities, research centers, and corporations to jointly act in all areas of science with one goal of finding a solution to global problems, such as conversion of biomass into compounds for the fine chemical industry.Non-renewable raw materials are used in the preparation of fuels, chemical intermediates, and derivatives for the fine chemical industry. However, their stock in nature has a finite duration, and their price is high and will likely increase with their depletion. In this scenario, the alternative is to use renewable biomass as a replacement for petrochemicals in the production of fine chemicals. As the production of biomass-based carbohydrates is the most abundant in nature, it is judicious to develop technologies for the generation of chain products (fuels, chemical intermediates, and derivatives for the fine chemicals industry) using this raw material. This paper presents some aspects and opportunities in the area of carbohydrate chemistry toward the generation of compounds for the fine chemical industry.

Novel applications of cashew nut shell liquid in the polymer field

This research project aims at developing new applications for CNSL in the polymer field. Cashew nut shell liquid (CNSL) is a cheap agro-byproduct and renewable resource which consists mainly of substituted phenols. By using CNSL in place of phenol, phenol derived from petrochemicals can be conserved and a cheap agro-byproduct utilized.In this study CNSL based resin is prepared by condensing a mixture of phenol and CNSL with hexamethylenetetramine and the effect of P: F ratio and CNSL: P ratio on the properties of synthesized resin is studied. The adhesive properties of CNSL based resin in combination with neoprene rubber are investigated. The effect of varying the stoichiometric ratios between total phenol and formaldehyde and CNSL and phenol of the resin, resin content, choice and extent of fillers and adhesion promoters in the adhesive formulation are studied. The effect of resin on the ageing properties of various elastomers is also studied by following changes in tensile strength, elongation at break, modulus, tear strength, swelling index and acetone soluble matter. Crude CNSL and resins with different P: F ratios and CNSL: P ratios are incorporated into elastomers. Lastly, utility of CNSL based resin as binder for making particleboard is investigated.The results show that CNSL based resin is an effective ingredient in adhesives for bonding aluminium to aluminium. The resin used for adhesive fonnulation gives the best performance at 45 to 55 phr resin and a total phenol: formaldehyde of l:2.9. The resin when added at a rate of l5 phr improves ageing characteristics of elastomers with respect to mechanical properties. The reaction mixture of CNSL and hexa and the resin resulting from the condensation of CN SL, phenol and hexa can be used as effective binders for moulding particleboard.

Dynamics of some Environmentally Significant Pesticides in a Tropical Waterway - A Toxicological Approach

Industrial pollutants, consisting of heavy metals, petroleum residues, petrochemicals, and a wide spectrum of pesticides, enter the marine environment on a massive scale and pose a very serious threat to all forms of aquatic life. Although, earlier, efforts were directed towards the identification of pollutants and their major sources, because of a growing apprehension about the potential harm that pesticides can inflict upon various aquatic fauna and flora, research on fundamental and applied aspects of pesticides in the aquatic environment has mushroomed to a point where it has become difficult to even keep track of the current advances and developments. The Cochin Estuarine System (CES), adjoining the Greater Cochin area, receives considerable amounts of domestic sewage, urban wastes, agricultural runoff as well as effluent from the industrial units spread all along its shores. Since preliminary investigations revealed that the most prominent of organic pollutants discharged to these estuarine waters were the pesticides, the present study was designed to analyse the temporal and spatial distribution profile of some of the more toxic, persistent pesticides ——— organochlorines such as DDT and their metabolites; HCH-isomers; a cyclodiene compound," Endosulfan and a widely distributed, easily degradable, organophosphorus compound, Malathion, besides investigating their sorptional and toxicological characteristics. Although, there were indications of widespread contamination of various regions of the CBS with DDT, HCH-isomers etc., due to inadequacies of the monitoring programmes and due to a glaring void of baseline data the causative factors could not identified authentically. Therefore, seasonal and spatial distributions of some of the more commonly used pesticides in the CES were monitored systematically, (employing Gas Chromatographic techniques) and the results are analysed.

Technological maturity in the world petrochemical industry

Includes bibliography