Direct and simultaneous determination of As, Cu, and Pb in Brazilian sugar cane spirits by graphite furnace AAS using tungsten permanent modifier with co-injection of Pd/Mg(N03)2

A method was developed using the multi-element graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry technique for the direct and simultaneous determination of As, Cu, and Pb in Brazilian sugar cane spirit (cachaça) samples. Also employed was the end-capped transversely heated graphite atomizer (THGA) with platforms pre-treated with W permanent modifier and co-injection of Pd/Mg(N03)2. Pyrolysis and atomization temperature curves were established in a cachaça medium (1+1; v/v) containing 0.2% (v/v) HN03 and spiked with 20 μg L-1 As and Pb and 200 μg L-1Cu. The effect of the concentration of major elements usually present in cachaça matrices (Ca, Mg, Na, and K) and ethanol on the absorbance of As, Cu, and Pb was investigated. Analytical working solutions of As, Cu, and Pb were prepared in 10% (v/v) ethanol plus 5.0 mg L-1 Ca, Mg, Na, and K. Acidified to 0.2% (v/v) HNO3, these solutions were suitable to build calibration curves by matrix matching. The proposed method was applied to the simultaneous determination of As, Cu, and Pb in commercial sugar cane spirits. The characteristic mass for the simultaneous determination was 16 pg As, 119 pg Cu, and 28 pg Pb. The pretreated tube lifetime was about 450 firings. The limit of detection (LOD) was 0.6 μg L-1As, 9.2 μg L-1 Cu, and 0.3 μg L-1Pb. The found concentrations varied from 0.81 to 4.28 μg L-1As, 0.28 to 382 mg L-1 Cu and 0.82 to 518 μg L-1 Pb. The recoveries of the spiked samples varied from 94-112% (As), 97-111% (Cu), and 95-101% (Pb). The relative standard deviation (n=12) was 6.9%, 7.4%, and 7.7% for As, Cu, and Pb, respectively, present in a sample at 0.87 μgL-1, 0.81 mgL-1, and 38.9 μgL-1concentrations.

Lot sizing and furnace scheduling in small foundries

A lot sizing and scheduling problem prevalent in small market-driven foundries is studied. There are two related decision levels: (1) the furnace scheduling of metal alloy production, and (2) moulding machine planning which specifies the type and size of production lots. A mixed integer programming (MIP) formulation of the problem is proposed, but is impractical to solve in reasonable computing time for non-small instances. As a result, a faster relax-and-fix (RF) approach is developed that can also be used on a rolling horizon basis where only immediate-term schedules are implemented. As well as a MIP method to solve the basic RF approach, three variants of a local search method are also developed and tested using instances based on the literature. Finally, foundry-based tests with a real-order book resulted in a very substantial reduction of delivery delays and finished inventory, better use of capacity, and much faster schedule definition compared to the foundry's own practice. © 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Determination of copper in fish feed by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry using slurry sampling

The present work develops and optimizes a method to determine copper in samples of feces and fish feed by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS) through the direct introduction of slurries of the samples into the spectrometer's graphite tube coated internally with metallic rhodium and tungsten carbide that acts as chemical modifiers. The limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) calculated for 20 readings of the blank of the standard slurries (0.50% m/v of feces or feed devoid of copper) were 0.24 and 0.79 μg L -1 for the standard feces slurries and 0.26 and 0.87 μg L -1 for the standard feed slurries. The proposed method was applied in studies of absorption of copper in different fish feeds and their results proved compatible with that obtained from samples mineralized by acid digestion using microwave oven. © Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2008.

On economic benefits and fiscal requirements of moving from unfunded to funded pensions

Includes bibliography

Preprocessing data for short-term load forecasting with a general regression neural network and a moving average filter

This paper proposes a filter based on a general regression neural network and a moving average filter, for preprocessing half-hourly load data for short-term multinodal load forecasting, discussed in another paper. Tests made with half-hourly load data from nine New Zealand electrical substations demonstrate that this filter is able to handle noise, missing data and abnormal data. © 2011 IEEE.

One-dimensional Fermi accelerator model with moving wall described by a nonlinear van der Pol oscillator

A modification of the one-dimensional Fermi accelerator model is considered in this work. The dynamics of a classical particle of mass m, confined to bounce elastically between two rigid walls where one is described by a nonlinear van der Pol type oscillator while the other one is fixed, working as a reinjection mechanism of the particle for a next collision, is carefully made by the use of a two-dimensional nonlinear mapping. Two cases are considered: (i) the situation where the particle has mass negligible as compared to the mass of the moving wall and does not affect the motion of it; and (ii) the case where collisions of the particle do affect the movement of the moving wall. For case (i) the phase space is of mixed type leading us to observe a scaling of the average velocity as a function of the parameter (χ) controlling the nonlinearity of the moving wall. For large χ, a diffusion on the velocity is observed leading to the conclusion that Fermi acceleration is taking place. On the other hand, for case (ii), the motion of the moving wall is affected by collisions with the particle. However, due to the properties of the van der Pol oscillator, the moving wall relaxes again to a limit cycle. Such kind of motion absorbs part of the energy of the particle leading to a suppression of the unlimited energy gain as observed in case (i). The phase space shows a set of attractors of different periods whose basin of attraction has a complicated organization. © 2013 American Physical Society.

Technological change and opportunities for development as a moving target

Includes bibliography

Implementation of convective heating in Companhia Siderúrgica Nacional Blast Furnace runners

This paper describes the main characteristics and advantages of convective heating system for refractory lining, compared with conventional heating systems. In addition the main results obtained are presented with its implementation in CSN Blast Furnace #2 and 3 Runners, in terms of cost and equipment availability, as well as the need for ceramic coating to protect the lining against oxidation, arising from excessive air combustion. © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sequential Determination of Cd, Cu and Pb in Tea Leaves by Slurry Introduction to Thermospray Flame Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectrometry

A simple procedure for the sequential determination of Cd, Cu and Pb in tea leaves by slurry introduction to thermospray flame furnace atomic absorption spectrometry was developed. Detection limits were 0.05 mg kg-1 for Cd, 2.1 mg kg-1 for Cu and 0.68 mg kg-1 for Pb using 0.67 % (m/v) slurries (100 mg/15 mL). © 2013 Springer Science+Business Media New York.

Eliminating ambiguities for quantum corrections to strings moving in AdS4×CP3

We apply a physical principle, previously used to eliminate ambiguities in quantum corrections to the two-dimensional kink, to the case of spinning strings moving in AdS4×CP3, thought of as another kind of two-dimensional soliton. We find that this eliminates the ambiguities and selects the result compatible with AdS/CFT, providing a solid foundation for one of the previous calculations, which found agreement. The method can be applied to other classical string «solitons.» © 2013 World Scientific Publishing Company.

Dynamical properties for an ensemble of classical particles moving in a driven potential well with different time perturbation

We consider dynamical properties for an ensemble of classical particles confined to an infinite box of potential and containing a time-dependent potential well described by different nonlinear functions. For smooth functions, the phase space contains chaotic trajectories, periodic islands and invariant spanning curves preventing the unlimited particle diffusion along the energy axis. Average properties of the chaotic sea are characterised as a function of the control parameters and exponents describing their behaviour show no dependence on the perturbation functions. Given invariant spanning curves are present in the phase space, a sticky region was observed and show to modify locally the diffusion of the particles. © 2013 Elsevier B.V.

Export commodity price projections: a study of autoregressive-moving average projections methods: preliminary version

Includes bibliography

Transport, the poor and moving towards low-carbon societies

This FAL Bulletin discusses the challenges involved in creating equality in urban mobility and the need to reach towards a social sustainability framework, as existing policies often accentuate current inequities and inequalities in accessibility. Lack of access to mobility has wide-ranging effects across social groups, gender and particularly the urban poor.