Annual crop rotation of tropical pastures with no-till soil as affectedby lime surface application.

Soil acidity and low natural fertility are the main limiting factors for grain production in tropical regionssuch as the Brazilian Cerrado. The application of lime to the surface of no-till soil can improve plant nutrition, dry matter production, crop yields and revenue. The present study, conducted at the Lageado Experimental Farm in Botucatu, State of São Paulo, Brazil, is part of an ongoing research project initi-ated in 2002 to evaluate the long-term effects of the surface application of lime on the soil?s chemical attributes, nutrition and kernel/grain yield of peanut (Arachis hypogaea), white oat (Avena sativa L.) and maize (Zea mays L.) inter cropped with palisade grass (Urochloa brizantha cv. Marandu), as well as the forage dry matter yield of palisade grass in winter/spring, its crude protein concentration, estimated meat production, and revenue in a tropical region with a dry winter during four growing seasons. The experiment was designed in randomized blocks with four replications. The treatments consisted of four rates of lime application (0, 1000, 2000 and 4000 kg ha−1), performed in November 2004. The surface application of limestone to the studied tropical no-till soil was efficient in reducing soil acidity from the surface down to a depth of 0.60 m and resulted in greater availability of P and K at the soil surface. Ca and Mg availability in the soil also increased with the lime application rate, up to a depth of 0.60 m. Nutrient absorption was enhanced with liming, especially regarding the nutrient uptake of K, Ca and Mg by plants.Significant increases in the yield components and kernel/grain yields of peanut, white oat and maize were obtained through the surface application of limestone. The lime rates estimated to achieve the maximum grain yield, especially in white oat and maize, were very close to the rates necessary to increase the base saturation of a soil sample collected at a depth of 0?0.20 m to 70%, indicating that the surface liming of 2000 kg ha−1is effective for the studied tropical no-till soil. This lime rate also increases the forage dry matter yield, crude protein concentration and estimated meat production during winter/spring in the maize-palisade grass inter cropping, provides the highest total and mean net profit during the four growing seasons, and can improve the long-term sustainability of tropical agriculture in the Brazilian Cerrado.

Qualidade da carne de ovinos puros e cruzados criados no Semiárido Nordestino brasileiro.

Resumo: A procura por carne de qualidade tem proporcionado ao setor de ovinocultura a adoção por técnicas de produção que possam contribuir para disponibilizar ao mercado produtos que atendam as necessidades dos consumidores, que se tornam cada vez mais exigentes quanto à aquisição de produtos que possam trazer benefícios a saúde. Assim, objetivou-se determinar a qualidade da carne de ovinos puros e cruzados criados no semiárido Nordestino. Utilizaram-se 30 cordeiros machos e fêmeas, oriundos dos cruzamentos Morada Nova x Morada Nova, Rabo Largo x Morada Nova e Santa Inês x Morada Nova, alojados em baias e alimentados com dieta a base de capim Canarana, milho farelo de soja e calcário. Os animais foram abatidos com peso médio de 24 kg de peso vivo e as carcaças mantidas em câmara frigorífica a 4?C, por 24 horas. Após esse período, foi seccionado o músculo Longissimus dorsi que foi embalado, identificado e armazenado a 20?C. Foram determinados os atributos físicos de capacidade de retenção de água, perda de peso por cocção e força de cisalhamento; os atributos químicos como umidade, proteína, cinza, lipídios e colesterol; avaliações subjetivas da carcaça como cor, marmoreio, textura da carne, distribuição da gordura, espessura da gordura e área de olho de lombo; os sensoriais de dureza, suculência, sabor, aroma e aceitação global e o perfil de ácidos graxos. O delineamento utilizado foi em esquema fatorial 3x2 (três grupos genéticos e dois sexos) e as médias comparadas pelo teste de Duncan a 5%. Não houve diferença (p>0,05) entre os genótipos para a composição química da carne, exceto para a variável lipídio (p<0,05). Para as características subjetivas da carcaça o genótipo influenciou (p<0,05) nas variáveis cor, marmoreio e textura da carne. O genótipo promoveu efeito (p<0,05) para as características físicas de capacidade de retenção de água e perda de peso por cocção. Os atributos sensoriais não sofreram efeitos (p>0,05) dos genótipos avaliados. Os genótipos influenciaram (p<0,05) as concentrações dos ácidos graxos saturados, monoinsaturados e poli-insaturados assim como, nas relações ?3:?6 e AGM:AGS. O fator sexo influenciou (p<0,05) nas variáveis umidade, força de cisalhamento, dureza, ácidos graxos desejáveis e relação ?3:?6. O cruzamento entre raças nativas mostrou-se com potencial para a produção de carne de qualidade, a raça Morada Nova melhorou os atributos físico-químicos da carne e em seu perfil lipídico e, o fator sexo melhorou o atributo maciez dando destaque a carne das fêmeas. Abstract: The demand for quality meat products has given the sheep industry sector productions techniques that can contribute providing the market with products that supply the needs of consumers require, who are becoming more demanding as the acquisition of differentiated and bring health benefits. The objective was to evaluate the quality of the pure sheep meat and cross bred in the semiarid Northeast of Brazil. It was used 30 male lambs and female, that came from crosses Morada Nova x Morada Nova, Rabo Largo x Morada Nova and Santa Ines x Morada Nova, housed in pens and fed a diet of grass Canarana, corn soybean meal and limestone. The animals were slaughtered at average weight of 24 kg, live weight, and carcasses kept in refrigeration chamber at 4 ° C for 24 hours. After this period the Longissimus dorsi muscle was selected, packaged, labeled and stored at 20˚C. The physical attributes were determined such as water holding capacity, cooking weight loss and shear force; the chemical attributes such as moisture, protein, ash, lipids and cholesterol; Subjective evaluations such as color, marbling, meat texture, fat distribution, fat thickness and loin eye area; the hardness sensory, juiciness, flavor, aroma and global acceptance and fatty acid profile. The design was a 3x2 factorial arrangement (three genetic groups and two genders) and the measures compared by Duncan test at 5%. There was no difference (p> 0.05) between genotypes for the chemical composition of meat, except for the lipid variable (p <0.05). To the subjective characteristics of the carcass, the genotype influenced (p <0.05) in the variables color, marbling and meat texture. The genotype promoted significant effect (p <0.05) for the physical characteristics, water retention capacity and weight loss on cooking. The sensory attributes did not suffer significant effects (p> 0.05) of the evaluated genotypes. The genotypes influenced (p <0.05) in the concentrations of saturated fatty acids, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated as well as in the relations ω3: ω6 and AGM:AGS. The gender factor influenced (P <0.05) in the variables moisture, shear strength, hardness, desirable fatty acids and relation ω3: ω6. The cross between native breeds showed up with potential for quality meat production, the Morada Nova improved the physical and chemical attributes of the flesh and in their lipid profiles and sex factor improved softness attribute highlighting the meat of females.

Study of the effectiveness of crystal growth modifiers in the prevention of damage due to crystallization of sodium carbonates in stone artworks

The disintegration of stone materials used in sculpture and architecture due to the crystallization of salts is capable of irreparably damaging artistic objects and historic buildings. A number of phosphonates and carboxylates were tested here as potential crystallization modifiers for sodium carbonate crystallization. Precipitated phases during crystallization induced either by cooling or by evaporation tests were nahcolite (NaHCO3), natron (Na2CO3∙10H2O) and thermonatrite (Na2CO3∙H2O), identified using X-ray diffraction. By using the thermodynamic code PHREEQC and the calculation of the nucleation rate it was demonstrated that nahcolite had to be first phase formed during both tests. The formation of the other phases depended on the experimental conditions under which the two tests were conducted. Nahcolite nucleation is strongly inhibited in the presence of sodium citrate tribasic dihydrate (CA), polyacrylic acid 2100MW (PA) and etidronic acid (HEDP), when the additives are dosed at appropriate concentrations and the pH range of the resulting solution is about 8. Electrostatic attraction generated between the deprotonated organic additives and the cations present in solution appears to be the principal mechanism of additive-nahcolite interaction. Salt weathering tests, in addition to mercury intrusion porosimetry tests allowed to quantify the damage induced by such salts. FESEM observation of both salts grown on calcite single crystals and in limestone blocks subjected to salt crystallization tests allowed to identify the effect of these additives on crystal growth and development. The results show that PA seems to be the best inhibitor, while CA and HEDP, which show similar behaviors, are slightly less effective. The use of such effective crystallization inhibitors may lead to more efficient preventive conservation of ornamental stone affected by crystallization damage due to formation of sodium carbonate crystals.

Economic and Environmental Optimization of Ornamental Stone Block Cutting with a 3D Algorithm

This thesis focuses on finding the optimum block cutting dimensions in terms of the environmental and economic factors by using a 3D algorithm for a limestone quarry in Foggia, Italy. The environmental concerns of quarrying operations are mainly: energy consumption, material waste, and pollution. The main economic concerns are the block recovery, the selling prices, and the production costs. Fractures adversely affect the block recovery ratio. With a fracture model, block production can be optimized. In this research, the waste volume produced by quarrying was minimised to increase the recovery ratio and ensure economic benefits. SlabCutOpt is a software developed at DICAM–University of Bologna for block cutting optimization which tests different cutting angles on the x-y-z planes to offer up alternative cutting methods. The program tests several block sizes and outputs the optimal result for each entry. By using SlabCutOpt, ten different block dimensions were analysed, the results indicated the maximum number of non-intersecting blocks for each dimension. After analysing the outputs, the block named number 1 with the dimensions ‘1mx1mx1m’ had the highest recovery ratio as 43% and the total Relative Money Value (RMV) with a value of 22829. Dimension number 1, also had the lowest waste volume, with a value of 3953.25 m3, for the total bench. For cutting the total bench volume of 6932.25m3, the diamond wire cutter had the lowest dust emission values for the block with the dimension ‘2mx2mx2m’, with a value of 24m3. When compared with the Eco-Label standards, block dimensions having surface area values lower than 15m2, were found to fit the natural resource waste criteria of the label, as the threshold required 25% of minimum recovery [1]. Due to the relativity of production costs, together with the Eco-Label threshold, the research recommends the selection of the blocks with a surface area value between 6m2 and 14m2.

Waste Mineral Filler Recycling in New Pavement Solutions

Società Azionaria Prodotti Asfaltico Bituminosi Affini (S.A.P.A.B.A. s.r.l.) is an asphalt/aggregate production plant located in Bologna, Italy. The resulting dirt and mud from the washing process is stored at specific sedimentation lakes close to the plant and are referred to as waste silt. The initiative and motivation of the current research follows the 12th objective of the sustainable development goals proposed by the United Nations. As a result, the overall aim of the current study was to reduce the impact of waste mineral fillers through recycling in new paving solutions. Considering three paving types of cement-bound, geopolymer-bound and asphalt pavements the following objectives were set: 1) To investigate the possibility of recycling waste silt in cement-bound paving solution; 2) To explore the feasibility of producing geopolymer-bound paving solutions containing waste silt; 3) To study the potential of using waste silt as fillers in different asphalt pavements. The first objective was achieved by utilizing waste silt into cement-bound materials. For this purpose, the by-product was introduced to cement mortars and was partially replaced (20%) with the natural sand. Moreover, statistical models were used to produce concrete paving blocks. The second objective was pursued by studying the feasibility of using the waste silt as a filler in geopolymer cement products. Following a comprehensive review, the silt was thermally calcined and used as filler in geopolymer cement and paving blocks. The third objective was achieved by evaluating the rheological and mechanical performance of hot mix, porous and semi-flexible asphalt containing waste silt. The limestone filler of a hot mix asphalt was replaced with thermally and untreated waste silt. To sum up, different paving blocks and asphalt pavements mixtures containing waste silt were proposed that presented acceptable performance when compared to different national and European standards.

Bitumen aggregate adhesion and bitumen rheology of hard modified binders

The waterproofing of hydraulic structure is done traiditionally like laying road on dam surface but with specific modified binders. An italian firm recently patented a new method that is re-adaptation of typical surface treatment of roads. The purpose of this study is to find out best aggregate-bitumen mixture that can perform well under service conditions of a large hydraulic structure such as dams. So, 4 different hard modified bitumen were tested with 2 aggregate types i.e. limestone and basalt. The experimental program contained the testing of bitumen aggregate adhesion, using the rolling bottle test and rheology of hard modified binders using multiple stress creep and recovery test and dynamic viscosity test. The results and discussion are presented in detail in this work.