Utilization of automotive shredder residues in a thermal process for recovery of manganese and zinc from zinc-carbon and alkaline spent batteries.

The aim of the study is the recovery by thermal treatment of manganese and zinc from a mixture of zinc-carbon and alkaline spent batteries, on the basis of the different phase change temperatures of the two metal-bearing phases. ASR (Automotive Shredder Residue), containing 68% of carbon, was added to the mixture to act as a reductant to metallic Zn of the zinc-bearing phases. The mixture was subsequently heated in different atmospheres (air, CO2 and N2) and at different temperatures (900°C, 1000°C and 1200°C) and stoichiometric excess of ASR (300%, 600% and 900%). Characterization of the mixture and of the residues of thermal treatment was carried out by chemical analysis, TGA/DTA, SEM and XRD. The results show that recovery of 99% of zinc (grade 97%) is achieved at 1000°C in N2 with a stoichiometric excess of car-fluff of 900%. This product could be suitable for production of new batteries after refining by hydrometallurgical way. Recovery of Mn around 98% in the residue of the treatment is achieved at any temperature and atmosphere tested with a grade of 57% at 900% excess of car-fluff. This residue is enriched in manganese oxide and could be used in the production of iron-manganese alloys.

Thermal treatment for recovery of manganese and zinc from zinc-carbon and alkaline spent batteries.

The aim of this paper is the recovery of manganese and zinc from a mixture of zinc-carbon and alkaline spent batteries, containing 40.9% of Mn and 30.1% of Zn, after preliminary physical treatment followed by removal of mercury. Separation of the metals has been carried out on the basis of their different boiling points, being 357°C and 906°C the boiling point of mercury and zinc and 1564°C the melting point of Mn(2)O(3). Characterization by chemical analysis, TGA/DTA and X-ray powder diffraction of the mixture has been carried out after comminution sieving and shaking table treatment to remove the anodic collectors and most of chlorides contained in the mixture. The mixture has been roasted at various temperatures and resident times in a flow of air to set the best conditions to remove mercury that were 400°C and 10 min. After that, the flow of air has been turned into a nitrogen one (inert atmosphere) and the temperatures raised, thus permitting the zinc oxide to be reduced to metallic zinc by the carbon present in the original mixture and recovered after volatilization as a high grade concentrate, while manganese was left in the residue. The recovery and the grade of the two metals, at 1000°C and 30 min residence time, were 84% and 100% for zinc and 85% and 63% for manganese, respectively. The recovery of zinc increased to 99% with a grade of 97% at 1200°C and 30 min residence time, while the recovery and grade of manganese were 86% and 87%, respectively, at that temperature. Moreover, the chlorinated compounds that could form by the combustion of the plastics contained in the spent batteries, are destroyed at the temperature required by the process.

Cellular subsets and epithelial ICAM-1 and HLA-DR expression in human papillomavirus infection of the vulva.

Cryostat sections of 20 clinical condylomata of the vulva induced by human papillomavirus and 5 normal control biopsies were examined using immunohistochemistry. The results indicated that in vulvar papillomavirus infection the intraepithelial Langerhans' cells showed abnormal morphology and a significantly lower density than controls. CD1a positive Langerhans' cells were also observed in dermis of condylomata, suggesting an abnormal epithelial traffic of dendritic cells. T lymphocytes with a mean CD4/CD8 ratio of 0.25 and a mean density of 267 +/- 59 cells/mm2 of epithelial section were the main cellular infiltrate in vulvar papillomavirus infection. Most of the T cells were HLA-DR negative. Those condylomata with moderate to severe mononuclear infiltrate showed leucocyte function antigen 1 positive T cells forming small clusters in the lower epithelial half around the ICAM-1 positive keratinocytes. Vulvar warts also showed epithelial areas with overlapped ICAM-1 and HLA-DR expression. Scattered T gamma-delta and B lymphocytes, macrophages and NK cells were observed among the cells of the dermal infiltrate of vulvar condylomata.

Bencidamina tópica en el tratamiento de las vulvovaginitis / Benzamine for treatment of vulvovaginitis

A fin de evaluar la eficacia de la Bencidamina en forma de lavado vaginal, fue llevado a cabo un estudio doble ciego controlado contra placebo en 55 pacientes portadoras de vaginitis bacteriana y vulvovaginitis candidiásica. Al tratamiento específico se adicionó en forma randomizada lavado vaginal con Bencidamina (n=30) o Placebo (n=25) durante 10 días. Los resultados obtenidos mostraron una mejoría significativa del grupo Bencidamina con respecto al Placebo en la totalidad de los síntomas y signos evaluados (p < 0,05). En el análisis de evaluación global del tratamiento, en forma independiente del germen causal y la patología, se aprevió en el grupo tratado con Bencidamina un número significativamente mayor de pacientes curadas (p < 0,01) y de igual modo una incidencia menor de recidivas. En conclusión, consideramos a la aplicación de Bencidamina como lavado vaginal de utilidad en el tratamiento coadyuvante de este tipo de patología

Bencidamina tópica en el tratamiento de las vulvovaginitis / Benzamine for treatment of vulvovaginitis

A fin de evaluar la eficacia de la Bencidamina en forma de lavado vaginal, fue llevado a cabo un estudio doble ciego controlado contra placebo en 55 pacientes portadoras de vaginitis bacteriana y vulvovaginitis candidiásica. Al tratamiento específico se adicionó en forma randomizada lavado vaginal con Bencidamina (n=30) o Placebo (n=25) durante 10 días. Los resultados obtenidos mostraron una mejoría significativa del grupo Bencidamina con respecto al Placebo en la totalidad de los síntomas y signos evaluados (p < 0,05). En el análisis de evaluación global del tratamiento, en forma independiente del germen causal y la patología, se aprevió en el grupo tratado con Bencidamina un número significativamente mayor de pacientes curadas (p < 0,01) y de igual modo una incidencia menor de recidivas. En conclusión, consideramos a la aplicación de Bencidamina como lavado vaginal de utilidad en el tratamiento coadyuvante de este tipo de patología (AU)