Synthesis of Inexpensive Ternary Metal Oxides by a Co-Precipitation Method for Catalytic Oxidation of Carbon Monoxide.

By using a simple co-precipitation method, new Fe2 O3 -based nanocatalysts (samples) were synthesized. The samples were composites of two or three transition metal oxides, MOx (M=Fe, Mn, Co, Ni, and Cu). The average size of CuO crystallites in the composites composed of two oxide components (CuO-Fe2 O3 ) was about 14.3 nm, while in those composed of three (CuO-MnOx -Fe2 O3 ), the composite's phase compositions were almost in the amorphous form when annealing the sample at 300 °C. The latter sample had a specific surface area higher than that of the former, 207.9 and 142.1 g/m2 , respectively, explaining its higher catalytic CO oxidation. The CO conversion over the CuO-MnOx -Fe2 O3 -300 catalyst (1 g of catalyst, 2600 ppm of CO concentration in air, and 1.0 L/min of gas flow rate) begins at about 40 °C; the temperature for 50 % CO conversion (t50 ) is near 82 °C; and CO removal is almost complete at t99 ≈110 °C. The activity of the optimal sample was tested in different catalytic conditions, thereby observing a high durability of 99-100 % CO conversion at 130 °C. The obtained results were derived from XRD, FTIR, BET, SEM, elemental analysis and mapping, as well as catalytic experiments.

Cost-effectiveness simulation of a universal publicly funded sealants application program.

OBJECTIVES: No cost-effectiveness evaluation of pit and fissure sealants has ever been carried out in Quebec. The objective of this study was to simulate a publicly funded program of pit and fissure administration, either in the public or private sectors, and compare these hypothetical situations with the current one, i.e., a publicly funded, school-based selective program. METHODS: A Markov model was developed using a virtual population of 8-year-old children that was monitored over a time span of 10 years. The incremental cost per child without decay was computed. RESULTS: The current situation and a publicly funded program in the public sector were more cost-effective than the other option: a universal, publicly funded, private practice. However, the most cost-effective option varied, depending on the incidence of decay and the proportion of children identified as being at high-risk for decay. CONCLUSION: By implementing a school-based program of universal pit and fissure sealant application, access to preventive dental care could be improved at an equivalent cost-effectiveness to the current one.