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At least 163 records · Page 9Linked to original sources
PubMed2006

Impact of chemical components of organic wastes on L(+)-lactic acid production.

Lactic acid production from several organic wastes that had different chemical compositions was examined, and the factors strongly impacting yield were determined. The bioconversion of sugars to lactic acid was affected by the ratio of total sugars to total nitrogen content (the TS/N ratio), and was improved by nitrogen supplementation to adjust the TS/N ratio > or =10. Lactic acid yield was also affected by the fermentable sugars contents, i.e. various oligosaccharides constituted of mainly C6-sugars. The estimation of the fermentable sugars was determined by the total sugars content in starchy materials, such as kitchen wastes, but in lignocellulosic materials, the estimation was affected by the hemicellulose contents. The estimation model of the fermentable sugars was proposed by multivariate analysis using organic components as variables.

Carbohydrate Metabolism↗
PubMed2004

Assessment of mercury emissions inventories for the Great Lakes states.

Anthropogenic mercury (Hg) air emissions for the eight Great Lakes states in 1999-2000 were evaluated by analyzing three inventories. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) National Emissions Inventory (NEI) had the most complete coverage for all states, and total Hg emissions ranged from 4226 lb in Minnesota to 15,828 lb in Pennsylvania. Coal-fired electric utilities accounted for 52.7% of the region's Hg emissions, varying from 20.2% of the total in New York to 67.5% in Ohio. Other important contributors to regional emissions included municipal waste combustion (5.6%), mercury-cell chlor-alkali plants and hazardous-waste incinerators (4% each), stationary internal combustion engines (ICEs) (3.5%), industrial, commercial, and institutional (ICI) boilers (3.3%), and lime manufacturing (3.0%). Although medical waste incineration accounted for just over 1% of regional emissions using the original classifications, the inclusion of health care facilities that may have been inappropriately identified with other sectors would increase the sector to 4.5% of regional emissions (and decrease the stationary ICE sector to 1.4% of the regional total). There were substantial differences for some sectors between the NEI and the Great Lakes Regional Air Toxics Emissions Inventory (GLEI), as well as unexplained differences within inventories between states (particularly for the cement, lime, and asphalt industries, and for lamp breakage). Toxics Release Inventory data for 2000 mainly covered electric utilities, and differences from the NEI were significant for several states. An independent assessment indicates the possibility of underestimated Hg emissions by about twofold for ICI boilers, although data for the sector (in particular concerning fuel oil emissions) are highly uncertain. Limited data indicate the likelihood of significant underestimates of electric arc furnace mercury emissions in the NEI and GLEI inventories. Several measures are here identified for improving the reliability of the inventories, both for modeling of atmospheric transport and deposition modeling and for tracking progress in Hg reduction initiatives.

Air Movements↗
PubMed2006

Characterization and management of solid medical wastes in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Medical establishment such as hospitals and research institutes generate sizable amount of hazardous waste. Health care workers, patients are at risk of acquiring infection from sharps and contamination of environment with multiple drug resistant microorganisms if wastes are not properly managed. OBJECTIVES: To characterize types and evaluate waste disposal techniques employed in the management of solid medical wastes in five selected hospitals in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. METHODS: This was a cross section study involving the use of questionnaires, in-depth interview, meetings, discussions and participant observed strategy. It also involved the collection, sorting (segregation), identification and characterization and weighing of waste types from wards and units in the selected hospitals. RESULTS: The average waste generation rate per bed/day was determined and found to be 2.78 kg of solid waste, 26.5% of the total waste was hazardous in nature. Waste segregation was found not to be practiced by any of the hospitals surveyed, 18.3% of the hospitals incinerated waste in a locally built brick incinerator; 9.1% bury; 36.3% burn waste in open pits while 36.3% dispose of a waste into municipal dumpsites. CONCLUSION: Waste management officers do not have formal training in waste management techniques; and hospital administrators pay very little attention to appropriate management of medical waste. Therefore, we must educate waste generators of their responsibility to properly manage the waste so that their staff, patients, environment and community is protected.

Cross-Sectional Studies↗