Temporal analysis of the reduction in gas emission in areas of mechanically-harvested sugarcane using satellite imagery

The primary objective of this study was to estimate the amount of gas not emitted into the air in areas cultivated with sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum) that were mechanically harvested. Satellite images CBERS-2/CCD, from 08-13-2004, 08-14-2005, 08-15-2006 and 08-16-2007, of northwestern São Paulo State were processed using the Geographic Information System (GIS)-IDRISI 15.0. Areas of interest (the mechanically-harvested sugarcane fields) were identified and quantified based on the spectral response of the bands studied. Based on these data, the amount of gas that was not emitted was evaluated, according to the estimate equation proposed by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The results of 396.65 km(2) (5.91% for 2004); 447.56 km(2) (6.67% for 2005); 511.54 km(2) (7.62% in 2006); and 474.60 km(2) (7.07% for 2007), calculated from a total area of 6,710.89 km(2) with sugarcane, showed a significant increase of mechanical harvesting in the study area and a reduction of gas emissions of more than 300,000 t yr(-1).

Simulador computacional do comportamento em regime de poços de petróleo equipados com gas-lift contínuo

Amongst the results of the AutPoc Project - Automation of Wells, established between UFRN and Petrobras with the support of the CNPq, FINEP, CTPETRO, FUNPEC, was developed a simulator for equipped wells of oil with the method of rise for continuous gas-lift. The gas-lift is a method of rise sufficiently used in production offshore (sea production), and its basic concept is to inject gas in the deep one of the producing well of oil transform it less dense in order to facilitate its displacement since the reservoir until the surface. Based in the use of tables and equations that condense the biggest number of information on characteristics of the reservoir, the well and the valves of gas injection, it is allowed, through successive interpolations, to simulate representative curves of the physical behavior of the existing characteristic variable. With a simulator that approaches a computer of real the physical conditions of an oil well is possible to analyze peculiar behaviors with very bigger speeds, since the constants of time of the system in question well are raised e, moreover, to optimize costs with assays in field. The simulator presents great versatility, with prominance the analysis of the influence of parameters, as the static pressure, relation gas-liquid, pressure in the head of the well, BSW (Relation Basic Sediments and Water) in curves of request in deep of the well and the attainment of the curve of performance of the well where it can be simulated rules of control and otimization. In moving the rules of control, the simulator allows the use in two ways of simulation: the application of the control saw software simulated enclosed in the proper simulator, as well as the use of external controllers. This implies that the simulator can be used as tool of validation of control algorithms. Through the potentialities above cited, of course one another powerful application for the simulator appears: the didactic use of the tool. It will be possible to use it in formation courses and recycling of engineers

Gas exchange rates, plant height, yield components, and productivity of upland rice as affected by plant regulators

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Effects of gamma-irradiation on caprolactam level from multilayer PA-6 films for food packaging: Development and validation of a gas chromatographic method

A gas chromatographic method to determine caprolactam in multilayer PA-6 films used for meat foodstuffs and cheese was developed and validated. A wide linear range (0.8-400 mu g/ml), RSD <= 4.1% and recovery higher than 90.0% were obtained for the chromatographic system, while precision and accuracy of the method showed RSD <= 3.8%, recovery from 95.5-100.0% and LOQ of 32 mu g/g. Irradiated (3, 7 and 12 kGy) and non-irradiated commercial films were analyzed. Most of them increased caprolactam levels with the increase of irradiation doses. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of Gamma Irradiation on Caprolactam Migration from Multi layer Polyamide 6 Films into Food Simulants: Development and Validation of a Gas Chromatographic Method

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Supercritical fluid extraction for pesticide multiresidue analysis in honey: determination by gas chromatography with electron-capture and mass spectrometry detection

An analytical procedure using supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) and capillary gas chromatography with electron-capture detection was developed to determine simultaneously residues of different pesticides (organochlorine, organophosphorus, organonitrogen and pyrethroid) in honey samples. Fortification experiments were conducted to test conventional extraction (liquid-liquid) and optimize the extraction procedure in SFE by varying the CO2-modifier, temperature, extraction time and pressure. Best efficiency was achieved at 400 bar using acetonitrile as modifier at 90 degreesC. For the clean-up step, Florisil cartridges were used for both methods LLE and SFE. Recoveries for majority of pesticides from fortified samples of honey at fortification level of 0.01-0.10 mg/kg ranged 75-94% from both methods. Limits of detection found were less than 0.01 mg/kg for ECD and confirmation of pesticide identity was performed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry in selected-ion monitoring mode. The multiresidue methods in real honey samples were applied and the results of developed methods were compared. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Multiresidue analysis of pesticides in soil by supercritical fluid extraction/gas chromatography with electron-capture detection and confirmation by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

The applicability of supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) in pesticide multiresidue analysis (organohalogen, organonitrogen, organophosphorus, and pyrethroid) in soil samples was investigated. Fortification experiments were conducted to test the conventional extraction (solid-liquid) and to optimize the extraction procedure in SFE by varying the CO2 Modifier, temperature, extraction time, and pressure. The best efficiency was achieved at 400 bar using methanol as modifier at 60 degreesC. For the SFE method, C-18 cartridges were used for the cleanup. The analytical screening was performed by gas chromatography equipped with electron-capture detection (ECD). Recoveries for the majority of pesticides from spiked samples of soil at different residence times were 1, 20, and 40 days at the fortification level of 0.04-0.10 mg/kg ranging from 70 to 97% for both methods. The detection limits found were <0.01 mg/kg for ECD, and the confirmation of pesticide identity was performed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry in a selected-ion monitoring mode. Multiresidue methods were applied in real soil samples, and the results of the methods developed were compared.

A theoretical study on the gas phase reactions of the anions NbO3-, NbO5-, and NbO2(0H)(2)(-) with H2O and O-2

The potential energy surfaces at the singlet (s) and the triplet (t) electronic states associated with the gas-phase ion/molecule reactions of NbO3-, NbO5-, and NbO2(OH)(2)(-) with H2O and O-2 have been investigated by means of DFT calculations at the B3LYP level. An analysis of the results points out that the most favorable reactive channel comprises s-NbO3- reacting with H2O to give an ion-molecule complex s-NbO3(H2O)without a barrier. From this minima, an intramolecular hydrogen transfer takes place between the incoming water molecule and an oxygen atom of the NbO3- fragment to render the most stable minimum, s-NbO2(OH)(2)(-). This oxyhydroxide system reacts with O-2 along a barrierless process to obtain the triplet t-NbO4(OH)(2)(-)-A intermediate, and the crossing point, CP1, between s and t electronic states has been characterized. The next step is the hydrogen-transfer process between the oxygen atom of a hydroxyl group and the one adjacent oxygen atom to render a minimum with the two OH groups near each other, t-NbO4(OH)(2)(-)-B. From this point, the last hydrogen migration takes place, to obtain the product complex, t-NbO5(H2O)(-), that can be connected with the singlet separated products, s-NbO5- and H2O. Therefore, a second crossing point, CP2, has been localized. The nature of the chemical bonding of the key minima (NbO3-, NbO2(OH)(2)(-), NbO4(OH)(2)(-)-B, and NbO5-) in both electronic states of the reaction and an interaction with O-2 has been studied by topological analysis of Becke-Edgecombe electron-localization function (ELF) and atoms-in-molecules (AIM) methodology. The niobium-oxygen interactions are characterized as unshared-electron (ionic) interactions and some oxygen-oxygen interactions as protocovalent bonds.

Multiresidue determination of pesticides in honey samples by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and application in environmental contamination

A simple and fast multiresidue method has been developed to determine 48 pesticides within the major groups of pesticides (organohalogen, organophosphorous, pyrethroids and organonitrogen) in representative samples of locally produced honey, in Bauru (State of São Paulo, Brazil) during 2003-2004. The recovery results found ranged from 76% to 95% and the limits of detection were lower than 0.01 mg/kg for gas chromatography with electron impact mass spectrometric detection in the selected ion monitoring mode (GC-MS-SIM). The results indicated that most pesticides found in the samples belonged to the organohalogen and organophosphorous groups and lower levels of residues of some organonitrogen and pyretroids were also detected. Malathion residues were detected in all the samples, in a high concentration, owing to its applications to control dengue mosquitoes in the area studied. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Optimisation of environmental gas cleaning routes for solid wastes cogeneration systems. Part II - Analysis of waste incineration combined gas/steam cycle

In the first paper of this paper (Part I), conditions were presented for the gas cleaning technological route for environomic optimisation of a cogeneration system based in a thermal cycle with municipal solid waste incineration. In this second part, an environomic analysis is presented of a cogeneration system comprising a combined cycle composed of a gas cycle burning natural gas with a heat recovery steam generator with no supplementary burning and a steam cycle burning municipal solid wastes (MSW) to which will be added a pure back pressure steam turbine (another one) of pure condensation. This analysis aims to select, concerning some scenarios, the best atmospheric pollutant emission control routes (rc) according to the investment cost minimisation, operation and social damage criteria. In this study, a comparison is also performed with the results obtained in the Case Study presented in Part I. (c) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Optimisation of environmental gas cleaning routes for solid wastes cogeneration systems - Part I - Analysis of waste incineration steam cycle

Research of advanced technologies for energy generation contemplates a series of alternatives that are introduced both in the investigation of new energy sources and in the improvement and/or development of new components and systems. Even though significant reductions are observed in the amount of emissions, the proposed alternatives require the use of exhaust gases cleaning systems. The results of environmental analyses based on two configurations proposed for urban waste incineration are presented in this paper; the annexation of integer (Boolean) variables to the environomic model makes it possible to define the best gas cleaning routes based on exergetic cost minimisation criteria. In this first part, the results for steam cogeneration system analysis associated with the incineration of municipal solid wastes (MSW) is presented. (c) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Biomass consumption and CO2, CO and main hydrocarbon gas emissions in an Amazonian forest clearing fire

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Gravitational Capture of Asteroids by Gas Drag

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Fatigue strength of tungsten inert gas-repaired weld joints in airplane critical structures

In this work the effect of Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW) repairs on the axial fatigue strength of an AISI 4130 steel welded joint used in airframe critical to the flight-safety was investigated. Fatigue tests were performed at room temperature on 0.89 mm thick hot-rolled plates with constant amplitude and load ratio of R = 0.1, at 20 Hz frequency. Monotonic tensile tests, optical metallography and microhardness, residual stress and weld geometric factors measurements were also performed. The fatigue strength decreased with the number of GTAW repairs, and was related to microstructural and microhardness changes, as well as residual stress field and weld profile geometry factors, which gave origin to high stress concentration at the weld toe. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Non-Zeeman splitting for a spin-resolved STM with a Kondo adatom in a spin-polarized two-dimensional electron gas

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)