Fate of organic matter during moderate heat treatment of sludge: kinetics of biopolymer and hydrolytic activity release and impact on sludge reduction by anaerobic digestion.

Temperature-phased anaerobic digestion with a 50-70 °C pre-treatment is widely proposed for sludge. Here, such a sludge pre-treatment (65 °C) was studied against the physical, enzymatic and biodegradation processes. The soluble and particulate fractions were analysed in terms of biochemical composition and hydrolytic enzymatic activities. Two kinetics of organic matter solubilisation were observed: a rapid transfer of the weak-linked biopolymers to the water phase, including sugars, proteins or humic acid-like substances, to the water phase, followed by a slow and long-term solubilisation of proteins and humic acid-like substances. In addition, during the heat treatment a significant pool of thermostable hydrolytic enzymes including proteases, lipases and glucosidases remains active. Consequently, a global impact on organic matter was the transfer of the biodegradable chemical oxygen demand (COD) from the particulate to the soluble fraction as evaluated by the biological methane potential test. However, the total biodegradable COD content of the treated sludge remained constant. The heat process improves the bio-accessibility of the biodegradable molecules but doesn't increase the inherent sludge biodegradability, suggesting that the chemistry of the refractory proteins and humic acids seems to be the real limit to sludge digestion.

Modelling of moisture-dependent aerobic degradation of solid waste.

In landfill, high temperature levels come from aerobic reactions inside the waste surface layer. They are known to make anaerobic processes more reliable, by partial removal of easily biodegradable substrates. Aerobic biodegradation of the main components of biodegradable matter (paper and cardboard waste, food and yard waste) is considered. In this paper, two models which take into account the effect of moisture on aerobic biodegradation kinetics are discussed. The first one (Model A) is a simple, first order, substrate-related model, which assumes that substrate hydrolysis is the limiting step of the process. The second one (Model B) is a biomass-dependant model, considering biological growth processes. Respirometric experiments were performed in order to evaluate the efficiency of each model. The biological oxygen demands of shredded paper and cardboard samples and of food and yard waste samples prepared at various initial water contents were measured. These experimental data were used to identify model parameters. Model A, which includes moisture dependency on the maximum amount of biodegraded matter, is relevant for paper and cardboard biodegradation. On the other hand, Model B, including moisture effect on the growth rate of biomass is suitable to describe food and yard waste biodegradation.

Pulsatile flow visualization in a model of the human abdominal aorta and aortic bifurcation.

The infrarenal abdominal aorta and aortic bifurcation are frequent sites of atherosclerosis. The local hemodynamics are considered to be atherogenetic factors; a detailed description of these flow fields is, therefore, essential to understand their relationship to atherosclerosis. The aim of this study was, therefore, to provide such detailed information using a flow visualization technique in an anatomically realistic flow model of the abdominal aorta and its main branches in which the complex pulsatile flow waveforms and flow rates were simulated for two physiologic flow conditions (rest and exercise). At rest, the particle path lines in the suprarenal abdominal aorta were straight with no visible signs of flow reversal. Vortices were initiated opposite to the main branches. In the infrarenal aorta, large flow separation zones formed at the posterior aortic wall and at the lateral walls in the aortic bifurcation during systolic deceleration, and flow reversal was present during diastole. Under exercise conditions, the particle path lines were straight, and only slight flow reversal was seen. This study emphasizes, that rather than being a straight tube with forward-moving fluid, the abdominal aorta has to be considered as a complex part of the arterial tree. Distinct local hemodynamic qualities of importance for explaining atherogenesis were pointed out. At rest, the suprarenal abdominal aorta had much less complicated flow characteristics than the infrarenal abdominal aorta where the distal, posterior vessel wall and the lateral walls of the bifurcation were sites of flow patterns thought to be associated with atherosclerosis. During exercise, the infrarenal flow patterns changed dramatically away from the flow patterns associated with the induction of atherosclerosis.

Systolic anterior motion of the mitral valve in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: an in vitro pulsatile flow study.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, or HCM, is a relatively common disease which results in the hospitalization of more than 13,000 patients every year. It is characterized by a thickening of the interventricular septum and by systolic anterior motion, or SAM, of the mitral valve, which occurs when the distal tip of the mitral leaflets contacts the hypertrophied septum during systole and obstructs the left ventricular outflow tract. Using an in vitro pulsatile flow model of the left ventricle, the objective of the study was to investigate the relationship between the ventricular flow field and the mechanism of SAM and to specifically address the hypothesis that papillary muscle displacement can alter left ventricular flow patterns and create drag forces that can initiate SAM. Flow visualization revealed the presence in the ventricle of a large organized recirculation region throughout diastole. Besides maintaining the mitral leaflets close to the posterior wall, normally positioned papillary muscles also caused the diastolic vortex to help the mitral valve close near the posterior wall while simultaneously prepositioning the upcoming systolic outflow stream close to the septum, thereby minimizing the flow forces acting on the mitral valve. In contrast, the anterior displacement of the papillary muscles moves the entire mitral apparatus into the outflow tract. It also reverses the direction of the recirculating diastolic flows: The diastolic vortex now promotes the initiation of SAM by displacing the closing mitral leaflets anteriorly and by positioning the systolic outflow stream close to the posterior wall. These events lead to the creation of form drag forces as the systolic flow impacts the posterior side of the mitral leaflets, initiating SAM.

Importance of leaflet elongation in causing systolic anterior motion of the mitral valve.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS OF THE STUDY: There is growing evidence for mitral leaflet elongation in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Such elongation could predispose to systolic anterior motion (SAM) of the mitral valve by increasing leaflet mobility and providing a geometry that promotes this condition. METHODS: To test this postulate, five porcine mitral valves were studied in a physiologic left heart pulsatile flow duplicator. They were elongated with patches sutured to the basal posterior leaflet (three sizes per valve) or anterior leaflet (basal, middle, or distal). Each geometry was studied with normal papillary muscle position and with anterior and inward displacement, as seen in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, to shift the leaflets into the outflow stream. RESULTS: Four points became clear. 1) Leaflet elongation promoted the development of SAM in response to papillary muscle displacement by creating long overlapping residual leaflets capable of moving anteriorly. 2) Posterior leaflet elongation also promoted SAM by shifting leaflet coaptation anteriorly, with progressive increases in SAM. 3) Basal and mid-anterior leaflet elongation caused SAM with prolapse; distal anterior leaflet elongation created SAM with a mobile flap (leaflet elongation without papillary muscle displacement created prolapse). 4) Residual leaflet length correlated well with total leaflet length (r = 0.87-0.98 for each valve), and the degree of SAM in turn correlated well with residual leaflet length (r = 0.62-0.98 for individual valves). CONCLUSIONS: Mitral leaflet elongation, by increasing the residual leaflet length and leaflet mobility, can play an important role in promoting SAM in response to outflow forces, as demonstrated by prospectively altering leaflet length. These findings are consistent with recent observations that reducing leaflet redundancy and posterior leaflet height can reduce obstructive SAM following mitral valve repair in patients with mitral valve prolapse and help relieve obstruction in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and enlarged leaflets.

Combined thermophilic aerobic process and conventional anaerobic digestion: effect on sludge biodegradation and methane production.

The efficiency of hyper-thermophilic (65 degrees Celsius) aerobic process coupled with a mesophilic (35 degrees Celsius) digester was evaluated for the activated sludge degradation and was compared to a conventional mesophilic digester. For two Sludge Retention Time (SRT), 21 and 42 days, the Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) solubilisation and biodegradation processes, the methanisation yield and the aerobic oxidation were investigated during 180 days. The best results were obtained at SRT of 44 days; the COD removal yield was 30% higher with the Mesophilic Anaerobic Digestion/Thermophilic Aerobic Reactor (MAD-TAR) co-treatment. An increase of the sludge intrinsic biodegradability is also observed (20-40%), showing that the unbiodegradable COD in mesophilic conditions becomes bioavailable. However, the methanisation yield was quite similar for both processes at a same SRT. Finally, such a process enables to divide by two the volume of digester with an equivalent efficiency.

A logistic model for the prediction of the influence of water on the solid waste methanization in landfills.

This article deals with the impact of water content of solid waste on biogas production kinetics in landfills. This impact has been proved in the laboratory thanks to anaerobic biodegradation experiments on paper/cardboard waste samples. A strong dependence with the moisture level was observed for both kinetic rates and maximum methane production. In this article, a logistic model is proposed to simulate the biogas production rate. It is chosen as simple as possible in order to allow for a correct identification of the model parameters given the experimental data available. The moisture dependency is introduced through a linear weighing of the biomass specific growth rate and of the amount of accessible organic substrate. It is directly linked to physical properties of the waste: the holding capacity and the minimal moisture level allowing the presence of free water.

Insights from in-vitro flow visualization into the mechanism of systolic anterior motion of the mitral valve in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy under steady flow conditions.

Hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy is a heart disease characterized by a thickened interventricular septum which narrows the left ventricular outflow tract, and by systolic anterior motion (SAM) of the mitral valve which can contact the septum and create dynamic subaortic obstruction. The most common explanation for SAM has been the Venturi mechanism which postulates that septal hypertrophy, by narrowing the outflow tract, produces high velocities and thus low pressure between the mitral valve and the septum, causing the valve leaflets to move anteriorly. This hypothesis, however, fails to explain why SAM often begins early in systole, when outflow tract velocities are low or negligible or why it may occur in the absence of septal hypertrophy. The goal of this study was therefore to investigate an alternative hypothesis in which structural abnormalities of the papillary muscles act as a primary cause of SAM by altering valve restraint and thereby changing the geometry of the closed mitral apparatus and its relationship to the surrounding flow field. In order to test this hypothesis, an in vitro model of the left ventricle which included an explanted human mitral valve with intact chords and papillary muscle apparatus was constructed. Flow visualization was used to observe the ventricular flow field and the mitral valve geometry. Displacing the papillary muscles anteriorly and closer to each other, as observed clinically in patients with cardiomyopathy and obstruction produced SAM in the absence of septal hypertrophy. Flow could be seen impacting on the upstream (posterior) surface of the leaflets; such flow is capable of producing form drag forces which can initiate and maintain SAM.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

The role of aerobic activity on refuse temperature rise: II. Experimental and numerical modelling.

The biodegradation of a model waste is studied in a 300-litre pilot. The aim is to better understand the role of biochemical processes on the temperature rise, in relation to landfill management protocols. The variations of temperature and gas composition distributions in the waste are accurately measured and analysed. The observations confirm that biological consumption of the oxygen diffusing through the waste is the main source of heat. A theoretical modelling of coupled heat and oxygen transfers in fresh refuse is then proposed. Numerical results are in good agreement with experimental data, but it appears that biochemical kinetics should account for the carbon availability limitation. Finally, a prediction of the temperature field in a landfill is presented.

Papillary muscle displacement causes systolic anterior motion of the mitral valve. Experimental validation and insights into the mechanism of subaortic obstruction.

BACKGROUND: Systolic anterior motion (SAM) of the mitral valve in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) has generally been explained by a Venturi effect related to septal hypertrophy, causing outflow tract narrowing and high velocities. Patients with HCM, however, also have primary abnormalities of the mitral apparatus, including anterior and inward or central displacement of the papillary muscles, and leaflet elongation. These findings have led to the hypothesis that changes in the mitral apparatus can be a primary cause of SAM by altering the forces acting on the mitral valve and its ability to move in response to them. Despite suggestive observations, however, it has never been prospectively demonstrated that such changes can actually cause SAM. METHODS AND RESULTS: To test this hypothesis in vivo, anterior papillary muscle displacement was created in 7 dogs studied by echocardiography, with controlled cardiac output and heart rate. In all 7 dogs, papillary muscle displacement caused SAM, with an outflow tract gradient (33 +/- 19 mm Hg) and mitral regurgitation in 6. As in patients with HCM, the mitral valve was displaced anteriorly and the coaptation point shifted toward the insertion of the leaflets, creating longer distal residual leaflets that moved anteriorly. CONCLUSIONS: Primary changes in the mitral apparatus can cause SAM without septal hypertrophy. In this model, SAM appears to be determined by the ability of the leaflets to move anteriorly (papillary muscle displacement causing slack and increased residual leaflet length) and their interposition into the outflow stream by anterior displacement, determining the direction of this motion. Geometric factors observed in HCM and in patients with SAM without HCM can therefore play a primary role in causing SAM.