Radiochemical indoor environment and possible health risks in current building technology

Tremendous work of civil and environmental engineering has been focused on development of sustainable buildings. From economical and ecological viewpoint, this approach is a significant step forward, but the microenvironment created in such living surroundings may present a complex radiochemical setting, which could be a threat to the health of its occupants. This paper gives overview about levels of indoor radon, insight in risks related with radioactivity of fly ash and zircon, current application of nanoparticles and concrete additives in buildings and their possible impact on human health. As construction engineering is current producer of almost 50% of waste encouragement of incorporation of toxic and radioactive agents in buildings could in future demand redefinition of building construction waste as hazardous and special waste disposals. Collaboration between governmental and non-governmental bodies, manufacturers, scientific institutions, and chartered engineers is needed in order to find balance between quality of indoor air, and to enable maintaining of high health standards by application of non-toxic or non-carcinogenic building materials that meet energy efficiency, building structure stability and security requirements.     

Why do overqualified incumbents deviate? Examining multiple mediators.

In the modern marketplace, especially when unemployment is high, more and more Americans find themselves overqualified (i.e., possessing more competencies than the job requires). Using and extending person-environment fit theory and the stressor-emotion model of counterproductive work behaviors (CWBs), we examine whether overqualified employees are more likely to display CWBs than employees who feel their positions match their qualification levels. Further, we examine why overqualified employees may behave in counterproductive ways and compare the empirical viability of several theoretically derived competing mediators. Based on data from a sample of full-time employees (n = 215), we found that consistent with the theoretical frameworks, overqualified incumbents display nondesirable counterproductive work behaviors because they become cynical about the meaningfulness of their activities. We further show that although poor person-job fit or inadequate psychological contracts can motivate such misbehavior, cynicism dominates as a reason for why overqualified employees engage in counterproductive work behaviors. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Preparation and characterization of zinc-exchanged montmorillonite and its effectiveness as aflatoxin B1 adsorbent

A zinc-exchanged montmorillonite (Zn-MONT) was prepared from a natural montmorillonite (MONT) and the adsorption of aflatoxin B₁ (AFB₁) was investigated at pH 3 and 7. Characterization of Zn-MONT was done by determination of chemical composition, the point of the zero charge (pH_pzc), thermal (DTA/TGA/DTG) and X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) analysis.     

Sintering of Multilayered Porous Structures: Part I‐Constitutive Models

Theoretical analyses of shrinkage and distortion kinetics during sintering of bilayered porous structures are carried out. The developed modeling framework is based on the continuum theory of sintering; it enables the direct assessment of the cofiring process outcomes and of the impact of process controlling parameters. The derived “master sintering curve”‐type solutions are capable of describing and optimizing the generic sintering shrinkage and distortion kinetics for various material systems. The approach utilizes the material‐specific parameters, which define the relative kinetics of layer shrinkages such as the relative intensity of sintering, and employs the conversion between real and specific times of sintering. A novel methodology is also developed for the determination of the ratio of the shear viscosities of the layer's fully dense materials. This new technique enables the determination of all input parameters necessary for modeling sintering of bilayers using experimental techniques similar to optical dilatometry applied to each individual layer and to a symmetric trilayered porous structure based on the two‐layer materials utilized in the bilayered system. Examples of sintering different porous bilayered systems are presented to justify the capability of the model in predicting and optimizing sintering kinetics.     

Systematische Entwicklung von Metriken zur Beurteilung der Datensicherheit

Zur Bestimmung des Zustands der Informationssicherheit werden in der Praxis h?ufig wenig systematisch gew?hlte Key Performance-Indikatoren (KPI) herangezogen. Die Autoren stellen vor, wie sie durch geeignete, aus den Zielsetzungen des Unternehmens (Top-down) und den M?glichkeiten der Systeme (Bottom-up) abgeleitete Metriken ersetzt werden k?nnen.     

EXTRACTION OF COPPER FROM ACID CHLORIDE SOLUTIONS BY N-ALKYL-AND N,N-DIALKYL-3-PYRIDINECARBOXAMIDES

ABSTRACT

Model individual N-alkyl-3-pyridinecarboxamidee and N,N-di-alkyl-3-pyridinecarboxamides were synthesized and used for copper(II) extraction from chloride solutions. The stoichiometry of its reaction with copper(II) in chloride media was determined. N-alkyl-3-pyridinecarboxamides are stronger extractanta than N,N-dialkyl-3-pyridinecarboxamides but N-alkyl-3-pyridinecarboxamides and their complexes are slightly dissolved in the hydrocarbon diluents.     

The effects of Aphis fabae infestation on the antioxidant response and heavy metal content in field grown Philadelphus coronarius plants

The purpose of this study was to explore a possible relationship between the soil availability of metals and their concentrations in various parts of Philadelphuscoronarius plants. Moreover, the possible impact of an aphid infestation on the contamination and antioxidant response of plants from the urban environment of Kraków and the reference rural area of Zagaje Stradowskie (southern Poland) was analyzed. The contents of the glutathione, proline, non-protein − SH groups, antioxidants, and phosphorous and the levels of guaiacol peroxidase and catalase activity in leaves and shoots either infested or not by the aphid Aphis fabae Scop., were measured. The potential bioavailability of metals (Cd; Cu; Ni; Pb; Zn) in the soil and their concentrations in P. coronarius plants originating from both sites were compared.The antioxidant responses were generally elevated in the plants in the polluted area. Such reactions were additionally changed by aphid infestation. Generally, the concentrations of metals in the HNO₃ and CaCl₂ extractants of the soils from two layers at the 0-20 and 20-40 cm depths from the polluted area were higher than in those from the reference area. Such differences were found for nickel and lead (in all examined extractants), zinc (in soil extractants from the layer at 20-40 cm) and cadmium (in HNO₃ extractants). Significant positive relationships between the lead concentrations in the soil and in the plants were found. In the parts of plants from the polluted area, higher concentrations of Pb and Zn (leaves and shoots) and Cd (shoots) were recorded. The shoots and leaves of plants infested with aphids had higher concentrations of Zn but lower Pb. Moreover, their leaves had higher contaminations of Cu and Ni. In conclusion, aphids affected not only the antioxidant response of the plants but also their contamination with metals, especially contamination of the leaves.     

EXTRACTION OF COPPER(II) FROM ACID CHLORIDE SOLUTIONS BY N-DODECYL- AND N.N-DIHEXYLPYRIDINECARBOXAMIDES

ABSTRACT

N-dodecyl- and N,N-dihexylpyridinecarboxamides with amide group at 2, 3 or 4 position were synthesized. Model individual amides were used to recover copper(II) from chloride solutions at constant water activity and constant total concentration of dissolved species in aqueous solution. It was found, that pyridine-2-carboxamide forms with copper complexes (CuCl₂)_x (Ext)₂. Remaining amides form with copper complexes CuCl₂(Ext)₂. Monoalkylamides are not suitable for extraction because they and their complexes are slightly soluble in the hydrocarbon diluents. N,N-dialkylpyridinecarboxamides and their copper complexes are sufficiently soluble in the hydrocarbon phase to carry out extraction. However, they are strong extractants and extract efficiently copper already from dilute chloride solutions ([Cl] = 0.1 M). They extract also significant amounts of copper from concentrated (3-4M) nitrate solutions.     

Liquid exfoliation — new low-temperature method of nanotechnology

Two-dimensional nano-crystals, nanosheets, are a new special type of nanomaterials recently discovered. They have attracted interest due to their unique potential applications especially in electronics. In this mini review, we present the current status of liquid exfoliation of layered crystals — an original new method of production of nanosheets. This “top down” synthesis is a low-temperature physico-chemical process already used to graphene production.