Calculating the risk of fire in community pharmacies. Gustav-Purt method

Introduction: Fire is a chemical reaction of combustion, based on the strongly exothermic "oxidation-reduction" phenomena that produce a big detachment of light and heat.Its effects are, generally, harmful, producing personal injuries due to smoke, toxic gasses, and extremely hot temperatures; and damaged materials and buildings. Fire is produced when the three following factors simultaneously coexist in time and space: Fuel; a comburent agent, usually the oxygen in the air; and heat, which contributes the necessary energy to actuate the reaction. Besides, it is necessary, for the production of the flame, the existence of a chain reaction. Method: The Gustav-Purt Method, which aim is to calculate the potential risk in a determinate building and of the means to fight fires should be implemented. Results: After the calculation of the distinct factors, the conclusion that the risk of fire in a pharmacy is high is reached. Discussion: Therefore, strict inspection by sanitary authorities to avert the danger of the fire is necessary.

Introducción: El fuego es una reacción química de combustión, basado en los fenómenos de oxidación-reducción fuertemente exotérmica que se manifiesta por desprender gran cantidad de luz y calor. Sus efectos son generalmente perjudiciales, produciendo daños personales por el humo, gases tóxicos y temperaturas extremas, causando grandes daños a instalaciones y bienes. El fuego se produce cuándo existen simultáneamente en el tiempo y en un mismo lugar los tres factores siguientes: Combustible, Agente Comburente, normalmente el oxígeno del aire y Calor, que contribuye con la energía necesaria para activar la reacción. Además, es necesario, para la producción de la llama, la existencia de reacciones de cadena. Método: El método de Gustav Purt, tiene por objetivo calcular el riesgo potencial existente en un edificio determinado y qué medios de lucha contra incendios son necesarios implementar. Resultados: Tras el cálculo de los distintos factores, se llega a la conclusión que el riesgo de incendio en una farmacia es elevado. Discusión: Por consiguiente, es necesario la estricta inspección de las autoridades sanitarias de la Administración para evitar el peligro del fuego.

Methods for the analysis of uranium aerosol concentration in the workplace of uranium processing and fuel fabrication facilities / 中国辐射卫生

Objective To establish a method for uranium aerosol sample collection, dry ashing treatment, and laboratory laser-fluorescence measurement in the workplace of uranium processing and fuel fabrication facilities. Methods Through optimization experiments, the effects of sampling flow, sample pH value, and test temperature on uranium aerosol concentration results were studied, and the detection limit, precision, and recovery rate of the method were tested. Results Under the optimal test conditions, the detection limit of the method was 0.025 ng/mL; the minimum detectable concentration of 1 m3 of aerosol samples was 1.25 × 10−3 μg/m3; the relative standard deviation (RSD) of the measurement results was less than 5%; the recovery rate was between 96% and 104%. Conclusion The detection limit, precision, and accuracy of the method meet the testing requirements for uranium aerosol samples in the workplace of uranium processing and fuel fabrication facilities.

Investigation of Bacterial Load and Their Antimicrobial Susceptibility in an Artisanal Refining Environment

Background: Bacteria present in the atmosphere often show predicable patterns across space and time. and these patterns and properties of the bacteria can be affected by presence of soot which is generated by artisanal refining and excessive burning of fossil fuel. These bacteria are being inhaled by humans on daily basis and this can have detrimental effects on human health and the environment. Aim: This work was carried out to investigate the microbial load and antimicrobial susceptibility of an environment associated with artisanal refining activities. Methodology: The eight samples were taken randomly from four different locations in a high artisanal refining state Rivers State (Ojoto Roundabout, Nembe Waterside, Rumuokalagbor Village, Rivers State University Teaching Hospital (RSUTH), Rivers State University Microbiology laboratory and Mile 1 Park) all in Port Harcourt, Rivers State and compared to two locations from another state Kano state (No. 33 Lamido Crescent and God is Good Motors Park, Kano State) without artisanal refining activities all in Nigeria and tested for viable bacteria load. The six test and two control samples were collected on prepared dry nutrient agar exposed to free air for a period of five (5) minutes and were covered properly and transferred to the laboratory and incubated at 37OC for 24 hours. The isolates were morphologically and biochemically determined and identified. Results: The Total Heterotrophic count indicates that samples from Rumuokalagbor village have a high number of bacteria growth colonies with a colony forming unit of 1.43 x 106 while sample from Rivers State University Teaching Hospital had lesser colony forming unit of 7.5 x 105,. However, the Total Heterotrophic Bacteria Count from our control is seen to be very low with 3.2 x 105 and 2.8 x 105 respectively. Microorganisms such as Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus species and Staphylococcus species. were identified from the various locations. Few isolates were gotten from the entire laboratory with a total of 22 isolates, 18 Bacillus species (77), 3 Staphylococcus species (18%) and 1 Staphylococcus aureus (5%). The antimicrobial sensitivity results revealed Ciprofloxacin (77%) having higher sensitivity followed by Levofloxacin (66.6%). Norfloxacin (0%), Rifampicin (0%) and Ampiclox (0%) were seen to be highly resistant to the bacteria isolated. Conclusion: This work was able to identify Bacillus species,Staphylococcus species and Staphylococcus aerues. as bacteria associated with artisanal refining at the different sampled sites. Strict implementation on stopping artisanal refining in our communities is recommended to reduce the public health risk posed by soot inhalation.

Effect of Household Cooking Fuel and Breastfeeding on Infant Growth: Findings from the National Family Health Survey-4, India.

Objective: Malnutrition is a critical public health concern in India. We aimed to understand the prevalence of stunting and its association between cooking fuel type and breastfeeding among Indian infants (? 6 months of age). Methods: This study used information from a National Family Health Survey-4 (NFHS) conducted between 2015 and 2016. From all eligible infants, information on socio-demographic and clinical characteristics was obtained. Univariate and multivariable binary logistic regression was performed to examine the factors associated with stunted children. Results: Of the 15,120 infants, the median (Inter Quartile Range) age was 4 (2-5) months with a female/male ratio of 1:1.06. The prevalence of polluting fuel use and stunting was 68.10% and 20.13% respectively. Stunting among polluting fuel and clean fuel was 22.17% and 15.78%. Stunting among exclusive breastfed and not exclusive breastfed was 20.62% and 19.53%. In adjusted analysis, households using clean fuel (Adjusted Odds Ratio 0.75; 95% Confidence Interval, 0.66-0.86) had lower odds of infants being stunted compared to polluting fuel. A infant currently being breastfed (aOR 0.76; 95% CI, 0.62-0.93) had lower odds of being stunted than infants currently not being breastfed. Conclusion: The present study indicates that polluting cooking fuel and not being breastfed was associated with an increased risk of infant being stunted. A community-based randomized control trial was required to study child and maternal health risks on polluting cooking fuel. Furthermore, the study highlights the urgent need to raise awareness on the importance of exclusive breastfeeding practices.

Rotas tecnológicas, desafios e potencial para valoração energética de resíduo sólido urbano por coprocessamento no Brasil / Technological routes, challenges and potential for municipal solid waste energetic valorization by coprocessing in Brazil

RESUMO Mais de dez anos depois da implantação da Política Nacional de Resíduos Sólidos, por meio da Lei federal n° 12.305/2010, a elaboração e a execução de políticas públicas com resultados positivos na gestão dos resíduos sólidos urbanos são precárias. O coprocessamento desses produtos em fornos de clínquer pode ser uma alternativa viável para melhorar esse cenário, mas encontra diversas dificuldades de ordem técnica e econômica. Neste trabalho, estimou-se a composição e a gravimetria dos resíduos no Brasil com base em dados secundários, de forma a estimar o poder calorífico inferior resultante de diferentes formas de pré-tratamento desses produtos: triagem de orgânicos, triagem de orgânicos e inertes, secagem para redução da umidade e combinação das três estratégias. Com base nos valores obtidos de poder calorífico, estima-se a capacidade de coprocessamento de resíduos pré-tratados pelas indústrias nacionais que possuem licenciamento ambiental para essa atividade. O tratamento prévio dos resíduos resultou em aumentos entre 20 e 56% em relação ao cenário-base. Observou-se que, para o cenário sem triagem, mas com secagem térmica do resíduo, até 8% dos resíduos com destinação inadequada no Brasil atualmente podem ser recebidos por indústrias de cimento para o coprocessamento, desde que haja viabilidade técnica para sua substituição e transporte.

ABSTRACT More than ten years after the implementation of the Solid Waste Nacional Policy by Brazilian Federal Law nº 12.305/2010, elaboration and execution of public policies with positive results in Municipal Solid Waste management is precarious. Coprocessing of Municipal Solid Waste in cement kilns can be a viable alternative for improving this scenario, but still encounters many technical and economical challenges. In this study, an estimate of the mean gravimetric composition of Municipal Solid Waste in Brazil is presented, based on secondary data, so as to estimate the resultant lower heating value resultant of different Municipal Solid Waste pre-treatment alternatives; separation of the organic fraction, separation of organic and inert fraction, drying of Municipal Solid Waste and all strategies combined. Based on the obtained lower heating value, an estimate of the yearly potential of Municipal Solid Waste coprocessing in industries already licensed for coprocessing of waste in Brazil is presented. Pre-treatment of Municipal Solid Waste resulted in lower heating value improvements ranging from 20 to 56% when compared to the base scenario. It is observed that, in the scenario where the Municipal Solid Waste is dried but not triaged, up to 8% of the Municipal Solid Waste that is currently disposed inappropriately in Brazil could be received by cement industries for coprocessing, as long as there is technical feasibility for the substitution and transportation.

PREVALENCE OF RESPIRATORY ILLNESS AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS AMONG FISHING TRAWLER WORKERS IN TAMIL NADU.

In India, an estimated half a billion people work in fishing-related jobs. Trawler fishermen are frequently exposed to long hours of fuel exhaust, but little is known about the adverse effects of this exposure. The aim of this study is to assess the prevalence of respiratory illness among Fishing Trawler workers and its association between the working environment quality. This crosssectional study was conducted from April 2021 to June 2021 among adults engaged in trawler fishing in Tamil Nadu using an interviewer administered semi structured questionnaire and the data was analysed using SPSS version 16. The prevalence of respiratory symptoms was 81% and respiratory illness was 36.5% with signi?cance between years of working(p=<0.05), days a month worked(p=<0.05), hours of exposure(p=<0.05), history of smoking(p=<0.05) and air quality(p=0.05). Trawler fishermen's respiratory health may be compromised by fuel exhaust and exposure duration. More attention and surveillance of trawler fishermen's occupational health is required

Bio-valorization of palm oil mill effluent waste for the potential production of renewable biomass fuel pellets

Aims@#The primary aim of this study was to utilize abundant palm oil mill effluent (POME) waste and turn it into a value-added product of biomass fuel with high calorific energy value (CEV) via fermentation and drying process, then simultaneously reduce abundant liquid waste.@*Methodology and results@#POME is available abundantly in Malaysia and only a small portion of it is utilized to produce other value-added products. In this study, fermentation of POME in the presence of bacteria (Lysinibacillus sp.) and fungus (Aspergillus flavus) separately at 37 °C, 180 rpm for 5 days, followed by overnight oven-drying at 85 °C was conducted. Four fermentation medium conditions were performed, viz.: (1) autoclaved POME, (2) autoclaved POME with the addition of Lysinibacillus sp., (3) autoclaved POME with the addition of A. flavus and (4) POME as it is (non-sterile).@*Conclusion, significance and impact of study@#Among all conditions, fermentation utilizing autoclaved POME in the presence of A. flavus evinced the highest CEV of 25.18 MJ/kg. The fermentation in the presence of Lysinibacillus sp. strain revealed high COD and BOD removal efficiency of 59.20% and 320.44 mg/L as well as the highest reduction of oils and grease among other groups with the value of 15.84%. Future research directions are proposed for the elucidation of co-fermentation in the presence of both Lysinibacillus sp. and A. flavus.

Influencing factors of pulmonary ventilation function and its relationship with indoor air pollution in rural areas of Gansu Province / 环境与职业医学

Background Indoor air pollution is an important risk factor affecting health of the respiratory system. Studies on indoor air pollution in China are mostly limited to the central and eastern regions, and there are few studies in the rural areas of northwest China. Objective To explore the influencing factors of lung ventilation function and its relationship with indoor air pollution in rural areas of Gansu Province based on a cross-sectional investigation. Methods A total of 399 subjects were selected from four villages in Baiyin and Yuzhong of Gansu Province. Questionnaires were used to collect demographic information, lifestyle, disease history, fuel use, and other information, and physical and functional tests were ordered such as height, weight, and lung function. The Indoor Air Pollution (IAP) exposure index was calculated based on smoking, fuel type, and weekly ventilation. IAP > 5 was defined as a high level of indoor air pollution. Lung function indexes included forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1), FEV1/FVC, forced vital capacity as a percentage of predicted value (FVC%), and forced expiratory volume in the first second as a percentage of predicted value (FEV1%), which were used to determine pulmonary ventilation dysfunction. Logistic regression model was used to evaluate the relationship between indoor air pollution and pulmonary ventilation function, and subgroup analysis was further conducted according to home address and BMI , in order to identify the high-risk population of pulmonary ventilation dysfunction. Results The mean age of the subjects was (56.75±7.31) years old; 155 subjects (38.85%) had normal pulmonary ventilation function, and the other 244 subjects (61.14%) had impaired pulmonary ventilation function; about 89.97% of the subjects were exposed to high level of indoor air pollution (IAP > 5). We found that IAP > 5 (OR=2.327, 95%CI: 1.089-4.974) and use of bituminous coal as the main heating fuel in winter (OR=3.467, 95%CI: 1.197-10.037) increased the risk of pulmonary ventilation dysfunction after adjusting for age, BMI, residence, gender, smoking, drinking, and cardiovascular disease. The subgroup analysis results showed that no ventilation in the living room/bedroom (OR=3.460, 95%CI: 1.116-10.268) increased the risk of pulmonary ventilation dysfunction in Baiyin. Heating with coal stoves and Chinese Kang in the bedroom (OR=2.092, 95%CI: 1.030-4.247) and cooking in the bedroom in winter ( OR =2.954, 95% CI : 1.046-8.344) also increased the risk of pulmonary ventilation dysfunction in the residents with BMI≤24 kg·m−2. IAP > 5 (OR=3.739, 95%CI: 1.147-12.182) was associated with a significantly increased risk of pulmonary ventilation dysfunction in the BMI > 24 kg·m−2 subgroup. Conclusion The pulmonary ventilation function of rural residents in Gansu is poor, which is negatively correlated with indoor air pollution. Coal use, overweight, cooking in bedroom, and use of coal stoves and Chinese Kang for heating may increase the risk of pulmonary ventilation dysfunction, while room ventilation is a beneficial factor.

Construction and performance analysis of a microbial electrochemical sensor for monitoring heavy metals in water environment / 生物工程学报

A microbial fuel cell (MFC)-based microbial electrochemical sensor was developed for real-time on-line monitoring of heavy metals in water environment. The microbial electrochemical sensor was constructed with staggered flow distribution method to optimize the parameters such as external resistance value and external circulation rate. The inhibition of concentration of simulated heavy metal wastewater on voltage under optimal parameters was analyzed. The results showed that the best performance of MFC electrochemical sensor was achieved when the external resistance value was 130 Ω and the external circulation rate was 1.0 mL/min. In this case, the microbial electrochemical sensors were responsive to 1-10 mg/L Cu2+, 0.25-1.25 mg/L Cd2+, 0.25-1.25 mg/L Cr6+ and 0.25-1.00 mg/L Hg2+ within 60 minutes. The maximum rejection rates of the output voltage were 92.95%, 73.11%, 82.76% and 75.80%, respectively, and the linear correlation coefficients were all greater than 0.95. In addition, the microbial electrochemical sensor showed a good biological reproducibility. The good performance for detecting heavy metals by the newly developed microbial electrochemical sensor may facilitate the real-time on-line monitoring of heavy metals in water environment.

Association between household solid fuel use and tuberculosis: cross-sectional data from the Mongolian National Tuberculosis Prevalence Survey

BACKGROUND@#Tuberculosis (TB) and indoor air pollution (IAP) are equally critical public health issues in the developing world. Mongolia is experiencing the double burden of TB and IAP due to solid fuel combustion. However, no study has assessed the relationship between household solid fuel use and TB in Mongolia. The present study aimed to assess the association between household solid fuel use and TB based on data from the Mongolian National Tuberculosis Prevalence Survey (MNTP Survey).@*METHOD@#The MNTP Survey was a nationally representative population-based cross-sectional survey targeting households in Mongolia from 2014 to 2015, with the aim of evaluating the prevalence of TB. The survey adopted a multistage cluster sampling design in accordance with the World Health Organization prevalence survey guidelines. Clusters with at least 500 residents were selected by random sampling. A sample size of 98 clusters with 54,100 participants was estimated to be required for the survey, and 41,450 participants were included in the final analysis of the present study. A structured questionnaire was used to collect information on environmental and individual factors related to TB. Physical examination, chest X-ray, and sputum examinations were also performed to diagnose TB.@*RESULTS@#The use of solid fuels for heating (adjusted odds ratio (aOR): 1.5; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.1-2.1), male gender (aOR: 2.2; 95% CI: 1.6-3.2), divorced or widowed (aOR: 2.6; 95% CI: 1.7-3.8), daily smoker (aOR: 1.8; 95% CI: 1.3-2.5), contact with an active TB case (aOR: 1.7; 95% CI: 1.2-2.3), being underweight (aOR: 3.7; 95% CI: 2.4-5.7), and previous history of TB (aOR: 4.3; 95% CI: 3.0-6.1) were significantly associated with bacteriologically confirmed TB after adjusting for confounding variables.@*CONCLUSION@#The use of solid fuels for heating was significantly associated with active TB in Mongolian adults. Increased public awareness is needed on the use of household solid fuels, a source of IAP.

Overexpression of NtAGPase small subunit gene increases leaf starch content and tobacco biomass / 生物工程学报

Production of biofuels such as ethanol from non-grain crops may contribute to alleviating the global energy crisis and reducing the potential threat to food security. Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) is a commercial crop with high biomass yield. Breeding of starch-rich tobacco plants may provide alternative raw materials for the production of fuel ethanol. We cloned the small subunit gene NtSSU of ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase (NtAGPase), which controls starch biosynthesis in tobacco, and constructed a plant expression vector pCAMBIA1303-NtSSU. The NtSSU gene was overexpressed in tobacco upon Agrobacterium-mediated leaf disc transformation. Phenotypic analysis showed that overexpression of NtSSU gene promoted the accumulation of starch in tobacco leaves, and the content of starch in tobacco leaves increased from 17.5% to 41.7%. The growth rate and biomass yield of the transgenic tobacco with NtSSU gene were also significantly increased. The results revealed that overexpression of NtSSU gene could effectively redirect more photosynthesis carbon flux into starch biosynthesis pathway, which led to an increased biomass yield but did not generate negative effects on other agronomic traits. Therefore, NtSSU gene can be used as an excellent target gene in plant breeding to enrich starch accumulation in vegetative organs to develop new germplasm dedicated to fuel ethanol production.

Construction of conjugated polymer-exoelectrogen hybrid bioelectrodes and applications in microbial fuel cells / 生物工程学报

Microbial fuel cell (MFC) is a bioelectrochemical device, that enables simultaneous wastewater treatment and energy generation. However, a few issues such as low output power, high ohmic internal resistance, and long start-up time greatly limit MFCs' applications. MFC anode is the carrier of microbial attachment, and plays a key role in the generation and transmission of electrons. High-quality bioelectrodes have developed into an effective way to improve MFC performance. Conjugated polymers have advantages of low cost, high conductivity, chemical stability and good biocompatibility. The use of conjugated polymers to modify bioelectrodes can achieve a large specific surface area and shorten the charge transfer path, thereby achieving efficient biological electrochemical performance. In addition, bacteria can be coated with nano-scale conjugated polymer and effectively transfer the electrons generated by cells to electrodes. This article reviews the recently reported applications of conjugated polymers in microbial fuel cells, focusing on the MFC anode materials modified by conjugated polymers. This review also systematically analyzes the advantages and limitations of conjugated polymers, and how these composite hybrid bioelectrodes solve practical issues such as low energy output, high inner resistance, and long starting time.

Prevalence of exposure to cooking-based polluting fuels and biofuels of residents aged 40 years and above in some regions of Hunan Province / 公共卫生与预防医学

Objective To investigate the prevalence of exposure to cooking-based polluting fuels and biofuels of residents aged over 40 years in some regions of Hunan Province, and to provide a basis for future prevention and control of the pollutant fuels. Methods The present survey was carried out on residents from five chronic obstructive pulmonary disease surveillance sites in Hunan Province in 2019. A multi-stage stratified cluster sampling strategy was conducted to determine resident participants for the present study. A face-to-face inquiry survey was used to collect the relevant data of the participants. After complex weighting of the samples, the prevalence of residents’ exposure to the pollutant fuel and biofuel was analyzed. Results A total of 2 981 residents aged 40 years and above were included in the analysis. With complex weighting, the exposure rate of polluting fuels and biofuels were 19.69%（95%CI：18.11%-21.27%）and 16.14%（95%CI：14.66%-17.62%）, respectively, among residents aged over 40 years in Hunan. The exposure rates of polluting fuels and biomass fuels were both higher in females than males, and higher in rural areas than urban areas (both P<0.05). The exposure rates of polluting fuels and biomass fuels both decreased with age and education level (both P<0.05). Conclusion The use of polluting fuels and biomass fuels for cooking among residents aged 40 years and above is still popular in some regions of Hunan Province. Appropriate measures should be taken toward rural women to reduce their exposure to polluting fuels and biofuels.

Housing conditions, knowledge and perceived health effects of indoor air pollution in tribal women of rural Maharashtra

Background: Dependence on using biomass fuels for cooking and heating leads to Indoor Air Pollution (IAP) which can lead to adverse health outcomes. Aim of this study was to observe the housing and kitchen conditions in households of tribal areas, assess the knowledge of women regarding the IAP and perceived health effects due to it.Methods: Cross-sectional community- based study conducted in 100 women above the age of 18 years in a tribal village. A semi-structured questionnaire was used and spot observations were made. Chi-Square was used to calculate the association between type of stove, housing conditions and health effects of IAP. Logistic regression was used to identify determinants of the health effects of IAP.Results: The mean age of women was 29 years; all houses had a separate kitchen; 34% used mud stove with wood. Easy availability and economic reasons were cited for using wood. 47% of women thought IAP present in their homes and the most common source was cooking. Symptoms like asthma, sweating, burns/rash, and headache had a significantly higher association in women using mud stove (P<0.05) than LPG stove. A strong association was found between cooking hours and health effects due to IAP (P< 0.004).Conclusions: IAP due to cooking and unfavorable housing conditions are associated with health problems in women. Knowledge regarding IAP is poor. Reasons for reliance on using mud stove needs to be addressed.

Combustibles, comportamiento del fuego y emisiones en un pastizal y una sabana artificiales en Chiapas, México

Introducción: Se utilizan quemas como parte del manejo de pastos introducidos en Chiapas, lo cual puede derivar en incendios forestales. Objetivos: obtener la carga de combustibles, comportamiento del fuego, emisiones de CO2 y derivar aspectos de seguridad durante el combate de incendios en pastizales y sabanas artificiales de pasto jaragua (Hyparrhenia rufa Nees.), debido a la falta de información sobre estos temas. Métodos: Se estudiaron un pastizal y una sabana, ambos de pasto jaragua, en las comunidades California y Flores Magón, respectivamente, en la Reserva de la Biosfera La Sepultura. Se midieron cargas de combustibles previos y posteriores a las quemas. Se condujeron seis quemas prescritas (tres a favor de viento y pendiente y tres en contra), en cada uno de los dos tipos de vegetación analizados, y se midieron variables meteorológicas, así como variables de comportamiento del fuego. Las emisiones se estimaron multiplicando la carga de combustibles consumida por una constante de emisión. Resultados: En el pastizal las medias fueron: carga inicial, 6.214 t/ha; carga residual, 0.107 t/ha, emisión de CO2, 10.449 t/ha. Para la sabana, los valores alcanzaron: 14.119, 2.161 y 20.460 t/ha, respectivamente, sin diferencias para las cargas previas y posteriores a la quema entre las quemas. Para el pastizal, las quemas a favor alcanzaron: 3.92 m, 1.83 m y 22.3 m/min para longitud y profundidad de llama y velocidad de propagación, mientras que tales valores para las quemas en contra, fueron: 1.07 m, 0.23 m y 0.67 m/min, con diferencias entre tipos de quema. Para la sabana, las quemas a favor alcanzaron 5.89 m (longitud de llama), 1.53 m (profundidad de llama) y 45.5 m/min (velocidad de propagación), mientras que para las quemas en contra tales valores fueron: 2.21 m, 0.76 m y 2.8 m/min, respectivamente. En todos los casos se reportan diferencias significativas. Conclusiones: El comportamiento del fuego, en particular en la sabana estudiada, es peligroso, por lo cual una buena prescripción y mucha precaución deben preverse durante quemas controladas o prescritas. Asimismo, un combate directo por el frente del fuego puede resultar muy peligroso, por lo cual debe evitarse y mejor combatir por la cola del incendio y esperar a que el frente avance en contra del viento y pendiente para combatirlo.

Introduction: Burns are part of the management of introduced grasses in Chiapas, Mexico, and this may derive in forest fires. Objectives: To determine fuel load, fire behavior, CO2 emissions, and to get fire-fighting security issues for jaragua (Hyparrhenia rufa Nees.) grasslands and savannas. Methods: An artificial jaragua grassland and an artificial jaragua savanna were studied at the California and Flores Magón communities, respectively, in La Sepultura Biosphere Reserve. Were measured pre and post-fire fuel loads. Six prescribed burns (three heading and three backing fires) were conducted in each, grassland and savanna, and were measured meteorological as well as fire behavior variables. Emissions were estimated multiplying the consumed fuel load by an emission constant. Results: In the grassland, were obtained the following averages: fuel load, 6.214 t/ha; residual load, 0.107 t/ha, and CO2 emission, 10.449 t CO2/ha. For the savanna, were recorded 14.119, 2.161 and 20.460 t CO2/ha, respectively, without differences for the pre and post-fire fuel loads between heading and backing fires. For the grassland, the heading fires reached 3.92 m, 1.83 m and 22.3 m/min for flame length, flame depth and fire propagation rate, while for backing fires such values were, respectively: 1.07, 0.23 and 0.67 m/min, with significant differences. For the savanna, heading fires yielded 5.89 m (flame length), 1.53 m (flame depth) and 45.5 m/min (propagation rate), while for backing fires that values were 2.21, 0.76 and 2.8 m/min, also with significant differences. Conclusions: Under the studied environmental conditions, particularly in the savanna, fire behavior is dangerous so a good prescription and more care must be taken for conducting controlled or prescribed burns. For forest fires, direct firefighting by the head of the fire must be avoided, for is too dangerous; instead it is recommended a firefighting by the back of the fire as well as waiting for a backing fire-advance of it after the fire reaches a ridge.

Emission Characteristics of Methyl Ester of Rice Bran Oil Blends with Ethanol in CI Engine

Increasing demand and rapid depletion of fossil fuels have together prompted the researchers of many countries to look for alternate renewable fuels. This study is an attempt to test the feasibility of rice bran oil as fuel in C. I. engine in its original and in its refined form. It is generally produced from rice bran which is a by-product produced during paddy processing. Its viscosity though relatively higher than diesel can be reduced by natural sedimentation process. In this attempt, the performance and emission characteristics of rice bran oil and its refined form were studied and compared with diesel by employing them as a fuel in a single cylinder, direct injection, 4.4 KW, air cooled diesel engine. The performance characteristics revealed that the brake thermal efficiency of the rice bran oil was higher than its refined form and were marginally lower than that of diesel. Emission measurements were carried out using MRU Delta 1600L gas analyzer and the soot concentration was measured with AVL smoke meter. It was found that though blends of rice bran oil with ethanolexhibited greater soot concentration characteristics than rice bran oil and diesel at all loads, it exhibited desirable characteristics for other emissions such as lower CO, HC, NOx emissions and lower exhaust gas temperatures with increasing load.

Evaluation of bioelectricity productivity using alkaliphilic Bacillus alkalogaya BW2(1) as a possible exoelectrogens for improvement of microbial fuel cell performance

The present study put forth with the fundamental objective to the exploration of exoelectrogens from theextremophilic environment and to investigate the electricity generation from them. A total of 20 bacterialcultures were isolated, from which BW2(1) was selected for the further investigation of the microbial fuelcell (MFC). The experimental results performed that the strain Bacillus alkalogaya BW2(1) was capable ofutilizing organic acids and sugars as electron donors to generate electricity. The MFC was constructed and theelectricity generation was measured after various intervals using various parameters and substrates, 937 mVelectricity was generated after 1 hour, but after 48 hours the electricity generation dramatically decreases to570 mV. The effect of pH on MFC was also studied, pH enhanced electricity, indicating the requirement ofpH for bacterium BW2(1). This is a valuable information for bioelectricity production and optimization fromB. alkalogaya BW2(1) has bright future toward the improvement and production of bioelectricity for entirelynew areas of industrial and biotechnological applications.

Evaluation of Lead and Copper content in hair of workers from oil product distribution companies in Iraq

Serious health consequences can occur not only from acute exposure to environmental toxicants, but also from chronic exposures to minute quantities. Petroleum substances are widely distributed and used in huge amount, mainly as fuels. A total number of 45 males aged between 20 and 45 years participated in this study. The participants were divided in to two groups: The first group of 25 subjects worked at least 8hours/day in different oil product distribution companies in both Basrah and Thiqar Governorates-Iraq. The second group (control group) of 20 healthy individuals with age and weight matched with the test group and lived far away from hazardous exposure. Heavy metals levels in hair were measured by Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer. Statistical analysis was performed using GraphPad Prism (version 6.0). Higher levels of lead and cupper were observed in the hair of subjects working in different oil product distribution companies compared to control group. Heavy metals evaluation in hair samples could be used as a good bioindicator of heavy metal exposure in occupational and environmental surveys for various populations for screening for heavy metals toxicity. In the present study high levels of heavy metals were observed in workers at different oil product distribution companies in Iraq.

Light and carbon dioxide-driven synthesis of high-density fuel in Synechococcus elongates UTEX 2973 / 生物工程学报

Development of "liquid sunshine" could be a key technology to deal with the issue of fossil fuel depletion. β-caryophyllene is a terpene compound with high energy density and has attracted attention for its potential application as a jet fuel. The high temperature and high light-tolerant photosynthetic cyanobacterium Synechococcus elongatus UTEX 2973 (hereafter Synechococcus 2973), whose doubling time is as short as 1.5 h, has great potential for synthesizing β-caryophyllene using sunlight and CO₂. In this study, a production of ~121.22 μg/L β-caryophyllene was achieved at 96 h via a combined strategy of pathway construction, key enzyme optimization and precursor supply enhancement. In addition, a final production of ~212.37 μg/L at 96 h was realized in a high-density cultivation. To our knowledge, this is the highest production reported for β-caryophyllene using cyanobacterial chassis and our study provide important basis for high-density fuel synthesis in cyanobacteria.

Facilitators and barriers to improved cookstove adoption: a community-based cross-sectional study in Northwest Ethiopia

BACKGROUND@#Among the environmental risk factors, household air pollution exposure from traditional cooking practices is one of the biggest killers globally, which mainly impacts developing countries where many families rely on traditional cooking practices. Although improved cookstove adoption is central to tackle this public health issue, the efforts to disseminate cookstove technologies have faced challenges, and the adoption rates are reported to be very low in many developing countries including Ethiopia. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the magnitude and identify potential factors that may act as facilitators or barriers to adoption from users' point of view.@*METHODS@#As part of the wider stove trial project, a cross-sectional study was conducted among a total of 5830 households under randomly selected clusters. The required data were collected through face-to-face interviews, and a backward stepwise logistic regression analysis technique was applied to evaluate the effect of potential predictor variables on adoption using adjusted odds ratio (AOR) as measures of effect.@*RESULTS@#The prevalence of adoption was found to be 12.3% (95% CI 11.5-13.2), and households headed by females (AOR 1.96; 95% CI 1.24-3.10), private house ownership (AOR 4.58; 95% CI 3.89-6.19), separate cooking location (AOR 1.84; 95% CI 1.49-2.78), fuel purchasing (AOR 2.13; 95% CI 1.64-2.76), health benefit (AOR 1.76; 95% CI 1.15-2.70), optimistic social interaction (AOR 1.81; 95% CI 1.46-2.26), traditional suitability (AOR 1.58; 95% CI 1.28-1.95), stove use demonstration experience (AOR 2.47; 95% CI 1.98-3.07), cheap price (AOR 2.48; 95% CI 1.91-3.21), availability (AOR 1.81; 95% CI 1.5-1, 2.17), fuel-saving benefit (AOR 1.63; 95% CI 1.18-2.24), and more durable stove (AOR 1.71; 95% CI 1.30-2.26) of cookstove played a significant role as facilitators to adoption. In addition, lower educational level of head (AOR 0.31; 95% CI 0.23-0.42) and fuel processing requirement (AOR 0.55; 95% CI 0.44-0.70) of cookstove were found to be barriers for adoption.@*CONCLUSIONS@#Extremely lower improved cookstove adoption was observed due to household- and setting-related, cookstove technology-related, user knowledge- and perception-related, and financial- and market development-related factors. Therefore, to gain successful adoption, implementers and policymakers should consider those important factors in the implementation of clean cooking solutions to the community.