Characterisation and fluidisation of synthetic pit latrine sludge

Half of the world’s urban population will live in informal settlements or “slums” by 2030. Affordable urban sanitation presents a unique set of challenges as the lack of space and resources to construct new latrines makes the de-sludging of existing pits necessary and is something that is currently done manually with significant associated health risks. Therefore various mechanised technologies have been developed to facilitate pit emptying, with the majority using a vacuum system to remove material from the top of the pit. However, this results in the gradual accumulation of unpumpable sludge in the pit, which eventually fills the latrine and forces it to be abandoned. This study has developed a method for fluidising unpumpable pit latrine sludge, based on laboratory experiments using a harmless synthetic sludge. Such a sludge consisting of clay and compost was developed to replicate the physical characteristics of pit latrine sludges characterised in Botswana during the 1980s. Undrained shear strength and density are identified as the critical parameters in controlling pumpability and a method of sludge characterisation based on these parameters is reported. In a series of fluidisation tests using a one fifth scale pit emptying device the reduction in sludge shear strength was found to be caused by i) dilution, which increases water content, and ii) remoulding, which involves mechanical agitation to break down the structure of the material. The tests demonstrated that even the strongest of sludges could be rendered “pumpable” by sufficient dilution. Additionally, air injection alone produced a three-fold decrease in strength of consolidated samples as a result of remoulding at constant water content. The implications for sludge treatment and disposal are discussed, and the classification of sludges according to the equipment required to remove them from the latrine is proposed. Possible field tests to estimate sludge density and shear strength are suggested. The feasibility of using low cost vacuum cleaners to replace expensive vane pumps is demonstrated. This offers great potential for the development of affordable pit emptying technologies that can remove significantly stronger sludges than current devices through fluidising the wastes at the bottom of the pit before emptying

Embodied energy and gas emission of geotechnical infrastructure

Construction of geotechnical structures produces various environmental impacts. These include depletion of limited natural resources, generation of wastes and harmful substances during material productions and construction, ineffective usage of energy during processing of raw materials into construction materials, and emissions of unwanted gasses during transportation of materials and usage of equipments. With increasing interests in sustainability at the global scale, there is a need to develop a methodology that can assess environmental impacts at such scale for geotechnical construction. Using embodied energy and gas emission, quantitative measures of environmental impact are evaluated using a case study of a new high speed railway line construction in the UK. Based on the results, the keys to energy savings are (a) to optimise the usage of materials with high embodied energy intensity value (b) to optimise the transportation network and logistics for processes using primarily low embodied energy intensity materials and (c) to reuse as much materials on-site as possible to minimise the quantity of spoils or distance to disposal sites. The evaluated embodied energy and embodied carbon values are compared to those of other types of structures and of other activities and carbon tax values. Such comparisons can be used to discuss among various interested parties (clients, contractors, consultants, policy makers, etc) to make the construction industry more energy efficient. © Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2011.

Characterisation and fluidisation of synthetic pit latrine sludge

Half of the world's urban population will live in informal settlements or ‘slums’ by 2030. Affordable urban sanitation presents a unique set of challenges as the lack of space and resources to construct new latrines makes the de-sludging of existing pits necessary and is something that is currently done manually with significant associated health risks. Various mechanised technologies have therefore been developed to facilitate pit emptying, with the majority using a vacuum system to remove material from the top of the pit. However, this results in the gradual accumulation of unpumpable sludge at the bottom of the pit, which eventually fills the latrine and forces it to be abandoned. This study has developed a method for fluidising unpumpable pit latrine sludge, based on laboratory experiments using a harmless synthetic sludge. The implications for sludge treatment and disposal are discussed, and the classification of sludges according to the equipment required to remove them from the latrine is proposed. Finally, further work is suggested, including the ongoing development of a device to physically characterise latrine sludge in-situ within the pit.

Strategies to reduce the carbon footprint of consumer goods by influencing stakeholders

Consumer goods contribute to anthropogenic climate change across their product life cycles through carbon emissions arising from raw materials extraction, processing, logistics, retail and storage, through to consumer use and disposal. How can consumer goods manufacturers make stepwise reductions in their product life cycle carbon emissions by engaging with, and influencing their main stakeholders? A semi-structured interview approach was used: to identify strategies and actions, stakeholders in the consumer goods industry (suppliers, manufacturers, retailers and NGOs) were interviewed about carbon emissions reduction projects. Based on this, a summarising presentation was made, which was shared during a second round of interviews to validate and refine the results. The results demonstrate several opportunities that have not yet been exploited by companies. These include editing product choice in stores to remove products with higher carbon footprints, using marketing competences for environmental benefits, and bundling competences to create winewinewin business models. Governments and NGOs have important enabling roles to accelerate industry change. Although this work was initially developed to explore how companies can reduce life cycle carbon emissions of their products, these strategies and actions also give insights on how companies can influence and anticipate stakeholder actions in general. © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Guidewire retention following central venous catheterisation: a human factors and safe design investigation.

BACKGROUND: Central Venous Catheterisation (CVC) has occasionally been associated with cases of retained guidewires in patients after surgery. In theory, this is a completely avoidable complication; however, as with any human procedure, operator error leading to guidewires being occasionally retained cannot be fully eliminated. OBJECTIVE: The work described here investigated the issue in an attempt to better understand it both from an operator and a systems perspective, and to ultimately recommend appropriate safe design solutions that reduce guidewire retention errors. METHODS: Nine distinct methods were used: observations of the procedure, a literature review, interviewing CVC end-users, task analysis construction, CVC procedural audits, two human reliability assessments, usability heuristics and a comprehensive solution survey with CVC end-users. RESULTS: The three solutions that operators rated most highly, in terms of both practicality and effectiveness, were: making trainees better aware of the potential guidewire complications and strongly emphasising guidewire removal in CVC training, actively checking that the guidewire is present in the waste tray for disposal, and standardising purchase of central line sets so that differences that may affect chances of guidewire loss is minimised. CONCLUSIONS: Further work to eliminate/engineer out the possibility of guidewires being retained is proposed.

Heavy metals in plants and phytoremediation - A state-of-the-art report with special reference to literature published in Chinese journals

Goal, Scope and Background. In some cases, soil, water and food are heavily polluted by heavy metals in China. To use plants to remediate heavy metal pollution would be an effective technique in pollution control. The accumulation of heavy metals in plants and the role of plants in removing pollutants should be understood in order to implement phytoremediation, which makes use of plants to extract, transfer and stabilize heavy metals from soil and water. Methods. The information has been compiled from Chinese publications stemming mostly from the last decade, to show the research results on heavy metals in plants and the role of plants in controlling heavy metal pollution, and to provide a general outlook of phytoremediation in China. Related references from scientific journals and university journals are searched and summarized in sections concerning the accumulation of heavy metals in plants, plants for heavy metal purification and phytoremediation techniques. Results and Discussion. Plants can take up heavy metals by their roots, or even via their stems and leaves, and accumulate them in their organs. Plants take up elements selectively. Accumulation and distribution of heavy metals in the plant depends on the plant species, element species, chemical and bioavailiability, redox, pH, cation exchange capacity, dissolved oxygen, temperature and secretion of roots. Plants are employed in the decontamination of heavy metals from polluted water and have demonstrated high performances in treating mineral tailing water and industrial effluents. The purification capacity of heavy metals by plants are affected by several factors, such as the concentration of the heavy metals, species of elements, plant species, exposure duration, temperature and pH. Conclusions. Phytoremediation, which makes use of vegetation to remove, detoxify, or stabilize persistent pollutants, is a green and environmentally-friendly tool for cleaning polluted soil and water. The advantage of high biomass productive and easy disposal makes plants most useful to remediate heavy metals on site. Recommendations and Outlook. Based on knowledge of the heavy metal accumulation in plants, it is possible to select those species of crops and pasturage herbs, which accumulate fewer heavy metals, for food cultivation and fodder for animals; and to select those hyperaccumulation species for extracting heavy metals from soil and water. Studies on the mechanisms and application of hyperaccumulation are necessary in China for developing phytoremediation.

二氧化碳收集利用与处置技术分析

化石燃料的燃烧是百余年来大气中二氧化碳（CO2）浓度增加的主要原因。CO2的收集和处置则是抑制这一趋势的有效途径。本文通过对现有收集利用和处置技术的分析，认为火电厂是收集CO2的重点考虑对象；CO2用于三次采油及天然气回收在技术上和经济上比较可行；蓄水层储气前景广阔值得研究；深海处置有待进一步探索；CO2用于置换开采天然气水合物也是很有前景的方案。

中国医疗废物优化处置技术和管理模式研究

本论文在综合分析国内外医疗废物处置技术及其应用管理模式的基础上，结合中国医疗废物管理和处置现状，提出了中国医疗废物处置技术选择及应用模式，并对如何优化现行医疗废物处置技术和管理模式问题进行了系统的研究。主要研究成果包括： 1．中国医疗废物处置技术选择和应用模式研究。该项研究是在系统研究国际组织和国际公约、国内外医疗废物处置技术应用状况和管理模式基础上，结合中国医疗废物的产生、处置技术应用以及环境管理模式的特点和存在的问题，针对焚烧和非焚烧两大技术流派开展的。 2．中国医疗废物处置技术和管理模式优化研究。该研究是结合中国医疗废物处置技术应用和管理现状以及推进采用BAT/BEP的总体要求出发，结合具体案例提出了典型医疗废物处置技术优化所涉及工艺配置、工况参数以及污染控制要求，提出了以生命周期和全过程管理为核心的医疗废物管理理念，并就技术和管理模式优化的评价方法问题，提出了焚烧处置设施的性能评价方法以及非焚烧处理设施处理效果评价方法。 相关研究成果的意义在于可以为我国医疗废物领域相关技术选择、工程建设、设施运行、监督管理以及环境监测/检测方法的研究和应用提供借鉴，为推进医疗废物领域探索和采用BAT/BEP提供了技术支持。

危险弹药销毁用聚能引爆器设计

为解决炸药包殉爆销毁存在的诸多问题,适应新形势下部队训练保障要求,依据前人关于聚能装置设计经验和聚能效应原理,着重阐述了炸药、药型罩、炸高、外壳等重要参数设计原则及其选取依据,设计了一种用于危险弹药销毁的新型装置.为检验聚能引爆器侵彻引爆销毁危险弹药的能力,选取了5种典型弹药进行实弹销毁试验.试验结果表明:该装置能够引爆不同弹丸装药、不同弹体材料、不同弹丸壁厚的危险弹药,用于销毁危险弹药是可行的

投加溶胞菌群对剩余污泥消化影响的初步研究

活性污泥法是目前世界上普遍应用的污水生物处理工艺，其在运行过程中产生大量的剩余污泥。由于剩余污泥处理费用巨大及污泥最终处置对环境具有潜在危害问题，污泥的处理和处置已经成为水处理领域关注的焦点。本文利用实验室筛选的溶胞菌群，在好氧消化的同时对污泥进行前处理，促进剩余污泥的破解与溶胞，再通过两相厌氧处理对污泥进行进一步消化，以研究投加溶胞菌对剩余污泥消化的影响。 本研究中溶胞菌污泥减量化技术分为两个部分，第一，污泥在溶胞菌作用下的好氧消化与污泥传统好氧消化的对比研究，利用取自成都三瓦窑污水处理厂剩余污泥，向好氧污泥消化反应器中投加溶胞菌，检测各项污泥指标，并通过同传统好氧污泥消化对比，以研究溶胞菌对污泥好氧消化的影响。第二， 经过溶胞菌处理后好氧消化的剩余污泥进行两相厌氧处理研究。通过建立好氧溶胞联合两相厌氧消化系统的来处理剩余污泥，并与相同条件运行的两相厌氧消化系统做对比，检测运行过程中系统中物质成分变化，研究了其处理能力和运行稳定性，探索了两相厌氧消化系统中的发酵类型差别，验证了好氧溶胞对剩余污泥的破解效果。 研究结果表明：污泥在溶胞菌作用下的好氧消化效果和消化效率均优于传统好氧消化。在溶胞菌群存在的情况下，剩余污泥的TSS和VSS去除率达到40%和53%，远高于传统好氧消化的12%和20%。污泥经过溶胞及好氧消化后，TCOD去除率达到54.4%。经过溶胞菌处理后的剩余污泥再进入两相厌氧处理系统，进入厌氧处理系统的剩余污泥的VSS／TSS比值约为0.62。在两相厌氧处理水力停留时间(HRT)为8d时，溶胞处理污泥厌氧消化后VSS去除率达到55.17%，对照组两相厌氧系统的VSS去除率平均值为18.53%。经过溶胞处理的两相厌氧系统的污泥减量了能力远高于对照组。两相厌氧系统的pH值和碱度说明系统运行较为稳定。产酸相的有机酸中乙酸含量高于丙酸和丁酸，说明发酵末端产物以乙酸为主。在20天的试验周期内，污泥溶胞处理后、两相厌氧系统产甲烷相产气量累积产气量为1.2L，对照组只有375ml。气体中甲烷含量都在55%左右。该研究结果表明，好氧溶胞对污泥有破解能力，溶胞处理对两相厌氧中产酸相水解污泥细胞有明显的促进作用，提高了产酸相的水解酸化能力和效率。该研究对于利用生物溶胞途径提高污泥消化效率具有重要意义。 The actived sludge process has been used more and more extensively, but the procedure will lead to a large quantity of excess sludge. The treatment of Excess activated sludge has becomes a focuses not only for it is a seriously negative effect on environment but also for the costly disposal comes subsequently. The cell lysing bacterium was keeped in our lab to joined in the digestion of the excess activated sludge which was carrying at the same time with pre-processing of sludge to investigated the influence of cell lysing bacterium on excess sludge. There are two part in the method of cell lysing bacterium digesting sludge technology, the first, comparison of excess sludge digestion between anaerobic Cell-lysing Pretreatment and Conventional Aerobic Process. The sludge which was collected from San Wanyao disposal plant in Chengdu was thrown into the aerobic process system with cell-lysing bacterium, then, the indexes were detected to compare the difference between the cell-lysing bacterium in aerobic process and the traditional method to determine the influence of cell-lysing bacterium on aerobic process ; The second, the research on the sludge which was pro-treated with cell-lysing and aerobic digestion in the diphase of anaerobic digestion system. The system of cell-lysing combined with diphase of anaerobic digesting was created to compare to the diphase of anaerobic digested system, the changes of mass constituent was detected to study the ability and steady of disposal. Moreover, the research explored the difference among the types of fermentation. The efficacious of aerobic process was been proved. The result shows that the digesting rate of aerobic process with cell-lysing bacterium was higher than the traditional process. The ratio of sludge is reach to 40%~53%, which was far more effectively than the traditional process rate of 12%~20%. The TCOD of sludge which was treated with cell lysing bacterium and Aerobic Process is reach to 54.4%. Then, the sludge was thrown into the diphase of anaerobic digesting system. VSS／TSS of sludge is 0.62, HRT is 6d, the reduction of VSS is reach to 40.8%. The pH and alkalinity indicate the steady running of the diphase anaerobic digest system. In the acerbity phasing, the content of acetic acid was more than butanoic acid and propanoic acid in organic acid, it is demonstrated that the main composition of final production of fermentation was Acetic Acid. During the 20d of experiment, methylhydride phasing of diphase anaerobic digest system produced 1.2L methylhydride, however, there is only 375ml in CK, the content of methylhydride in all gas phase was around the rate of 55%. The average ratio of VSS was 18.53% in CK diphase anaerobic digest system which was far more unavailable than the mass sludge rate of 55.17%. Results demonstrated that aerobic cell-lysing digested the sludge, the treat of cell-lysing could obviously promoted the hydrolyzeing of sludge cell in the acerbity phasing, which improved the ability and rate of hydrolization and acidification. This study is significant in inhenceing the rate of sludge digestion in the method of cell-lysing bacterium.

弱小信号处理电路的研制

无论是在核物理和粒子物理实验中，我们常常需要对探测到的弱小信号进行线性处理，以满足测量与分析的要求。为此，我们以弱小信号处理为题，开展了一些研究工作，我们先后开展的研究工作包括以下几个方面：1．弱电流测试仪的研制2．电荷前放的研制3．主放的研制这三种仪器我们将在沦文的第二、第三、第四章分别进行阐述。弱电流测试仪是一种便携式仪器（直接由22OV供电），它可以测量0．1 nA至100tlA范围的弱小电流（测量范围分六档可调）。它可以接受正或负极性直流输入电流。输出采用两种方式：表头直读和电压输出。电压输出最大为＋5V。电荷前置放大器具有电路结构简单、体积小（38m×45mm×80mfll）、输出信号上升时间快、噪声低、稳定性好等特点。主放成形时间常数分为四档：0．5 us、1 us、2 us、3 us：放大倍数分为两档：×10、×100；峰保持时间为6us左右（确保后续ADC所需的时间）；具有价格低、性能好、体积小的特点。在论文的第五部分论述的是根据在调试过程中出现的实际问题提出的解决办法，其中最主要的是对各种噪燕的解决办法。上述仪器研制完成后，在实际使用中，获得了满意的结果，受到好评。

污泥的农林处置与利用

Three problems of disposal and utilization of sludge are necessary to be solved by applying it in agriculture and forestry:①The possoblity of heavy metals in sludge causing second pollution to soil and crops.②The potential effect of pathogens on the environment.③Groundwater pollution caused by high N and P concentration.The aiteratures on the above three problems home and abroad were summarized in this paper.

One century record of contamination by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and polychlorinated biphenyls in core sediments from the southern Yellow Sea

Sixteen polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and 28 polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were measured at a 2-cm interval in a core sample from the middle of the southern Yellow Sea for elucidating their historical variations in inflow and sources. The chronology was obtained using the Pb-210 method. PAHs concentrations decreased generally with depth and two climax values occurred in 14-16 cm and 20-22 cm layers, demonstrating that the production and usage of PAHs might reach peaks in the periods of 1956-1962 and 1938-1944. The booming economy and the navy battles of the Second World War might explain why the higher levels were detected in the two layers. The result of principal component analysis (PCA) revealed that PAHs were primarily owing to the combustion product. Down-cored variation of PCB concentrations was complex. Higher concentrations besides the two peaks being the same as PAHs were detected from 4 to 8 cm, depositing from 1980 to 1992, which probably resulted from the disposal of the out-dated PCB-containing equipment. The average Cl percentage of PCBs detected was similar to that of the mixture of Aroclor 1254 and 1242, suggesting they might origin from the dielectrical and heat-transfer fluid. The total organic carbon (TOC) content played a prevalent role in the adsorption of high molecular weight PAHs (>= 4-ring), while no obvious relationship among total PCBs, the concentration of congeners, and TOC was found.