Development of nanohydrogels as a vehicle for the release of bioactive compounds in food matrices

PhD in Chemical and Biological Engineering

A review of the development of regional sludge treatment centres and a baseline characterisation of Irish sewage sludges

This Study assessed the development of sludge treatment and reuse policy since the original 1993 National Sludge Strategy Report (Weston-FTA, 1993). A review of the 48 sludge treatment centres, current wastewater treatment systems and current or planned sludge treatment and reuse systems was carried out Sludges from all Regional Sludge Treatment Centres (areas) were characterised through analysis of selected parameters. There have been many changes to the original policy, as a result of boundary reviews, delays in developing sludge management plans, development in technology and changes in tendering policy, most notably a move to design-build-operate (DBO) projects. As a result, there are now 35 designated Hub Centres. Only 5 of the Hub Centres are producing Class A Biosolids. These are Ringsend, Killamey, Carlow, Navan and Osberstown. Ringsend is the only Hub Centre that is fully operational, treating sludge from surrounding regions by Thermal Drying. Killamey is producing Class A Biosolids using Autothermal Thermophilic Aerobic Digestion (ATAD) but is not, as yet, treating imported sludge. The remaining three plants are producing Class A Biosolids using Alkaline Stabilisation. Anaerobic Digestion with post pasteurisation is the most common form of sludge treatment, with 11 Hub Centres proposing to use it. One plant is using ATAD, two intend to use Alkaline Stabilisation, seven have selected Thermal Drying and three have selected Composting. While the remaining plants have not decided which sludge treatment to select, this is because of incomplete Sludge Management Plans and on DBO contracts. Analysis of sludges from the Hub Centres showed that all Irish sewage sludge is safe for agricultural reuse as defined by the Waste Management Regulations {Use of Sewage Sludge in Agriculture) (S.I. 267/2001), providing that a nutrient management plan is taken into consideration and that the soil limits of the 1998 (S.I. 148/1998) Waste Management Regulations are not exceeded.

Development of an inspection regime for on-site domestic wastewater treatment systems

The overall purpose of this study was to develop a thorough inspection regime for onsite wastewater treatment systems, which is practical and could be implemented on all site conditions across the country. With approximately 450,000 onsite wastewater treatment systems in Ireland a risk based methodology is required for site selection. This type of approach will identify the areas with the highest potential risk to human health and the environment and these sites should be inspected first. In order to gain the required knowledge to develop an inspection regime in-depth and extensive research was earned out. The following areas of pertinent interest were examined and reviewed, history of domestic wastewater treatment, relevant wastewater legislation and guidance documents and potential detrimental impacts. Analysis of a questionnaire from a prior study, which assessed the resources available and the types of inspections currently undertaken by Local authorities was carried out. In addition to the analysis of the questionnaire results, interviews were carried out with several experts involved in the area of domestic wastewater treatment. The interview focussed on twelve key questions which were directed towards the expert’s opinions on the vital aspects of developing an inspection regime. The background research, combined with the questionnaire analysis and information from the interviews provided a solid foundation for the development of an inspection regime. Chapter 8 outlines the inspection regime which has been developed for this study. The inspection regime includes a desktop study, consultation with the homeowners, visual site inspection, non-invasive site tests, and inspection of the treatment systems. The general opinion from the interviews carried out, was that a standardised approach for the inspections was necessary. For this reason an inspection form was produced which provides a standard systematic approach for inspectors to follow. This form is displayed in Appendix 3. The development of a risk based methodology for site selection was discussed and a procedure similar in approach to the Geological Survey of Irelands Groundwater Protection Schemes was proposed. The EPA is currently developing a risk based methodology, but it is not available to the general public yet. However, the EPA provided a copy of a paper outlining the key aspects of their methodology. The methodology will use risk maps which take account of the following parameters: housing density, areas with inadequate soil conditions, risk of water pollution through surface and subsurface pathways. Sites identified with having the highest potential risk to human health and the environment shall be inspected first. Based on the research carried out a number of recommendations were made which are outlined in Chapter 10. The principle conclusion was that, if these systems fail to operate satisfactorily, home owners need to understand that these systems dispose of the effluent to the 'ground' and the effluent becomes part of the hydrological cycle; therefore, they are a potential hazard to the environment and human health. It is the owners, their families and their neighbours who will be at most immediate risk.

Isothermal drying of pore networks : influence of pore structure on drying kinetics

Drying of porous media, pore network, pore structure, capillary forces, viscous forces, drying kinetics

Influence of pore size distribution on drying behaviour of porous media by a continuous model

Bundle of capillaries, drying kinetics, continuous model, relative permeability, capillary pressure, control volume method

Numerical study of drying in porous media

Magdeburg, Univ., Diss., 2007 (Nicht für den Austausch)

O regime de chuvas em Pesqueira

The authors studied the rainfall in Pesqueira (Pernambuco, Brasil) in a period of 48 years (1910 through 1957) by the method of orthogonal polynomials, degrees up to the fourth having been tried. None of them was significant, so that it seems that no trend is present. The mean observed was 679.00 mm., with standard error of the mean 205.5 mm., and a 30.3% coefficient of variation. The 95% level of probability would include annual rainfall from 263.9 up to 1094.1mm.

Variação do regime de umidade do solo durante o ciclo fenológico de plantas de batata

Neste trabalho foram analisadas as relações entre a produção, o desenvolvimento vegetativo e a evapotranspiração de uma cultura de batata (Solanum tuberosum L.) submetida à três regimes de umidade, definidos pelos valores assumidos pelo potencial matricial da água do solo antes de se proceder as irrigações (-0,5; -1,0 e -5,0 bares) em três estádios de desenvolvimento das plantas. Com respeito à produção de tubérculos, ficou evidenciado que por ocasião da tuberização e desenvolvimento de um grande número de tubérculos, as plantas revelaram uma maior sensibilidade à redução da umidade do solo. Assim, ocorrendo deficits moderados (-1,0 bar) no período inicial de desenvolvimento, a produção não foi significativamente afetada. Isto foi atribuído, em parte, à recuperação parcial do crescimento vegetativo no estádio subseqüente, quando foram restabelecidas condições mais adequadas de umidade no solo. O mesmo não se verificou no tratamento submetido a deficits mais severos (-5,0 bares) no estádio inicial. Neste caso, o crescimento foi quase irreversivelmente reduzido, contribuindo para diminuir a produção e a eficiência de utilização de água pelas plantas. A redução da umidade do solo, a partir dos 60 dias após a emergência das plantas, não afetou a produção de tubérculos. Este procedimento concorreu para aumentar significativamente a eficiência de utilização de água. Além disso, havendo suspensão total da irrigação neste período, a senescência foi antecipada em 16 dias, em relação aos tratamentos submetidos a níveis de umidade mais elevados. O desenvolvimento vegetativo e a produção não foram igualmente afetados pela redução da umidade do solo. Conseqüentemente, o crescimento das plantas não parece se constituir em um índice absoluto da produção de tubérculos de batata.

Dependência do crescimento das plantas ao regime de umidade do solo

A produção de uma planta resulta do desenvolvimento integrado de inúmeros processos fisiológicos que, por sua vez, apresentam considerável individualidade nas interrelações com o meio ambiente. Neste trabalho foi observado o crescimento de plantas de batata (Solanum tuberosum L.), em condições de campo, quando submetidas a três regimes de umidade do solo, individualizados em três estádios fenológicos. O desenvolvimento vegetativo foi avaliado através de estimativas semanais da área foliar. Os resultados mostraram que ao final do primeiro estágio (cerca de 25 dias após a emergência das plantas) o desenvolvimento vegetativo nos tratamentos irrigados quando o potencial matricial da água do solo atingia -0,5 bar, superou, em cerca de 34%, àquele verificado nas plantas submetidas a déficits híbridos moderados (-1,0 bar) e, em aproximadamente 80%, aquelas sujeitas a déficits mais severos (-5,0 bares). Entretanto, a limitação do crescimento no primei 6 ro caso, foi parcialmente recuperada após o restabelecimento de condições mais adequadas de umidade no solo, no estádio intermediário. O mesmo não foi verificado onde ocorreram déficits hídricos mais severos no estádio inicial, quando o crescimento foi quase irreversivelmente reduzido. A intensa desidratação imposta após o completo desenvolvimento vegetativo apressou a senescência das plantas em relação aos tratamentos melhores supridos com água.

Nutrição mineral do trigo I: Produção de matéria seca sob regime de sequeiro e irrigado em latossolo roxo

O trabalho foi realizado com o objetivo de determinar a produção de matéria seca na planta pelos cultivares de trigo BH 1146, de porte alto e com tolerância a deficiência hídrica e IAC 24 - Tucuruí, de porte baixo e com média tolerância e deficiência hídrica, sendo ambas de ciclo médio, em duas disponibilidades de água, sequeiro e irrigado. 0 experimento foi conduzido em Latossolo Roxo, distrófico-argiloso, adubado com 20 kg de N e 90 kg de P2O5 por hectare. Para determinação do peso da matéria seca produzida das plantas, foram coletados ao 10 dias de idade, início de perfilhamento; aos 30 dias, elongamento do colmo; aos 50 dias, emborrachamento; aos 70 dias floração, aos 90 dias, grão leitoso; e aos 110 dias, maturação. Os resultados mostram que a irrigação determina mais acúmulo de matéria seca por planta e matéria Seca por área, nas duas cultivares e em todas as idades.

On the choice of an exchange rate regime: target zones revisited

From the classical gold standard up to the current ERM2 arrangement of the European Union, target zones have been a widely used exchange regime in contemporary history. This paper presents a benchmark model that rationalizes the choice of target zones over the rest of regimes: the fixed rate, the free float and the managed float. It is shown that the monetary authority may gain efficiency by reducing volatility of both the exchange rate and the interest rate at the same time. Furthermore, the model is consistent with some known stylized facts in the empirical literature that previous models were not able to produce, namely, the positive relation between the exchange rate and the interest rate differential, the degree of non-linearity of the function linking the exchage rate to fundamentals and the shape of the exchange rate stochastic distribution.

Safe dissection of the distally based anterolateral thigh flap.

Background The distally based anterolateral thigh (ALT) flap is an interesting reconstructive solution for complex soft tissue defects of the knee. In spite of a low donor site morbidity and wide covering surface as well as arch of rotation, it has never gained popularity among reconstructive surgeons. Venous congestion and difficult flap dissection in the presence of a variable anatomy of the vascular pedicle are the possible reasons.Methods An anatomical study of 15 cadaver legs was performed to further clarify the blood supply of the distally based ALT. Our early experience with the use of preoperative angiography and a safe flap design modification that avoids distal intramuscular skeletonization of the vascular pedicle and includes a subcutaneous strip ranging from the distal end of the flap to the pivot point is presented.Results The distally based ALT presents a constant and reliable retrograde vascular contribution from the superior genicular artery. Preoperative angiography reliably identified and avoided critical Shieh Type II pedicled flaps. The preservation of a subcutaneous strip ranging from the distal flap end to the upper knee was associated with the absence of venous congestion in a short case series.Conclusions Preoperative angiography and a flap design modification are proposed to allow the safe transfer of the distally based ALT to reconstruct soft tissue defects of the knee.

Renal transplantation following aorto-iliac reconstruction is a safe a strategy

Introduction: Renal transplantation is considered the treatment of choice for end-stage renal disease. However, the association of occlusive aorto-iliac disease and chronic renal failure is frequent and aorto-iliac reconstruction may be necessary prior to renal transplantation. This retrospective study reviews the results of this operative strategy.Material and Methods: Between January 2001 and June 2010, 309 patients underwent renal transplantation at our institution and 8 patients had prior aorto-iliac reconstruction using prosthetic material. There were 6 men and 2 women with a median age of 62 years (range 51-70). Five aorto-bifemoral and 2 aorto-bi-iliac bypasses were performed for stage II (n=5), stage IV (n=1) and aortic aneurysm (n=1). In one patient, iliac kissing stents and an ilio-femoral bypass were implanted. 4 cadaveric and 4 living donor renal transplantations were performed with an interval of 2 months to 10 years after revascularization.The results were analysed with respect of graft and patients survival. Differences between groups were tested by the log rank method.Results: No complications and no death occurred in the post-operative period. All bypasses remained patent during follow-up. The median time of post transplantation follow-up was 46 months for all patients and 27 months for patients with prior revascularization. In the revascularized group and control group, the graft and patient survival at 1 year were respectively 100%/96%, 100%/99% and at 5 years 86%/86%, 86%/94%, without significant differences between both groups.Discussion: Our results suggest that renal transplantation following prior aorto-iliac revascularisation with prosthetic material is safe and effective. Patients with end-stage renal disease and concomitant aorto-iliac disease should therefore be considered for renal transplantation. However, caution in the interpretation of the results is indicated due to the small sample size of our study.