Hydrophobic materials extracted from citrus wastes, both peel of mandarin fruits and leaf of mandarin trees were used to treat food-grade Kraft paper. The chemical compounds of the extracts were identified by gas chromatography–mass spectroscopy and infrared spectroscopy, and their antioxidant activities were determined using a free radical scavenger agent (2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl-hydrate, DPPH). Water vapor permeability, air transmission rate, peroxide value, and microstructure of treated and original papers were also determined. The experimental results showed that: (i) most components of the peel or peel/leaf extracts were terpenes; (ii) free volume existed among cellulose macromolecule chains of the original paper, occupied by a part of extract materials, and another part of the extracts was formed a thin layer on the paper surfaces; and (iii) air and water barrier properties and antioxidant activity of the treated papers were improved, indicating that the extracts were efficient materials for food packaging applications.

Predicting food web responses to climate change can be difficult because of the potentially complex interplay between co-occurring climate variables and multiple interacting species across trophic levels. The large majority of research in this field has focused on understanding the effects of single climate variables on species at one or two trophic levels, implicitly assuming that simultaneous shifts across multiple climate variables will have additive effects on food web dynamics. We constructed a tri-trophic food web model and varied temperature, CO2, and water availability both alone and in concert to test this assumption. We found that population biomass does indeed respond additively across trophic levels when temperature, CO2, and water availability all increase simultaneously to moderate levels; however, if water availability decreases, like in a drought scenario, all three trophic levels respond antagonistically. We also found that interaction effect magnitude is highly dependent on temperature and water availability. Decreases in water availability led to 54–74% declines in population biomass across trophic levels when temperatures were within normal organismal operating ranges, but dry conditions coupled with high temperatures led to the extinction of the highest trophic level. Our results suggest that studying simplified versions of climate change and food webs will not be sufficient to predict the responses of real ecological systems. Therefore climate change ecology experiments and models must incorporate more complexity into their structure.

Land Use Land Cover Change (LULCC) has a significant impact on water resources and ecosystems in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). On the basis of three research projects we aim to describe and discuss the potential, uncertainties, synergies and science-policy interfaces of satellite-based integrated research for the Kilombero catchment, comprising one of the major agricultural utilized floodplains in Tanzania. LULCC was quantified at the floodplain and catchment scale analyzing Landsat 5 and Sentinel 2 satellite imagery applying different adapted classification methodologies. LULC maps at the catchment scale serve as spatial input for the distributed, process-based ecohydrological model SWAT (Soil Water Assessment Tool) simulating the changes in the spatial and temporal water balance in runoff components caused by LULCC. The results reveal that over the past 26 years LULCC has significantly altered the floodplain and already shows an impact on the ecosystem by degrading the existing wildlife corridors. On the catchment scale the anomalies of the water balance are still marginal, but with the expected structural changes of the catchment there is an urgent need to increase the public awareness and knowledge of decision makers regarding the effect of the relationship between LULCC, water resources and environmental degradation.

Land Use Land Cover Change (LULCC) has a significant impact on water resources and ecosystems in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). On the basis of three research projects we aim to describe and discuss athe potential, uncertainties, synergies and science-policy interfaces of satellite-based integrated research for the Kilombero catchment, comprising one of the major agricultural utilized floodplains in Tanzania. LULCC was quantified at the floodplain and catchment scale analyzing Landsat 5 and Sentinel 2 satellite imagery applying different adapted classification methodologies. LULC maps at the catchment scale serve as spatial input for the distributed, process-based ecohydrological model SWAT (Soil Water Assessment Tool) simulating the changes in the spatial and temporal water balance in runoff components caused by LULCC. The results reveal that over the past 26 years LULCC has significantly altered the floodplain and already shows an impact on the ecosystem by degrading the existing wildlife corridors. On the catchment scale the anomalies of the water balance are still marginal, but with the expected structural changes of the catchment there is an urgent need to increase the public awareness and knowledge of decision makers regarding the effect of the relationship between LULCC, water resources and environmental degradation.

Land Use Land Cover Change (LULCC) has a significant impact on water resources and ecosystems in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). On the basis of three research projects we aim to describe and discuss the potential, uncertainties, synergies and science-policy interfaces of satellite-based integrated research for the Kilombero catchment, comprising one of the major agricultural utilized floodplains in Tanzania. LULCC was quantified at the floodplain and catchment scale analyzing Landsat 5 and Sentinel 2 satellite imagery applying different adapted classification methodologies. LULC maps at the catchment scale serve as spatial input for the distributed, process-based ecohydrological model SWAT (Soil Water Assessment Tool) simulating the changes in the spatial and temporal water balance in runoff components caused by LULCC. The results reveal that over the past 26 years LULCC has significantly altered the floodplain and already shows an impact on the ecosystem by degrading the existing wildlife corridors. On the catchment scale the anomalies of the water balance are still marginal, but with the expected structural changes of the catchment there is an urgent need to increase the public awareness and knowledge of decision makers regarding the effect of the relationship between LULCC, water resources and environmental degradation.

En el presente Trabajo de Fin de Grado se determina la influencia de la condición de vida del combustible en la evolución de una central nuclear de tipo PWR1 tras producirse malfunciones relacionadas con el sistema de condensado y agua de alimentación principal. Para ello se emplea el Simulador Gráfico Interactivo de Zorita (SGIZ), que fue desarrollado por Tecnatom S.A. y donado por Unión Fenosa al Departamento de Ingeniería Nuclear de la Universidad Politécnica de Madrid en el 2006. Esta herramienta es particularmente útil tanto a nivel didáctico como de investigación, ya que la facilidad de repetición y graficación permite al usuario el análisis detallado de transitorios, focalizando su actuación en los parámetros que reflejan más claramente la evolución de los fenómenos físicos. En el marco de gestión y prevención de accidentes, el análisis de accidentes simulados juega un papel fundamental ya que prevén, corrigen y aumentan la seguridad, mejorando, además, la formación del personal. El accidente que marcó un antes y un después en la seguridad nuclear y que es, sin ninguna duda, el precursor de la forma en la que actualmente se forma a los operadores de las centrales nucleares es el producido en el año 1979 conocido como accidente de TMI, clasificado de nivel 5 dentro de la escala INES. En el SGIZ se instalaron en noviembre de 2015 nuevas condiciones iniciales que permiten establecer el tiempo de vida del combustible. Estas condiciones de vida del combustible son tres: • BOL o principio de vida del combustible, que corresponde al combustible fresco. • MOL o mitad de vida del combustible. • EOL o final de vida del combustible, que corresponde al combustible gastado y listo para ser extraído en el proceso de recarga. Por tanto, este Trabajo de Fin de Grado viene motivado por el accidente de TMI, ya que se estudian malfunciones relacionadas con las que tuvieron lugar en él y el empleo de las nuevas posibilidades del SGIZ. Cada una de las seis simulaciones que conforman parte importante de este Trabajo se ha realizado entre siete y doce veces ya que es necesario que el usuario siga la siguiente metodología en las mismas: • Familiarización, en cada una de las malfunciones, con el seguimiento de los Procedimientos de Operación de Emergencia que están desarrollados para proporcionar instrucciones de recuperación de la central en caso de accidente. • Detección y recopilación de alarmas. • Recopilación de datos. • Tratamiento y análisis de datos. Con las dos malfunciones estudiadas se hace un barrido de las posibles situaciones que pueden tener lugar en el circuito de condensado y agua de alimentación principal ya que se han elegido dos casos extremos. Aunque, según la escala INES, ambas quedan clasificadas como sucesos de tipo 1. Por una parte, el disparo de una bomba de condensado como uno de los accidentes más simples y, por otro lado, una rotura no aislable de agua de alimentación como uno de los accidentes más graves que pueden tener lugar en este sistema. Esta diferencia también se ve reflejada en la cantidad de acciones ejecutadas por el operador, así como también, en el estrés al que este se ve sometido. La recopilación de alarmas para cada transitorio permitiría a un futuro operador identificar rápidamente la malfunción ante la que se encuentra. Este estudio conduce a una clara conclusión: los accidentes no resultan ser lo suficientemente severos2 como para que el calor residual llegue a influir sobre la gestión y evolución de la central. Es decir, el momento de vida del combustible es indiferente ante algún tipo de malfunción como las estudiadas. Es importante tener presente la responsabilidad social y profesional de la práctica de la ingeniería ya que se debe tener en cuenta que las acciones o decisiones tomadas influyen notablemente en el desarrollo sostenible de la sociedad. De este modo, en este TFG se estudian las contribuciones positivas a nivel social, económico y medioambiental de la energía nuclear en concreto y de la ciencia y tecnología nuclear en general. Para ello, se seleccionan los ODS que ayuda a cumplir, el resultado final de este estudio es que contribuye de forma positiva a seis de los diecisiete ODS. Otra de las consideraciones que se deben tener en cuenta es la contribución positiva de la energía nuclear en acuerdos contra el cambio climático de carácter vinculante como el COP21. En cuanto a la planificación temporal, se elabora una EDP con cinco paquetes de trabajo de primer nivel y un diagrama de Gantt en el que se muestra que el Trabajo comienza el día 23/01/17 y finaliza el día 11/07/17, es decir, tiene una duración de 122 días o, aproximadamente, de 6 meses, lo que hace un total de 366 h. El presupuesto final de este Trabajo de Fin de Grado es de CINCO MIL NOVECIENTOS SETENTA Y CUATRO EUROS CON TREINTA Y OCHO CÉNTIMOS DE EURO.

These studies examined the effects of incorporating bubbles of air in the water used for cleaning surfaces. Small (<50 μm) or large (millimetre) bubbles were used, and these could aid cleaning by a scrubbing action, energy release or free radical production. Small or large bubbles improved the removal of biofilm from steel surfaces by 1.0 log₁₀ or 1.6 log₁₀, respectively. Biofilm removal from a polypropylene pipe wall was improved by 0.9 log₁₀ by incorporating bubbles into the cleaning water. Further trials showed increased removal of carbohydrate, fat and protein deposits from stainless steel by incorporating bubbles into the water. These results suggest that the use of air bubbles in water could provide small improvements in cleaning or potentially similar contamination removal using less water.

The Coastal California basin aquifer system (CCB), USA.Understanding the controls on nonpoint source (NPS) nitrate (NO3−) contamination in groundwater is motivated by the widespread detection of NO3−, implications for human health and aquatic ecosystems, groundwater sustainability, and a growing realization that such understanding across spatial scales promotes management and policy choices that optimize the Water–Energy–Food (WEF) Nexus. In the CCB, the conflicts in the WEF Nexus are apparent because of intensive agricultural practices that have contributed to chronic NO3− loading to groundwater. We evaluate the scale-dependent relations among source, transport, and attenuation (STA) factors that control NPS NO3− contamination in recently recharged CCB groundwater. Logistic regression models are presented for sub-regional and regional model domains.Dissolved oxygen (DO) (attenuation) in groundwater is often the most significant STA factor in all model domains, indicating that DO is an important, scale-invariant factor controlling NPS NO3− contamination. Farm fertilizer (source) is also a significant scale-invariant factor, while many of the transport factors are scale-dependent factors. We present vulnerability maps that illustrate the spatial patterns of predicted probability of detected elevated NO3−. Findings here improve knowledge about the scale dependence of STA factors, which help decision makers develop best management strategies and policies that advances groundwater sustainability and optimizes the WEF Nexus.

Nutrients and water found in domestic treated wastewater are valuable and can be reutilized in urban agriculture as a potential strategy to provide communities with access to fresh produce. In this paper, this proposition is examined by conducting a field study in the rapidly developing city of Hyderabad, India. Urban agriculture trade-offs in water use, energy use and GHG emissions, nutrient uptake, and crop pathogen quality are evaluated, and irrigation waters of varying qualities (treated wastewater, versus untreated water and groundwater) are compared. The results are counter-intuitive, and illustrate potential synergies and key constraints relating to the food–energy–water–health (FEW–health) nexus in developing cities. First, when the impact of GHG emissions from untreated wastewater diluted in surface streams is compared with the life cycle assessment of wastewater treatment with reuse in agriculture, the treatment-plus-reuse case yields a 33% reduction in life cycle system-wide GHG emissions. Second, despite water cycling benefits in urban agriculture, only <1% of the nutrients are able to be captured in urban agriculture, limited by the small proportion of effluent divertible to urban agriculture due to land constraints. Thus, water treatment plus reuse in urban farms can enhance GHG mitigation and also directly save groundwater; however, very large amounts of land are needed to extract nutrients from dilute effluents. Third, although energy use for wastewater treatment results in pathogen indicator organism concentrations in irrigation water to be reduced by 99.9% (three orders of magnitude) compared to the untreated case, crop pathogen content was reduced by much less, largely due to environmental contamination and farmer behavior and harvesting practices. The study uncovers key physical, environmental, and behavioral factors that constrain benefits achievable at the FEW-health nexus in urban areas.

Understanding the socio-economic value of freshwater in Christchurch has emerged as long-term development plans for the city ensues with attempts being made to better understand this natural resource and the value it adds to business operations. However, understanding the socio-economic value of this resource can be quite complex due to the issues surrounding freshwater use and management in Christchurch. Nonetheless, this research investigates the water use ratios and importance of the Christchurch freshwater supply to the food and beverage industry. Telephone interviews with the use of a questionnaire were conducted with 80 companies, purposely selected from within the food and beverage sector. The results from the data collected indicate that water is very important to food and beverage business operations and that the quality of freshwater is one of the key reasons for these businesses choosing to establish and operate in Christchurch. Moreover, the research also finds that the analysis conducted was limited to some degree as most companies failed to provide the necessary data to investigate the water use ratios for the food and beverage industry.