Europe’s biocidal products directive: benefits and costs in urban pest management

The European Commission’s Biocidal Products Directive (Council Directive 98/8 EC), known as the BPD, is the largest regulatory exercise ever to affect the urban pest control industry. Although focussed in the European Union its impact is global because any company selling pest control products in the EU must follow its principles. All active substances, belonging to 23 different biocidal product types, come within the Directive’s scope of regulatory control. This will eventually involve re-registration of all existing products, as well as affecting any new product that comes to the market. Some active substances, such as the rodenticides and insecticides, are already highly regulated in Europe but others, such as embalming fluids, masonry preservatives, disinfectants and repellents/attractants will come under intensive regulatory scrutiny for the first time. One of the purposes of the Directive is to offer enhanced protection for human health and the environment. The potential benefit for suppliers of pest control products is mutual recognition of regulatory product dossiers across 25 Member States of the European Union. This process, requiring harmonisation of all regulatory decision-making processes, should reduce duplicated effort and, potentially, allow manufacturers speedier access to European markets. However, the cost to industry is enormous, both in terms of the regulatory resources required to assemble BPD dossiers and the development budgets required to conduct studies to meet its new standards. The cost to regulatory authorities is also tremendous, in terms of the need to upgrade staff capabilities to meet new challenges and the volume of the work expected by the Commission when they are appointed the Rapporteur Member State (RMS) for an active substance. Users of pest control products will pay a price too. The increased regulatory costs of maintaining products in the European market are likely to be passed on, at least in part, to users. Furthermore, where the costs of meeting new regulatory requirements cannot be recouped from product sales, many well-known products may leave the market. For example, it seems that in future few rodenticides that are not anticoagulants will be available within the EU. An understanding of the BPD is essential to those who intend to place urban pest control products on the European market and may be useful to those considering the harmonisation of regulatory processes elsewhere. This paper reviews the operation of the first stages of the BPD for rodenticides, examines the potential benefits and costs of the legislation to the urban pest control industry and looks forward to the next stages of implementation involving all insecticides used in urban pest management.

High-strength, healable, supramolecular polymer nanocomposites

A supramolecular polymer blend, formed via π-π interactions between a π-electron rich pyrenyl endcapped oligomer and a chain-folding oligomer containing pairs of π-electron poor naphthalene-diimide (NDI) units, has been reinforced with cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) to afford a healable nanocomposite material. Nanocomposites with varying weight percentage of CNCs (from 1.25 to 20.0 wt.%) within the healable supramolecular polymeric matrix have been prepared via solvent casting followed by compression molding, and their mechanical properties and healing behavior have been evaluated. It is found that homogeneously dispersed films can be formed with CNCs at less than 10 wt.%. Above 10 wt.% CNC heterogeneous nanocomposites were obtained. All the nanocomposites formed could be re-healed upon exposure to elevated temperatures although, for the homogeneous films, it was found that the healing rate was reduced with increasing CNC content. The best combination of healing efficiency and mechanical properties was obtained with the 7.5 wt.% CNC nanocomposite which exhibited a tensile modulus enhanced by as much as a factor of 20 over the matrix material alone and could be fully re-healed at 85 °C within 30 minutes. Thus it is demonstrated that supramolecular nanocomposites can afford greatly enhanced mechanical properties relative to the unreinforced polymer, while still allowing efficient thermal healing.

Valorização dos gases da carbonização da madeira via rota de combustão

A produção de carvão vegetal a partir de florestas plantadas mudou de forma determinante a logística desta atividade dotando-a de escala e fixando a estrutura de produção composta por fornos e periféricos. A lógica de se ter os fornos construídos ao lado das frentes de exploração florestal, e se deslocando junto com ela à medida em que a colheita é realizada foi abandonada. A partir de então, tem-se buscado uma forma de aproveitar a disponibilidade energética contida nos gases da carbonização, que segue sem uso, tendo quando muito um aproveitamento incipiente e marginal. Esta dissertação apresenta uma proposta de lay out para a Unidade de Produção de Carvão (UPC) de fornos retangulares tradicionais em alvenaria projetados e posicionados de forma a possibilitar seu acoplamento a um sistema de coleta e queima dos gases da carbonização. Após exaustiva pesquisa bibliográfica e visitas técnicas para conhecimento de diferentes tecnologias de carbonização, elaborou-se o projeto, com objetivo de eliminar as limitações identificadas nas tecnologias tradicionais em uso atualmente pelas empresas com produção em escala industrial, reduzindo as perdas e dificuldades operacionais para aproveitamento dos gases. É caracterizado pela saída dos gases somente por uma chaminé instalada no fundo do forno, possui entradas de ar do processo em minicâmaras, que atuam evitando excesso de ar, queima excessiva de madeira e consequente geração excessiva de CO2 e metano – dois gases causadores de efeito estufa. Preconiza-se a queima dos gases da carbonização para uso posterior em geração de energia elétrica e/ou secagem da madeira antes da carbonização. Os resultados dos indicadores técnicos (ciclos dos fornos e produtividade, etc.) e de produção obtidos até o momento na planta em operação vêm confirmando a operacionalidade do conjunto de fornos na nova disposição concebida. Não houve perda de produtividade dos fornos causada pela nova disposição, e as modificações no projeto do forno não impactaram negativamente em seu desempenho operacional. A capacidade produtiva da Unidade vem se confirmando até o momento. Tivemos frustradas nossas expectativas de já apresentar nesta dissertação os resultados operacionais dos fornos juntamente com os do sistema de queima dos gases dado que houve considerável atraso na construção do mesmo impedindo-nos de tê-los antes da data limite de entrega da dissertação. Apresentamos os conceitos que nos levaram à tomada de decisão para o novo lay out e propomos a continuidade dos estudos comprobatórios da viabilidade econômica operacional do sistema, tão logo ele entre em operação.

Desenvolvimento de cerâmica vermelha utilizando rejeitos da construção civil

The Industry of the Civil Construction has been one of the sectors that most contribute to the pollution of the environment, due to the great amount of residues generated by the construction, demolition and the extraction of raw material. As a way of minimizing the environmental impacts generated by this industry, some governmental organizations have elaborated laws and measures about the disposal of residues from the building construction (CONAMA - resolution 307). This work has as objective the reutilization of residues compound of sand, concrete, cement, red bricks and blocks of cement and mortar for the production of red ceramic, with the objective of minimizing costs and environmental impacts. The investigated samples contained 0% to 50% of residues in weight, and they were sintered at temperatures of 950°C, 1000°C, 1050°C, 1100°C and 1150°C. After the sinterization, the samples were submitted to tests of absorption of water, linear retraction, resistance to bending, apparent porosity, specific density, XRD and SEM. Satisfactory results were obtained in all studied compositions, with the possible incorporation of up to 50% of residues in ceramic mass without great losses in the mechanical strength, giving better results to the incorporation of 30% of residues in the fabrication of ceramic parts, such as roofing tiles, bricks masonry and pierced bricks

Influência da gipsita no surgimento de eflorescência em telhas cerâmicas

The red ceramic industry is recognized as of major importance in Piauí State. The State capital, Teresina, is the greatest producer of this material ( production about 18 million peaces), which is used mainly for masonry sealing blocks. One of the most frequent problems in this kind of products is the efflorescence. This work has the main objective of studying the influence of gypsum addition on non-glazed tiles, by using the local industry production standards. The raw materials were characterized by FRX, DRX, TGA, DTA and AD. Extruded test specimens were made with the addition of 1, 3 and 5% of gypsum in the ceramic paste, burned at 850oC, 950oC and 1050oC and submitted to further technological tests and microestrutural analysis by the scanning electron microscope. In order to accelerate the aging of bodies of evidence, they were immersed in successive water baths and posterior drying. The reference ceramic paste showed tendency to efflorescence formation after drying and consolidated efflorescence after burning, but no affecting the technological results

Adição de cascalho de perfuração da bacia potiguar em argilas para uso em materiais cerâmicos: influência da concentração e temperatura de queima.

One of waste produced on large scale during the well drilling is the gravel drilling. There are techniques for the treatment of the same, but there isn t consensus on what are the best in terms of economic and environmental. One alternative for disposal of this waste and objective of this paper is the incorporation and immobilization of gravel clay matrix to assess their technological properties. The Raw Materials used were characterized by the following techniques: Chemical Analysis by X-ray fluorescence (XRF), mineralogical analysis by X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Grain Size Analysis (FA) and Thermal Analysis by Thermogravimetry (TG) and thermodiferential (DTA). After characterizing, samples were formulated in the following percentages: 0, 5, 10, 15, 25, 50, 75, 100% (weight) of gravel drilling, then the pieces were pressed, dried (110 ° C) and sintered at temperatures of 850, 950 and 1050 ° C. After sintering, samples were tested for water absorption, linear shrinkage, flexural strength, porosity, density, XRD and test color. The results concluded that the incorporation of gravel drilling is a viable possibility for solid masonry bricks and ceramic blocks manufacture at concentrations and firing temperature described here. Residue incorporation reduces an environmental problem, the cost of raw materials for manufacture of ceramic products

Estudo da incorporação de cascalho proveniente da perfuração de poços de petróleo em formulações para tijolos de solo-cimento

The present work is to study the characteristics and technological properties of soil-cement bricks made from binary and ternary mixtures of Portland cement, sand, water, with or without addition of gravel from the drilling of oil wells, which could be used by industry, aiming to improve its performance and reduce cost by using the residue and, consequently, increasing its useful life. The soil-cement bricks are one of the alternatives to masonry construction. These elements, after a short curing period, provide compressive strength similar to that of solid bricks and ceramic blocks, and the higher the resistance the higher the amount of cement used. We used the soil from the city of São José do Mipibu / RN, the banks of the River Baldun, cement CPIIZ-32 and residue of drill cuttings from oil wells drilling onshore wells in the town of Mossley, RN, provided Petrobras. To determine the optimum mix, we studied the inclusion of different residues (100%, 80%, 70%, 60% and 50%) where 15 bodies were made of the test piece. The assessment was made of bricks made from simple compression tests, mass loss by immersion and water absorption. The experimental results proved the efficiency and high utilization of the waste from the drilling of oil wells, making the brick-cement-soil residue with a higher strength and lower water absorption. The best result in terms of mechanical strength and water absorption for the ternary mixture was 10% soil, 14% cement and 80% residue. In terms of binary mixtures, we obtained the best result for the mix-cement residue, which was 14% cement incorporated in the residue

Estudos e propriedades mecânicas de um novo tipo de bloco cerâmico híbrido para edificações em alvenarias estruturais

This dissertation presents a hybrid ceramic block the use of which reside in the buildings executed with walls. Initially, we conducted a survey on the requirements and / or norms prevailing in Brazil about structural ceramic blocks, making use of the experiences in other countries. This work seeks new materials and / or products in order to maintain or increase the compressive strength of the ceramic blocks, without neglecting the other properties. Then was collected materials (clay and crushed powder) and an approach on the characterization, through fluorescence, Mineralogy, vitrification curve and characterization of these materials used in the manufacture of the blocks by Ray Diffraction "X" and SEM. Subsequently it was made, numbered and measured dimensions of about 150 bodies of the test piece (hybrid ceramic blocks in small sizes) with varying percentages of 0%, 5%, 10% and 15% substitution of crushed clay powder. After sintering of the bodies of the test piece at temperatures of 900oC, 1000oC 1100oC and with a heating rate of 5oC/minuto and level of 1 hour, the samples were submitted to the tests (compressive strength and water absorption) and calculated their retractions, which were subsequently carried out the analysis of the results according to the criteria and parameters required by Brazilian legislation and standards in force

Estudo da potencialidade da incorporação de resíduo de granito e da queima da casca do café em cerâmica vermelha

The industrial production of ornamental rocks and the burning of coffee husk generate waste that is discarded into the environment. However, with the study of the incorporation of these residues in ceramic products, may be found an alternative to reducing environmental impacts and detrimental effects on human health caused by its indiscriminate disposal of waste in nature. Thus, this work aimed to study the addition of ashes of the coffee husk and granite residue in matrix of red ceramic. The raw materials were dry milled and sieved to mesh 100. To characterize the raw materials were carried out analyzes of X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), particle size analysis (PSA), differential thermal analysis (DTA) and thermogravimetric analysis (TG). Six formulations were prepared where the clay content was kept constant (70%wt) and ashes contents and granite residue varied from 10, 15, 20 and 30%. Dilatometrics analyzes were performed at four selected formulations, containing them: 100% clay (A100); 70% clay and 30% ashes (A70C30); 70% clay and 30% granite residue (A70G30); and 70% clay, 15% granite residue and 15% ashes (A70G15C15). The samples were prepared by uniaxial compaction with pressure of 25 MPa, and fired at temperatures of 800°C, 850ºC, 900ºC, 950ºC, 1000ºC and 1100°C. Assays were performed to determine the linear shrinkage of burning (LSB), water absorption (WA), apparent porosity (AP), density (D) and tensile bending. Also were performed analyzes of X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of the samples fired. The formulations incorporating granite residue and/or ashes reached the required limits of water absorption according to NBR 15270-1 and NBR 15310 and tensile bending according to classical literature (SANTOS, 1989) necessary for the production of tiles and ceramic block for masonry sealing

Balanço hídrico e da salinidade do solo na bananeira irrigada com água de diferentes salinidades

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o efeito de diferentes níveis de salinidade de água de irrigação no uso consultivo na fase reprodutiva da bananeira e evolução da salinidade do solo. Adotou-se o delineamento inteiramente casualizado em parcelas subdivididas, totalizando oito tratamentos com quatro repetições por tratamento. Os níveis de salinidade foram obtidos a partir de águas naturais de poços dos aquíferos arenito e calcário e foram misturadas em tanques de alvenaria para a obtenção das concentrações de salinidade desejada. Verificou-se que a área do bulbo com umidade superior a 8% representa aproximadamente 50% do volume do solo. A evapotranspiração da cultura diminuiu com o aumento da salinidade entre os tratamentos, o kc médio no período variou de 1,01 a 1,09 em águas de salinidade extremas. Comparando os perfis da salinidade do solo, verificou-se que a concentração de sais foi superior na camada superficial aos 440 dias após plantio.

Modelos para análise e dimensionamento de painéis de alvenaria estrutural

The main objective of this thesis was the study of bracing panels of structural masonry, by applying the Finite Element Method and Strut and Tie Method. It was analyzed the following aspects: the effect of orthotropy on the behavior of the panels; distribution of horizontal forces between panels for buildings; comparison between Equivalent Frame and Finite Elements models; panels design with the Strut and Tie Method. The results showed that one should not disregard the orthotropy, otherwise this can lead to models stiffer than the real. Regarding the distribution of horizontal forces, showed that the disregard of lintels and shear deformation leads to significant differences in the simplified model. The results showed also that the models in Finite Element and Equivalent Frame exhibit similar behavior in respect to stiffness of panels and stress distribution over the sessions requested. It was discussing criteria for designing Strut and Tie Method models in one floor panels. Then, the theoretical strength these panels was compared with the rupture strength of panels tested in the literature. The theoretical maximum strength were always less than the rupture strength of the panels obtained in tests, due to the fact that the proposed model cannot represent the behavior of the masonry after the start of the panel cracking due to plasticization of the reinforcement

Estudo numérico do comportamento de muros de arrimo em alvenaria estrutural de blocos vazados

Usually masonry structures has low tension strength, hence the design to flexural efforts can results in high reinforcement ratio, specification of high unit and prism strength, structural members with larger section dimensions and modification in structural arrangement to be possible to use masonry members. The main objective of this study is to evaluate the stiffness, the efforts distribution and the effect of horizontal elements (girders) and vertical elements (counterforts) distribution on the behavior of masonry blocks retaining walls. For this purpose, numerical modeling was performed on typical retaining wall arrangements by varying the amount and placement of horizontal and vertical elements, beyond includes elements simulating the reactions of the soil supporting the foundation of the wall. The numerical modeling also include the macro modeling strategy in which the units, mortar and grout are discretized by a standard volume that represents the masonry elastic behavior. Also, numerical model results were compared with those ones of simplified models usually adopted in bending design of masonry elements. The results show horizontal displacements, principal and shear stresses distribution, and bending moments diagrams. From the analysis it was concluded that quantity and manner of distribution of the girders are both important factors to the panel flexural behavior, the inclusion of the foundation changed significantly the behavior of the wall, especially the horizontal displacements, and has been proposed a new way of considering the flanges section of the counterforts

Análise do desempenho térmico de sistema constutivo de concreto com EPS como agregado graúdo

In the last decades there was a concentrate effort of researchers in the search for options to the problem of the continuity of city development and environmental preservation. The recycling and reuse of materials in industry have been considerate as the best option to sustainable development. One of the relevant aspects in this case refers to the rational use of electrical energy. At this point, the role of engineering is to conceive new processes and materials, with the objective of reducing energy consumption and maintaining, at the same time the benefits of the technology. In this context, the objective of the present research is to analyze quantitatively the thermal behavior of walls constructed with concrete blocks which composition aggregates the expanded polystyrene (EPS) reused in the shape of flakes and in the shape of a board, resulting in a “light concrete”. Experiments were conducted, systematically, with a wall (considerate as a standard) constructed with blocks of ordinary concrete; two walls constructed with blocks of light concrete, distinct by the proportion of EPS/sand; a wall of ceramic bricks (“eight holes” type) and a wall with ordinary blocks of cement, in a way to obtain a comparative analysis of the thermal behavior of the systems. Others tests conducted with the blocks were: stress analysis and thermal properties analysis (ρ, cp e k). Based on the results, it was possible to establish quantitative relationship between the concentration (density) of EPS in the constructive elements and the decreasing of the heat transfer rate, that also changes the others thermal properties of the material, as was proved. It was observed that the walls of light concrete presents better thermal behavior compared with the other two constructive systems world wide used. Based in the results of the investigation, there was shown the viability of the use of EPS as aggregate (raw material) in the composition of the concrete, with the objective of the fabrication of blocks to non-structural masonry that works as a thermal insulation in buildings. A direct consequence of this result is the possibility of reduction of the consume of the electrical energy used to climatization of buildings. Other aspect of the investigation that must be pointed was the reuse of the EPS as a raw material to civil construction, with a clear benefit to reducing of environmental problems

Produção de forragem verde em sistema hidropônico usando esgoto tratado

In the urban areas of the cities a larger problem of destiny of effluents of the treatment stations is verified due to the junction of the sewages in great volumes. This way the hidroponic cultive becomes important, for your intensive characteristic, as alternative of reuse. This work presents as objective the improvement of the relation hidric-nutritious of the hidroponic cultive of green forage (FVH) using treaty sewage. The production of forage was with corn (Zea mays L.), using double hybrid AG1051, in the experimental field of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), in the city of Natal-RN-Brazil. The treated effluent essentially domestic had origin of anaerobic reactor, type decant-digester of two cameras in series followed by anaerobic filters drowned. The hidroponic experimental system was composed of 08 stonemasons, with limited contours for masonry of drained ceramic brick, measuring each one 2,5 meters in length for 1,0 meter of width, with inclination of 4% (m/m) in the longitudinal sense, leveled carefully, in way to not to allow preferential roads in the flow. These dimensions, the useful area of Isow was of 2 square meters. The stonemasons of cultive were waterproof (found and lateral) with plastic canvas of 200 micres of thickness, in the white color. Controlled the entrance and exit of the effluente in the stonemasons, with cycles of 12,68 minutes, it being water of 1,18 minutes. The treatments were constituted of: T1 - 24 hours/day under it waters with flow of 2 L/min; T2 - 12 hours/day under waters with flow of 4 L/min; T3 - 12 hours/day under waters with flow of 2 L/min; and T4 - 16 hours/day under waters with flow of 3 L/min. There were evaluations of the evapotranspirometric demand, of hidroponic system affluent and effluent seeking to characterize and to monitor physical-chemical parameters as: pH, temperature, Electric Conductivity and Fecal Coliforms. This last one was analyzed to the 11 days after isow (DAS) and to the 14 DAS. The others were analyzed daily. I sow it was accomplished in the dates of February 21, 2007, first experiment, and April 10, 2007, second experiment. The density of Isow was of 2 kg of seeds, germinated before 48 hours, for square meter of stonemason. The statistic delineament was it casual entirely with two repetitions, in two experiments. It was applied Tukey test of average to five percent of probability. The cultivation cycle was of 14 DAS with evapotranspirometric demand maximum, reached by T1, of 67,44 mm/day. The analyzed parameters, as mass of green matter - Kg, productivity-Kg/m2 and reason of production of seed FVH/Kg used in Isow, the best result was presented by T1, obtaining value of up to 19,01 Kg/m2 of cultive. Without significant difference, the T4 presented greats values with 16 hours under cycle of water. The Treatments 2 and 3 with 12 hours under cycle of water, they obtained inferior results to the other Treatments. As treatment system, came efficient in the reduction of the salinity. T1 obtained reduction medium maxim of 62,5%, to the 7 DAS, in the amount of salts that enter in the system in they are absorbed in the cultivation. The cultivation FVH acted reducing the microbiologic load. Significant percentile of reduction they were reached, with up to 90,23% of reduction of Units of Colonies (UFC), constituting, like this, the Hidroponic System as good alternative of treatment of effluents of Reactors of high Efficiency

Mathematical tool to size rural digesters

Os biodigestores têm sido objetos de grande destaque devido a atual crise de energia e conseqüente busca de fontes alternativas. Outro fator que coloca os biodigestores em evidência é o intenso processo de modernização da agropecuária, que além da grande demanda de energia, produz um volume de resíduos animais e de culturas, que ocasiona muitas vezes problemas de ordem sanitária. O objetivo deste trabalho é fornecer uma ferramenta matemática para determinação de parâmetros para projetos de construção de biodigestores rurais, levando-se em consideração o atendimento de necessidades energéticas, obedecendo os dimensionamentos dos sistemas, fatores de rendimento e garantindo a funcionalidade. Para isto, foram formulados modelos de otimização não lineares, de fácil resolução, para os três principais tipos de biodigestores rurais. Com a resolução destes modelos são determinados a altura e o diâmetro que levem a um volume mínimo para cada tipo, com isto reduz-se a quantidade necessária de materiais de alvenaria e consequentemente o custo do biodigestor é diminuído.