Full-Size Off-Highway Vehicle Registration Program, December 30, 2003

Report submitted by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and the Iowa Department of Transportation to the General Assembly as required by Senate File 458, section 152, passed by the 2003 General Assembly and signed May 30, 2003.

Strategy Report for Electronics Waste Management in Iowa, December 30, 2003

Strategy Report for Electronics Waste Management

Study of chemical modification of alkaline lignin by the glyoxalation reaction

In this study, glyoxalated alkaline lignins with a non-volatile and non-toxic aldehyde, which can be obtained from several natural resources, namely glyoxal, were prepared and characterized for its use in wood adhesives. The preparation method consisted of the reaction of lignin with glyoxal under an alkaline medium. The influence of reaction conditions such as the molar ratio of sodium hydroxide-to-lignin and reaction time were studied relative to the properties of the prepared adducts. The analytical techniques used were FTIR and 1H-NMR spectroscopies, gel permeation chromatography (GPC), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Results from both the FTIR and 1H-NMR spectroscopies showed that the amount of introduced aliphatic hydroxyl groups onto the lignin molecule increased with increasing reaction time and reached a maximum value at 10 h, and after they began to decrease. The molecular weights remained unchanged until 10 h of reaction time, and then started to increase, possibly due to the repolymerization reactions. DSC analysis showed that the glass transition temperature (Tg) decreased with the introduction of glyoxal onto the lignin molecule due to the increase in free volume of the lignin molecules. TGA analysis showed that the thermal stability of glyoxalated lignin is not influenced and remained suitable for wood adhesives. Compared to the original lignin, the improved lignin is reactive and a suitable raw material for adhesive formula

Household Hazardous Materials Programs, January 2004

Household hazardous materials annual report for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.

The building blocks of international ecological footprint inequality: a regression-based decomposition

This paper performs an empirical Decomposition of International Inequality in Ecological Footprint in order to quantify to what extent explanatory variables such as a country’s affluence, economic structure, demographic characteristics, climate and technology contributed to international differences in terms of natural resource consumption during the period 1993-2007. We use a Regression-Based Inequality Decomposition approach. As a result, the methodology extends qualitatively the results obtained in standard environmental impact regressions as it comprehends further social dimensions of the Sustainable Development concept, i.e. equity within generations. The results obtained point to prioritizing policies that take into account both future and present generations.

Dialyse et écologie: est-il possible de faire mieux à l'avenir [Dialysis and ecology: can we do better in the future?].

Development of dialysis has saved the lives of many patients. However, haemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis are very demanding in resources such as water and electricity, and generate a large amount of waste. In this article, we will review the environmental aspects of dialysis. Different solutions will be discussed, such as recycling of water discharged during reverse osmosis, the integration of solar energy, recycling of waste plastics, and the use of other techniques such as sorbent dialysis. In a world where natural resources are precious and where global warming is a major problem, it is important that not only dialysis, but all branches of medicine become more attentive to ecology.

Iowa Fishing Seasons and Bag Limits, 2004

Fishing Regulations and Bag Limits

Autosuficiència energètica. Estudi pilot a Alinyà (Alt Urgell)

A aquest estudi s'ha analitzat si és viable l'autosuficiència energètica en base a un estudi pilot al nucli rural d'Alinyà aprofitant els recursos naturals de la zona. S'ha realitzat un estudi del consum energètic de la població i s'ha comparat amb el potencial de producció energètica dels recursos renovables locals incloent energia provinent de la biomassa i aprofitada en calderes individuals per a cada habitatge, energia solar en teulades i energia hidroelèctrica a partir de centrals minihidràuliques restaurades ja existents. També s’ha realitzat un anàlisi per detectar possibles factors d’ineficiència energètica i a partir d’aquí, proposar una sèrie de mesures per corregir aquesta. S'han comptabilitzat les emissions de CO2 derivades del consum energètic i les proporcions que representa cada tipus de font energètica sobre el total del nucli. També s'ha establert una comparativa del consum mitjà per habitant i any entre la població i Catalunya; el consum a Alinyà és d'1,46 Tep's, mentre que el de Catalunya és d'1,7 Tep's, el nostre estudi no contempla la mobilitat, si se li resta aquest vector a la mitjana de Catalunya veiem que és de 0,9 Tep's, per tant, hi observem un major consum energètic. El 76% del consum d'Alinyà prové dels combustibles fòssils, concretament del gasoil, el nucli té una forta dependència respecte a aquesta energia, que a més a més representa el 86% (56T CO2 eq.) de les emissions totals de CO2. Per finalitzar, s'ha demostrat que és possible assolir l'autosuficiència energètica mitjançant l'implantació d'una combinació d'estratègies, viables en tots els aspectes; tant tècnics com socioeconòmics. Abastint el poble d'energia a un menor cost econòmic i amb un estil de vida més respectuós amb el medi ambient.

Soil and Water Conservation; Conservation Program Summary, 2003

Report of Conservation Program Summary produced by Iowa Departmment of Agriculture and Land Stewardship

Strip Tillage Effects on Crop Production and Soil Erosion, 2002

Report produced by Iowa Departmment of Agriculture and Land Stewardship

Waste Matters, July 2003

Newsletter for Department of Natural Resources, Waste Management Division

Waste Matters, May 2004

Newsletter produced by Department Natural Resources, Waste Managment Division

Waste Matters, September 2004

Newsletter prdouced by Department of Natural Resources, Waste Matters Division

Waste Matters, January 2004

Newsletter produced by Department of Natural Resources, Waste Management Division

Biological Assessment of Iowa's Wadeable Streams, October 2004

The TMDL and Water Quality Assessment Section of the Iowa DNR Environmental Services Division have released the report entitled, “Biological Assessment of Iowa’s Wadeable Streams.” The report describes a framework for conducting stream bioassessments and how it is used to evaluate the biological condition of Iowa’s wadeable rivers and streams. The document also serves as a foundation for developing biological water quality standards for the protection of designated aquatic life uses and measuring progress toward the achievement of Federal Clean Water Act goals.