A Multifaceted Approach to Opioid Education, Prescribing, and Disposal for Patients with Breast Cancer Undergoing Surgery.

BACKGROUND: Standardized prescribing practices are recommended to decrease opioid abuse, however, data regarding the handling and disposal of leftover narcotics are lacking. This quality improvement project and analysis evaluated implementation of standardized prescribing, opioid education, and a narcotic disposal system. METHODS: This initiative was implemented over a 1-y period among patients who underwent breast surgery. The project included the following: 1) implementation of standardized prescribing, 2) voluntary and anonymous survey analysis, and 3) preoperative education regarding risks of opioids, charcoal disposal bag distribution, and follow-up survey to assess use and use of intervention. RESULTS: Preintervention surveys were completed by 53 patients, and 60% (n = 32) underwent lumpectomy. Narcotic prescriptions were filled by 90%; median number of pills taken was 3 (range 0-24), however 93% felt that a non-narcotic was more effective. Eighty three percentage of patients had unused pills, and 58% kept these pills in an unlocked cabinet. Postintervention surveys were completed by 66 patients, and 48% (n = 32) underwent lumpectomy. Narcotic prescriptions were filled by 88%, median number of pills taken was 4 (range 0-40), and 89% of patients had pills leftover. Sixty seven percentage of patients found the education handout useful and charcoal bag use was reported by 37% (n = 17). The median postoperative pain control satisfaction score was 4.5 (5-point Likert scale, 1 = very dissatisfied, 5 = very satisfied) on both preintervention and postintervention surveys. CONCLUSIONS: This study, which included standardized prescribing parameters, opioid education, and implementation of a disposal method, was found to be feasible, beneficial, and did not compromise postoperative pain control.

Removal of gaseous tetrahydrofuran via a three-phase airlift bioreactor loaded with immobilized cells of GFP-tagged Pseudomonas oleovorans GDT4.

Tetrahydrofuran (THF) is a common highly toxic cyclic aliphatic ether that frequently exists in waste gases. Removal of gaseous THF is a serious issue with important environmental ramifications. A novel three-phase airlift bioreactor (TPAB) loaded with immobilized cells was developed for efficient THF removal from gas streams. An effective THF-degrading transformant, Pseudomonas oleovorans GDT4, which contains the pTn-Mod-OTc-gfp plasmid and was tagged with a green fluorescent protein (GFP), was constructed. Continuous treatment of THF-containing waste gases was succeeded by the GFP-labelled cells immobilized with calcium alginate and activated carbon fiber in the TPAB for 60 days with >90% removal efficiency. The number of fluorescent cells in the beads reached 1.7 × 1011 cells·g-1 of bead on day 10, accounting for 83.3% of the total number of cells. The amount further increased to 3.0 × 1011 cells·g-1 of bead on day 40. However, it decreased to 2.5 × 1011 cells·g-1 of bead with a substantial increase in biomass in the liquid because of cell leakage and hydraulic shock. PCR-DGGE revealed that P. oleovorans was the dominant microorganism throughout the entire operation. The maximum elimination capacity was affected by empty bed residence time (EBRT). The capacity was only 25.9 g m-3·h-1 at EBRT of 80 s, whereas it reached 37.8 g m-3·h-1 at EBRT of 140 s. This work provides an alternative method for full-scale removal of gaseous THF and presents a useful tool for determining the biomass of a specific degrader in immobilized beads.

Removal of particulate matter from pork belly grilling gas using an orifice wet scrubber.

Grilling restaurants are a major contributor to airborne particulate matter (PM) in metropolitan areas. In this study, the removal of PM during the grilling of pork belly using an orifice scrubber, which is a form of gas-induced spray scrubber, was assessed. During grilling, the particle mass concentration was the highest for 1.0 < PM ≤ 2.5 µm (55.5% of total PM emissions), followed by 0.5 < PM ≤ 1.0 (27.1%), PM ≤ 0.5 (10.7%), and PM > 2.5 µm (7.0%). The PM removal efficiency of the orifice scrubber at a gas flow of 4.5 m3 min-1 was > 99.7% for PM ≥ 2.5 µm, 89.4% for 1.0 < PM ≤ 2.5 µm, 62.1% for 0.5 < PM ≤ 1.0, and 36.5% for PM ≤ 0.5 µm. Although further research is necessary to optimize its use, the orifice scrubber offers a user-friendly technology for the control of PM in small grilling restaurants because of its simple design, uncomplicated operation, and satisfactory PM removal performance.

Photocatalytic degradation of pharmaceutical micro-pollutants using ZnO.

This research paper presents the results of an experimental investigation of the degradation of three different contaminants including progesterone (PGS), ibuprofen (IBU), and naproxen (NAP) using ZnO as the photocatalyst and ultraviolet (UV) light as a source for catalysts activation. Two operating parameters, namely, catalyst loading and initial concentration of contaminants, were tested in a batch photocatalytic reactor. To demonstrate the large-scale applications, experiments were also conducted in a submerged membrane photocatalytic reactor. It has proven that ZnO photocatalyst degraded the three contaminants very efficiently under almost all the studied experimental conditions, with efficiency rates of 92.3, 94.5, and 98.7 % for PSG, IBU, and NAP, respectively. The photodegradation kinetics study was performed to calculate the reaction rate constant, which is found to follow pseudo-first order kinetics. The membrane photocatalytic reactor was efficient to remove pollutants and it is observed that the degradation rate increases with increasing the membrane oscillation frequency approaching that of the stirred reactor.

A novel approach for toluene gas treatment using a downflow hanging sponge reactor.

A novel gas-scrubbing bioreactor based on a downflow hanging sponge (DHS) reactor was developed as a new volatile organic compound (VOC) treatment system. In this study, the effects of varying the space velocity and gas/liquid ratio were investigated to assess the effectiveness of using toluene gas as a model VOC. Under optimal conditions, the toluene removal rate was greater than 80%, and the maximum elimination capacity was observed at approximately 13 g-C m-3 h-1. The DHS reactor demonstrated slight pressure loss (20 Pa) and a high concentration of suspended solids (up to 30,000 mg/L-sponge). Cloning analysis of the 16S rRNA and functional genes of toluene degradation pathways (tmoA, todC, tbmD, xylA, and bssA) revealed that the clones belonging to the toluene-degrading bacterium Pseudomonas putida constituted the predominant species detected at the bottom of the DHS reactor. The toluene-degrading bacteria Pseudoxanthomonas spadix and Pseudomonas sp. were also detected by tmoA- and todC-targeted cloning analyses, respectively. These results demonstrate the potential for the industrial application of this novel DHS reactor for toluene gas treatment.

Adsorption of mercury by activated carbon prepared from dried sewage sludge in simulated flue gas.

Conversion of sewage sludge to activated carbon is attractive as an alternative method to ocean dumping for the disposal of sewage sludge. Injection of activated carbon upstream of particulate matter control devices has been suggested as a method to remove elemental mercury from flue gas. Activated carbon was prepared using various activation temperatures and times and was tested for their mercury adsorption efficiency using lab-scale systems. To understand the effect of the physical property of the activated carbon, its mercury adsorption efficiency was investigated as a function of its Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area. Two simulated flue gas conditions, (1) without hydrogen chloride (HCl) and (2) with 20 ppm HCl, were used to investigate the effect of flue gas composition on the mercury adsorption capacity of activated carbon. Despite very low BET surface area of the prepared sewage sludge activated carbons, their mercury adsorption efficiencies were comparable under both simulated flue gas conditions to those of pinewood and coal activated carbons. After injecting HCl into the simulated flue gas, all sewage sludge activated carbons demonstrated high adsorption efficiencies, that is, more than 87%, regardless of their BET surface area. IMPLICATIONS: We tested activated carbons prepared from dried sewage sludge to investigate the effect of their physical properties on their mercury adsorption efficiency. Using two simulated flue gas conditions, we conducted mercury speciation for the outlet gas. We found that the sewage sludge activated carbon had mercury adsorption efficiency comparable to pinewood and coal activated carbons, and the presence of HCl minimized the effect of physical property of the activated carbon on its mercury adsorption efficiency.

RADIATION PROTECTION MEASURES TAKEN DURING REPATRIATION OF SEALED HIGH ACTIVITY RADIOACTIVE SOURCES IN CAMEROON.

Operational measures taken for the repatriation of Alcyon II 60Co Teletherapy head and El Dorado 6 60Co Teletherapy devices located in Yaounde and Douala respectively are reported. Operations carried out have permit to store Alcyon head in the CC 33 container and to transfer 60Co source from El Dorado 6 device to YKT1B container. These containers are approved as Type B package for securely transport. Optically stimulated luminescence dosimeters had been distributed to all involved persons to estimate the received effective dose during operations. It appears by the present study that, the most received individual effective dose is 130 µSv during the whole process.

Valorização de resíduos sólidos orgânicos para grandes geradores: avaliação da viabilidade técnica de equipamentos compactos / Appreciation of organic solid waste for large generators assessment of technical feasibility for compact equipment's

Após vinte e um anos de tramitação em processo legislativo, no Brasil, a Lei da Política Nacional de Resíduos Sólidos (PNRS) foi aprovada em 2 de agosto de 2010. Apesar do arcabouço regulatório da importância deste marco legal, ainda há muito a evoluir com relação ao tratamento e destinação dos resíduos sólidos no país. Em 2016, foram gerados aproximadamente 71,3 milhões de toneladas de resíduos sólidos urbanos em todo o território nacional, dos quais 41% foram dispostos em locais inadequados como lixões, terrenos baldios ou aterros controlados. Por volta de 50% deste resíduo gerado é constituído por resíduo orgânico (restos de alimento, cascas de frutas e hortaliças), material reconhecido como reciclável, pela Política Nacional de Resíduos Sólidos. No entanto, menos de 1% do resíduo orgânico é transformado em composto orgânico, isso significa que ao invés de os seus nutrientes retornarem à cadeia produtiva e à terra, geram impacto ambiental e problemas sanitários. Este cenário se repete no município de São Paulo e em todas as grandes cidades brasileiras. A presente dissertação, neste contexto, tem por objetivo avaliar diferentes inóculos que aceleram o processo de degradação dos resíduos orgânicos, bem como os parâmetros do processo de compostagem para o desenvolvimento de um equipamento de compostagem automatizado, compacto, eficiente e de simples operação, para uso em centros urbanos. O percurso metodológico de investigação considerou: levantamento dos principais inóculos para compostagem do mercado e desenvolvidos de forma artesanal; produção dos inóculos para teste; construção de protótipos de equipamentos de compostagem com diversas características para se avaliar os principais parâmetros físicos que interferem no processo de compostagem; realização de análises laboratoriais de composição microbiana, pH, umidade, Carbono/Nitrogênio e respiração microbiana; pesquisa de patentes nacionais e internacionais de equipamentos de compostagem automatizados; realização de testes de bancada com os inóculos e equipamentos desenvolvidos; visitas a diversos centros de compostagem; e construção de protótipo final, conforme parâmetros levantados na pesquisa. Como resultados pôde-se identificar os inóculos EM (microrganismos eficientes) e serapilheira como os mais adequados ao sistema de compostagem proposto, com a melhor composição de fungos e bactérias, bem como o desenvolvimento de protótipos com as características e controles necessários para a produção de um composto de qualidade, dentro dos padrões exigidos por lei e nas condições de tempo e área demandadas pelo mercado nacional

After twenty-one years in the legislative process in Brazil, the National Policy on Solid Waste was approved on August 2nd, 2010. Despite the importance of this legal framework, there is still much to be done in relation to treatment and disposal of solid waste in the country. In 2016, approximately 71.3 million tons of municipal solid waste were generated throughout the country, of which 41% were disposed of in unsuitable places such as dumps, "wastelands" or controlled landfills. About 50% of this waste is composed of organic waste (leftovers, fruit peels and vegetables), a material recognized as recyclable by the National Solid Waste Policy. However, less than 1% of the organic waste is transformed into organic compost, which means that instead of its nutrients returning to the production chain and to the land, they generate environmental impact and sanitary problems. This scenario is repeated in the City of São Paulo and in all the major Brazilian cities. The aim of this dissertation is to evaluate different inoculums that accelerate the degradation process of organic residues, as well as the parameters of the composting process for the development of an automated, compact, efficient and simple operation of composting equipment, used in urban centers. The methodological course of investigation considered: survey of the main market inoculants for composting and produce and test our own inoculants; production of inocula for testing; construct a composting equipment with several characteristics to evaluate the main physical parameters that interfere in the composting process; laboratory analysis of microbial composition, pH, humidity, Carbon / Nitrogen and microbial respiration; research of national and international patents of automated composting equipment; performing bench tests with inocula and equipment developed; visits to various composting centers; and final prototype construction, according to the parameters raised in the research. As a result of it was possible to identify that the inoculum EM (efficient microorganisms) and litter ("Serapilheira") as the most suitable to the proposed composting system, with the best composition of fungi and bacteria, as well as the development of prototypes with the necessary characteristics and controls for the production of a quality fertilizer, within the standards required by law and in the time and area conditions demanded by the national market

Innovative method for increased methane recovery from two-phase anaerobic digestion of food waste through reutilization of acidogenic off-gas in methanogenic reactor.

In this study, the performance of a two-phase anaerobic digestion reactor treating food waste with the reutilization of acidogenic off-gas was investigated with the objective to improve the hydrogen availability for the methanogenic reactor. As a comparison a treatment without off-gas reutilization was also set up. Results showed that acidogenic off-gas utilization in the upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor increased the methane recovery up to 38.6%. In addition, a 27% increase in the production of cumulative chemical oxygen demand (COD) together with an improved soluble microbial products recovery dominated by butyrate was observed in the acidogenic leach bed reactor (LBR) with off-gas reutilization. Of the increased methane recovery, ∼8% was contributed by the utilization of acidogenic off-gas in UASB. Results indicated that utilization of acidogenic off-gas in methanogenic reactor is a viable technique for improving overall methane recovery.

Enhancing recovery of ammonia from swine manure anaerobic digester effluent using gas-permeable membrane technology.

Gas-permeable membrane technology is useful to recover ammonia from manure. In this study, the technology was enhanced using aeration instead of alkali chemicals to increase pH and the ammonium (NH4(+)) recovery rate. Digested effluents from covered anaerobic swine lagoons containing 1465-2097 mg NH4(+)-N L(-1) were treated using submerged membranes (0.13 cm(2) cm(-3)), low-rate aeration (120 mL air L-manure(-1) min(-1)) and nitrification inhibitor (22 mg L(-1)) to prevent nitrification. The experiment included a control without aeration. The pH of the manure with aeration rose from 8.6 to 9.2 while the manure without aeration decreased from 8.6 to 8.1. With aeration, 97-99% of the NH4(+) was removed in about 5 days of operation with 96-98% recovery efficiency. In contrast, without aeration it took 25 days to treat the NH4(+). Therefore, the recovery of NH4(+) was five times faster with the low-rate aeration treatment. This enhancement could reduce costs by 70%.

Measurements of VOC/SVOC emission factors from burning incenses in an environmental test chamber: influence of temperature, relative humidity, and air exchange rate.

This study investigates the influence of three environmental indoor parameters (i.e., temperature, relative humidity, and air exchange rate) on the emission of 13 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) during incense burning. Experiments have been carried out using an environmental test chamber. Statistical results from a classical two-level full factorial design highlight the predominant effect of ventilation on emission factors. The higher the ventilation, the higher the emission factor. Moreover, thanks to these results, an estimation of the concentration range for the compounds under study can be calculated and allows a quick look of indoor pollution induced by incense combustion. Carcinogenic substances (i.e., benzene, benzo(a)pyrene, and formaldehyde) produced from the incense combustion would be predicted in typical living indoors conditions to reach instantaneous concentration levels close to or higher than air quality exposure threshold values.

The Potential of Sequential Extraction in the Characterisation and Management of Wastes from Steel Processing: A Prospective Review.

As waste management regulations become more stringent, yet demand for resources continues to increase, there is a pressing need for innovative management techniques and more sophisticated supporting analysis techniques. Sequential extraction (SE) analysis, a technique previously applied to soils and sediments, offers the potential to gain a better understanding of the composition of solid wastes. SE attempts to classify potentially toxic elements (PTEs) by their associations with phases or fractions in waste, with the aim of improving resource use and reducing negative environmental impacts. In this review we explain how SE can be applied to steel wastes. These present challenges due to differences in sample characteristics compared with materials to which SE has been traditionally applied, specifically chemical composition, particle size and pH buffering capacity, which are critical when identifying a suitable SE method. We highlight the importance of delineating iron-rich phases, and find that the commonly applied BCR (The community Bureau of reference) extraction method is problematic due to difficulties with zinc speciation (a critical steel waste constituent), hence a substantially modified SEP is necessary to deal with particular characteristics of steel wastes. Successful development of SE for steel wastes could have wider implications, e.g., for the sustainable management of fly ash and mining wastes.

Combustion of an oil palm residue with elevated potassium content in a fluidized-bed combustor using alternative bed materials for preventing bed agglomeration.

Palm kernel shell (PKS) was burned at 45 kg/s and excess air of 20-80% in a fluidized-bed combustor using alumina, dolomite, and limestone as the bed material. Temperature and gas concentrations were recorded along the reactor centerline as well as at stack. A SEM-EDS analysis was performed to investigate morphology and elemental composition of bed particles. An X-ray fluorescence method was used to determine the composition of used/reused bed materials and PM emitted from the combustor at different operating times. Excess air of 40% seems to be most appropriate for burning PKS in this combustor with an alumina bed, whereas 60% excess air is more suitable when using dolomite and limestone, as ensuring high (98.6-98.9%) combustion efficiency and acceptable CO and NO emissions. By using the selected bed materials, bed agglomeration can be prevented in this combustor. However, the bed materials exhibit substantial time-domain changes in physical and chemical properties.

Methane yields and methanogenic community changes during co-fermentation of cattle slurry with empty fruit bunches of oil palm.

The biomethane potential and structural changes of the methanogenic community in a solid-state anaerobic digestion process co-digesting cattle slurry and empty fruit bunches were investigated under mesophilic (37°C) and thermophilic (55°C) conditions. Phylogenetic microarrays revealed the presence of two hydrogenotrophic genera (Methanoculleus and Methanobrevibacter) and one acetoclastic genus (Methanosarcina). Methanosarcina numbers were found to increase in both mesophilic and thermophilic treatments of empty fruit bunches. Methanobrevibacter, which dominated in the cattle slurry, remained constant during anaerobic digestion (AD) at 37°C and decreased in numbers during digestion at 55°C. Numbers of Methanoculleus remained constant at 37°C and increased during the thermophilic digestion. Physicochemical data revealed non-critical concentrations for important monitoring parameters such as total ammonia nitrogen, free ammonia nitrogen and volatile fatty acids in all treatments after AD. The biomethane potential of empty fruit bunches was higher under thermophilic conditions than under mesophilic conditions.

Manejo seguro de residuos biopatogénicos de pacientes con Ebola. Su comunicación al equipo de salud / Manejo Seguro De Resíduos Biopatogénicos No Tratamento De Pacientes Com Ébola. -Sua Comunicação Para A Equipe De Saúde / Safe Management Of Medical Waste From Patients With Ebola. Communication To The Health Team

Ante el brote de la Enfermedad por Virus Ebola (EVE)suscitado en el continente Africano y la incidencia de casosfuera del área de foco primario, se hace necesario preparary comunicar adecuadamente al equipo de Salud tanto elmanejo clínico del paciente como los procedimientosde trabajo seguro y el manejo de los residuos peligrosos(por su característica infecciosa) que se generan de laatención. Un elemento clave es la capacitación y lacomunicación del riesgo para el equipo de salud. Elobjetivo del presente trabajo es revisar y desarrollaruna serie de recomendaciones para el manejo seguro eintegral de los residuos de la atención de pacientes conEVE, en base a las experiencias mundiales en el tema y acriterios de ingeniería de gestión interna de los residuos de establecimientos de salud. Es propósito también identifi car aspectos de la comunicación delriesgo de manipular estos residuos, para el logro de los estándares seguros que disminuyanel impacto de la enfermedad en el equipo de salud. Los resultados se presentan en dosapartados, uno referido a cómo comunicar y el otro referido a qué comunicar. Respectoa cómo comunicar el riesgo de la manipulación de residuos en el equipo de salud, sedetallaron las etapas de un plan. Respecto a los contenidos se detallaron recomendacionesque pueden tomarse como base de un manual de procedimientos de gestión interna deresiduos Biopatogénicos de establecimientos de salud que abordan casos de EVE...

In the face of the outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) that took place in the Africancontinent and the incidence of cases outside the primary focus location, it is necessary toprepare and communicate adequately the health team regarding the clinical managementof the patient as well as safe working procedures and management of hazardous waste (dueto its infectious characteristic) generated from patient care.Training and risk communication are key elements for the health team. The objective of thiswork is to review and develop a series of recommendations for the safe and comprehensivemanagement of waste from patients with EVD, on the basis of world experiences on thetopic and internal criteria for management of medical waste of health institutions.Another objective is to identify aspects regarding the communication of the risk of handlingthis waste, in order to reach safe standards that will reduce the impact of the diseaseon the health team.Results are presented in two sections; one referred to how to communicate and the otherto what to communicate. Regarding how to communicate the risk of handling waste inthe health team, the stages of a plan are detailed. With respect to the content, we presentrecommendations that can be taken as the basis for guidelines about internal managementof medical waste in institutions treating cases of EVD...

Em frente do surto da doença por vírus Ébola (EVE) no continente Africano e a incidênciade casos fora da área de foco primário, é necessário preparar e informar adequadamentea equipe de saúde tanto da gestão clínica do paciente bem como dos procedimentos detrabalho seguro e o manejo dos resíduos perigosos (pela sua natureza infecciosa) geradosdurante os ciudados médicos.Um elemento-chave é a formação e comunicação de risco para a equipe de saúde. O alvodeste trabalho é revisar e desenvolver um conjunto de recomendações para a gestão dos resíduossegura e abrangente de cuidados de pacientes com EVE, com base em experiênciasglobais sobre o assunto e critérios de gestão de resíduos de engenharia interna nos estabelecimentoshospitalares. Objetivo é também identifi car aspectos da comunicação de riscopara lidar com esses resíduos, para atingir os padrões de segurança que reduzam o impactoda doença sobre a equipe de cuidados de saúde. Os resultados são apresentados em duasalíneas,uma delas sobre “como comunicar”, referindo-se a outra a “o que comunicar”. Emrelação com a forma de comunicar o risco de manipulação de resíduos na equipe de saúde,foram detalhados os estágios de um plano. Sobre os conteúdos foram fornecidas diretrizesque podem ser tomadas como base para o manual de procedimentos internos para a gestãode resíduos Biopatogénicos de serviços de saúde que lidam com casos de EVE...

Co-production of activated carbon, fuel-gas, and oil from the pyrolysis of corncob mixtures with wet and dried sewage sludge.

This study explored the amount and composition of pyrolysis gas and oil derived from wet material or dried material during the preparation of sludge-corncob activated carbon, and evaluated the physicochemical and surface properties of the obtained two types of sludge-corncob-activated carbons. For wet material, owing to the presence of water, the yields of sludge-corncob activated carbon and the oil fraction slightly decreased while the yield of gases increased. The main pyrolysis gas compounds were H2 and CO2, and more H2 was released from wet material than dried material, whereas the opposite holds for CO2 Heterocyclics, nitriles, organic acids, and steroids were the major components of pyrolysis oil. Furthermore, the presence of water in wet material reduced the yield of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from 6.76% to 5.43%. The yield of furfural, one of heterocyclics, increased sharply from 3.51% to 21.4%, which could be explained by the enhanced hydrolysis of corncob. In addition, the surface or chemical properties of the two sludge-corncob activated carbons were almost not affected by the moisture content of the raw material, although their mesopore volume and diameter were different. In addition, the adsorption capacities of the two sludge-corncob activated carbons towards Pb and nitrobenzene were nearly identical.

Validación del auto-reporte de la localización de residuos sólidos con análisis de Procusto en el contexto de una iniciativa comunitaria participativa / Validation of reported location of solid waste using Procrustes analysis in the context of a participatory community initiative / Validação do auto-relatório na localização de resíduos sólidos com análise de Procusto no contexto de uma iniciativa comunitária participativa

Este estudio forma parte de una iniciativa comunitaria de manejo integral de residuos, basada en "epidemiología popular" y la investigación acción participativa. En este estudio se propone un método de validación de datos espaciales (ordenadas y abscisas) de residuos sólidos auto-reportados por la comunidad. La ubicación de los sitios fue realizada por 76 residentes de la localidad La Nopalera (Yautepec, Morelos, México), y comparada con los reportados por tres expertos en salud ambiental. La concordancia fue explorada con análisis de Procusto. Los expertos identificaron 23 sitios de concentración de residuos sólidos, mientras que la comunidad ubicó solo 22 sitios. Hubo mínimas diferencias en la localización, escala y orientación. El estadístico de Procusto mostró 95% de concordancia entre legos y expertos. Los hallazgos sugieren que el saber popular es una fuente de información válida en estudios epidemiológicos, y que su error de medición puede ser cuantificado. La sencilla metodología descrita podrá ser usada en futuros estudios de "epidemiología popular" o aproximaciones similares.

This study is part of a community initiative for integrated solid waste management based on "popular epidemiology" and participatory action research. The study proposes a method for validation of spatial data (X and Y data) on solid waste reported by community members. Location of sites was conducted by 76 residents of the La Nopalera community (Yautepec, Morelos, Mexico) and compared with reports by three environmental health experts. Agreement was explored using Procrustes analysis. Experts identified 23 sites with abundant solid waste, while community members only identified 22 sites. There were minimal differences in location, scale, and positioning of reported waste. Procrustes statistics showed 95% agreement between community and expert reports. The findings suggest that community knowledge can be a valid source of information in epidemiological studies, and that measurement error can be quantified. The simple methodology described here can be used in further "popular epidemiology" studies or similar approaches.

O estudo é parte de uma iniciativa comunitária de gerenciamento integral de resíduos sólidos, baseada na "epidemiologia popular" e em uma pesquisa de ação participativa. Aqui está sendo proposto um método de validação de dados espaciais (ordenadas e abscissas) de resíduos sólidos auto-relatados pela comunidade. A localização dos pontos foi realizada por 76 moradores da localidade de La Nopalera (Yautepec, Morelos, México), e comparada com os relatórios de três especialistas em saúde ambiental. A concordância foi explorada com análise de Procusto. Os especialistas identificaram 23 pontos de concentração de resíduos sólidos, ao passo que a comunidade localizou apenas 22. Foram verificadas diferenças mínimas na localização, escala e orientação. A estatística de Procusto mostrou 95% de concordância entre leigos e especialistas. Os resultados sugerem que o conhecimento popular constitui uma fonte de informação válida em estudos epidemiológicos, e que seus erros de medição podem ser quantificados. A metodologia simples descrita poderá ser usada em futuros estudos de "epidemiologia popular" ou aproximações similares.

[Removal of toluene from waste gas by honeycomb adsorption rotor with modified 13X molecular sieves].

The removal of toluene from waste gas by Honeycomb Adsorption Rotor with modified 13X molecular sieves was systematically investigated. The effects of the rotor operating parameters and the feed gas parameters on the adsorption efficiency were clarified. The experimental results indicated that the honeycomb adsorption rotor had a good humidity resistance. The removal efficiency of honeycomb adsorption rotor achieved the maximal value with optimal rotor speed and optimal generation air temperature. Moreover, for an appropriate flow rate ratio the removal efficiency and energy consumption should be taken into account. When the recommended operating parameters were regeneration air temperature of 180 degrees C, rotor speed of 2.8-5 r x h(-1), flow rate ratio of 8-12, the removal efficiency kept over 90% for the toluene gas with concentration of 100 mg x m(-3) and inlet velocity of 2 m x s(-1). The research provided design experience and operating parameters for industrial application of honeycomb adsorption rotor. It showed that lower empty bed velocity, faster rotor speed and higher temperature were necessary to purify organic waste gases of higher concentrations.

[Treatment of organic waste gas by adsorption rotor].

The adsorption rotor is applicable to treating organic waste gases with low concentration and high air volume. The performance of adsorption rotor for purifying organic waste gases was investigated in this paper. Toluene was selected as the simulative gaseous pollutant and the adsorption rotor was packed with honeycomb modified 13X molecular sieves (M-13X). Experimental results of the fixed adsorption and the rotor adsorption were analyzed and compared. The results indicated that some information on the fixed adsorption was useful for the rotor adsorption. Integrating the characteristics of the adsorbents, waste gases and the structures of the rotor adsorption, the formulas on optimal rotor speed and cycle removal efficiency of the adsorption rotor were deduced, based on the mass and heat balances of the adsorbing process. The numerical results were in good agreement with the experimental data, which meant that the formulas on optimal rotor speed and cycle removal efficiency could be effectively applied in design and operation of the adsorption rotor.

Utilization of wasted sardine oil as co-substrate with pig slurry for biogas production--a pilot experience of decentralized industrial organic waste management in a Portuguese pig farm.

This work aimed to demonstrate in a pig farm and in real conditions, the possibilities to co-digest wasted sardine oil (WSO) and pig slurry (PS) at farm scale. A biogas mobile pilot plant, was set up in the farm and operated in real conditions during 4 months. Dynamic mesophilic (35-37 °C) continuous pilot trials were performed during four different periods of time. In each period a different organic loading rate (OLR) based on the chemical oxygen demand (COD) was operated sequentially, with pig slurry (PS) (OLR = 1.6 kg COD/m(3) d(-1)) and with mixtures of WSO:PS with a volumetric composition (% v/v) of 2:98 (OLR = 3.0 kg COD/m(3) d(-1)), 3:97 (OLR = 3.7 kg COD/m(3) d(-1)) and 5:95 (OLR = 5.2 kg COD/m(3) d(-1)). Biomass adapted very fast in metabolise the WSO and biogas productivity was raised substantially for different compositions of WSO:PS. Process stability indicators pH and Total volatile fatty acids/bicarbonate alkalinity (T-VFA/BA) ratio, suggests that the co-digestion process was robust. It was concluded that WSO could be easily co-digested in farm scale biogas plants.