Multifunctional Geotextiles Produced from Reclaimed Fibres and Their Role in Ecological Engineering.

Earthworks in the vicinity of roads, open mines, subsidence tanks and other man-made objects can lead to the creation of slopes that undergo erosion. One of the methods that can prevent their degradation and reclaim them is the use of geotextiles. An environmentally friendly option is using geotextiles that are produced from reclaimed fibres. The purpose of this study was to examine the role of the mechanical and chemical properties of geotextiles, namely, ropes and fibres (containing wool and polypropylene), not only on the rate of the greening of slopes but also on the species composition of vegetation. We studied the floristic composition, species diversity, species growth and soil properties of four sites of reclaimed slopes on which 46 study plots (5 m × 5 m) were laid out. We found that some species were more confined to a higher content of wool and that other species were more confined to the content of polypropylene. Both materials caused a decrease in the Shannon-Wiener diversity but an increase in evenness under the impact of ropes when compared to the control. They both also contributed to a higher mean height of the plants when compared to the control. The rate of the plant colonisation process was markedly improved by the reclaimed geotextiles. A longer and more detailed study is required to examine the effect of geotextile ropes on habitat creation.

A Histologic Perspective on Electrical and Thermal Burn-Injured Human Skin.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze specific spectroscopic (FT-Raman) and thermal (limiting oxygen index) aspects of skin samples exposed to electrical injury compared with thermal injury. METHODS: An observational case-control study was conducted at the Dr Stanislaw Sakiel Center for Burns Treatment in Siemianowice, Silesia, Poland. A scanning electron microscope was used to diagnose and illustrate the topography of skin samples from electrical and thermal burns and the morphologic effects on damaged versus undamaged skin surfaces. In particular, researchers attempted to detect spectroscopic and thermal changes at the molecular level, namely, specific biomarkers of tissue degeneration and their regeneration under the influence of the applied modifiers (antioxidants and orthosilicic acid solutions). RESULTS: Modification with L-ascorbic acid and hydrogel of orthosilicic acid caused an increase in the intensity of the amide I Raman peaks, whereas modification with sodium ascorbate and orthosilicic acid resulted in the separation of the band protein side chains (1,440-1,448 cm), which is a part of tissue regeneration. The best result was obtained when the skin was treated with 7% orthosilicic acid (limiting oxygen index, 26%). CONCLUSIONS: Antioxidant treatment may be advantageous in minimizing injury in patients with thermal burns but not always in electrical burns.