Science.gov (United States)

... relative suitability of areas for production of commercial timber was determined based on considerations of operability, proximity ... habitats, and an ecologically-based estimate of sustainable timber pr...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

In the discussion of environmental architecture, we are conjoining two disciplines, the subject of architecture and that of ecology. At their best, green buildings are examples of applied ecology, where designers understand the constitution, organization, and structure of ecosystems, and the impacts of architecture are considered from an environmental perspective. By utilizing the concepts, methods, and language of ecology, designers can create architecture that intentionally engages the natural systems of a site. The establishment of assessment criteria implies the definition of building design criteria. If we establish criteria that are based on our best scientific understanding of environmental capacity, we will begin to develop a building stock that is sustainable. To do this we must quantify the link between the resulting environmental impacts and their cause in building ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The application of fossil fuels and the simultaneous dependency on fuel imports can only be decreased through consequent utilisation of efficient hydro power which is the most efficient way to avoid CO{sub 2} emissions. Only some decades ago hydro power plants were buildings erected according to met technical demands. In the 1990s rethinking started and the new designs took into account ecology and architecture. Maintenance and/or improvement of ecological efficiency play a decisive role. Experts of ecology and environmental protection of different faculties are involved right from the beginning when planning starts in order to obtain a maximum of nature compatibility and to develop efficient ecological accompanying and compensating measures. Landscape is being recultivated sustainably during construction activities in order to offer biota optimum conditions of ...

KoreaScience (Korea)

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British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Agricultural sustainability is a vital parameter to be ascertained locally and globally if food security is to be achieved and maintained. Agricultural sustainability is the combined product of social, economic and ecological sustainability. It is also a function of temporal and spatial variations, a fact which indicates that area-specific sustainability indices need to be designed. We present here an Agricultural Sustainability Index (ASI) for rural eastern India and use it to calculate the ASI for 150 farms for three decades over a 60-year period, viz., 1950?1960, 1980?1990 and 2000?2010 for a representative Indian village of Gangapur (25?83?N, 85?65?E). The ASI was calculated using 30 variables, 10 each of social, economic and ecological sustainability. An extensive questionnaire-based ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

At Livermore our hope and our intention is to make important contributions to global sustainability by basing both our scientific and technological research and our business practices on the principles of industrial ecology. Current efforts in the following fields are documented: global security, global ecology, energy for transportation, fusion energy, materials sciences, environmental technology, and bioscience.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The report presents an overview of A.I.D. efforts, which encompass a wide range of environmental issues and support environmental training, research, and institutional development. The report's opening section details A.I.D.'s efforts to enlist host-country support for environmental programs, with specific emphasis on improving natural resource management (especially in Africa), encouraging policy change, strengthening the private sector's environmental role, and preparing environmental profiles of host countries and helping them develop conservation strategies. The ensuing sections recount A.I.D. efforts in particular topics of environmental concern (biological diversity and environmental health and safety), critical ecological areas (coastal areas and forests and fragile lands), and specific country programs (reforestation in Haiti). A brief history of the evolution of the Agency's ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The changed political situation and recognition of the acute destruction of the natural environment in Poland have caused a series of actions aimed at preventing further deterioration of Polish environment. One of the most important events which took place in the last few years was the enactment by the Polish Parliament in May 1991 of the Act on the National Ecological Policy. The basic assumption of the new environmental policy is a declaration that sustainable development will in future direct economic development in Poland. The aim of the presented paper is to introduce existing policy of air protection and instruments which have been implemented to protect the air. Special attention is paid to legislation instruments, introduction and enforcement of proper economic mechanisms strengthening air protection and foreign policy aiming at increasing foreign assistance for this objective. Pollutants ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Biodiesel from non-grain feedstock has been considered as one of the proper substitutes for fossil fuels associated with a series of activities emerging in China in order to meet the resource shortage and develop the energy crops. This paper presents an ecological accounting framework based on embodied energy, emergy, and CO2 emission for the whole production chain of biodiesel made from Jatropha curcas L. (JCL) oil. The energy and materials invested in and CO2 emission from the whole process, including cropping, transportation, extraction, and production, are accounted and calculated. Also, EmCO2, the ratio of real CO2 released to the emergy-based sustainability indicator per joule biodiesel, is proposed in this paper to present a new goal function for low-carbon system optimization. Fina...

Science.gov (United States)

Development in organic farming has been stimulated by farmers and consumers becoming interested in healthy food products and sustainable environment. Organic agriculture is a holistic production management system which is based on the principles of health, ecology, care, and fairness. Organic development in Uganda has focused more on the crop sector than livestock sector and has primarily involved the private sector, like organic products export companies and non-governmental organizations. Agriculture in Uganda and many African countries is predominantly traditional, less mechanized, and is usually associated with minimum use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and drugs. This low external input agriculture also referred to as "organic by default" can create basis for organic farming where agroecological methods are introduced and present an alternative in terms of intensification to the current ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

The model of `ecological forestry' has evolved as a part of the development of the concept of ecosystem management. `Ecological forestry' emphasises that manipulation of a forest ecosystem should consider, and as far as practicable work within the limits of, natural disturbance patterns prior to extensive human alteration of the landscape. This paper evaluates the extent to which forest management practices in jarrah (Eucalyptus marginata) and karri (Eucalyptus diversicolor) forests of south-western Australia align with this view of the characteristics and appropriate silviculture of `ecological forestry'. Characteristics and appropriate silviculture of `ecological forestry' are evaluated in relation to (i) the stand level decisions of stand structure and harvest timing and (ii) the landsc...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The purpose is to define sustainable economic development in the context of nonrenewable resources and to examine the changing nature of reclamation over time. Sustainable development is development that ensures the present utilization of resources and the environment does not damage prospects for their use by future generations. Polls show that the public is demanding higher environmental standards. One mechanism for achieving sustainable economic development for the nonrenewable resource sector is through reclamation. The Alberta government`s approach to reclamation is reviewed to show how reclamation and sustainable government are linked together. The history of reclamation legislation in Alberta is summarized. 10 refs.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The importance of ecosystem restoration to land reclamation is discussed. If a plant community is to be self sustaining, natural diversity processes provide a useful model for restoration. Biodiversity is important for utilitarian, ecological, and ethical/aesthetic reasons. Issues that must be considered include sampling and management scales, the separate richness of the diverse array of species playing a role in ecosystem productivity and stability, and natural trends in diversity. Ecological restoration comprises two fundamental activities: management for some pre-disturbance level of biodiversity and the combination of species in a manner that is essentially experimental. Endeavours to restore biological diversity are a useful method of experimenting with the factors that control ecosystem structure and function. 21 refs.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

During the next 100 years, the mean annual temperature is expected to be 1-6 deg C higher than at present. It is also expected to be accompanied by a lengthening of the thermal growing season and increased precipitation. Consequently, climatic change will increase the uncertainty of the management of forest ecosystems in the future. In this context, this research project aimed to outline the ecological and silvicultural implications of climatic change with regard to (1) how the expected climatic change might modify the functioning and structure of the boreal forest ecosystem, and (2) how the silvicultural management of the forest ecosystem should be modified in order to maintain sustainable forest yield under changing climatic conditions. The experimental component of the project concerned first the effect that elevating temperature and elevating concentration of atmospheric carbon have on the ontogenetic development of ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Societatea Nationala Nuclearelectrica SA is the operator of the Cernavoda nuclear power plant and the second largest energy producer in Romania, after Hidroelectrica, ensuring 18% of the internal energy demand. The production of nuclear power differs from other industrial activities through the risks it involves and through the legacy it leaves to the future generations, i.e. the nuclear waste. Taking into account these considerations, public acceptance represents a constant preoccupation for nuclear companies around the world. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is a new practice in the nuclear industry. After a long tradition of involvement in the life of the local community through the Social Program for Cernavoda, Nuclearelectrica has initiated a CSR campaign with the theme 'Welcome a tree in your family', addressed to pupils and high school students from Cernavoda. By this campaign, we aimed at creating relevance, not just green lots and to launch a chain of reactions among the ...

International Science & Technology Center (ISTC)

Development of New Methods and Means of Assessing of Consequences of Radionuclide and Heavy Metal Salt Effect, Criteria of Forecasting Physiological State and Productivity of the Farm Animals under Conditions of Ecological Pollution of Environment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Recent interest in ecologically sustainable design (ESD) has once more focussed attention upon environmental management in buildings. This paper explores the application of both air conditioning and natural ventilation in creating more sustainable non-residential buildings. In the non-residential sector the level of debate surrounding sustainable forms of environmental control and management has been disappointing. It has largely been based upon the rather simplistic argument that air conditioning is bad and natural ventilation is good and thus the only sustainable solution is naturally ventilated buildings. The paper advances the view that for both designers and managers of buildings the problem is more complex than a simple choice between air conditioning and natural ventilation. It begins with a reassessment of conventional ideas of thermal comfort and the organization of the ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The uncertainties of growth in Croatian future energy, particularly electricity demand, together with growing environmental considerations and protection constraints, are such that Croatia needs to have flexibility to respond by having the option of expanding the nuclear sector. The paper deals with nuclear energy as an option for croatian sustainable economic development. The conclusion is that there is a necessity for extended use of nuclear energy in Croatia because most certainly nuclear energy can provide energy necessary to sustain progress. (author).

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

General trends of developing hydrogen power engineering and technology in Ukraine are considered. Based on a general level of power consumption and real opportunities for hydrogen production, a conclusion is derived that there are possibilities in the near future to partially replace conventional hydrocarbon fuels by hydrogen. Besides, developed technologies for burning hydrogenous gases and hydrogen-fuel systems when applied to transport installations allow one to improve essentially their power and ecological characteristics. 5 refs.

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Climate change is one of the main global issues of modern time. Ever increasing demand for food/feed and the need for higher environmental standards require shaping of the agricultural activities toward ecological and more sustainable efficient systems. One of the principal ways of attaining higher productivity and environmental standards is identification and adoption of beneficial management practices (BMP) by reviewing the conventional agricultural activities. The BMP are agricultural practices that promote sustainable land stewardship and maintain/increase profitability of farms. The BMP are from both crop and animal production systems and tradeoffs between the two systems could provide several opportunities in reducing, removing and/or avoiding of greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions. Des...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Research programs from the following sections and programs are summarized: aquatic ecology, environmental resources, earth sciences, terrestrial ecology, advanced fossil energy program, toxic substances program, environmental impacts program, biomass, low-level waste research and development program, US DOE low-level waste management program, and waste isolation program.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The Mittelplate oilfield is located in the Waddensea tidelands 8 km off the north sea coast and represents Germany's largest oilfield. Since Mittelplate oil production has started in 1987, RWE Dea AG being the operator in a 50/50 joint venture with Wintershall AG, has continually implemented and improved the sophisticated technology required to exploit natural resources by using safe and environmentally compatible means in the sensitive tideland environment of Mittelplate. Besides the sucessful offshore operations from the man-made Mittelplate Drilling and Production Island, further onshore development has started in 2000 by producing from high-tech ERD wells drilled from onshore locations. The offshore oil production had been transported so far by specially designed tug and tow barges and had been restricted by weather and tide. To overcome this bottleneck and to enable an accelerated offshore drilling and production program a pipeline link between ...

Environmental Research Database

ObjectivesThe primary aim is to enable China to address its energy and infrastructure issues in a sustainable manner, without hindering economic progress, with the UK benefiting from an enhanced uptake of its technology, knowledge and expertise through enhanced business opportunities and strengthened collaboration with key Chinese Institutions. ~%~~%~Objectives~%~1) To build capacity and capability in technology transfer and knowledge exploitation in Chinese and UK business and industry through practical, [continued...]DescriptionThe Chinese 11th Five-Year Plan considers Sustainable Energy Supply and Sustainable Built Environment as crucial for achieving sustainable development. Recognising the potential benefits, the UK government has actively encouraged international collaborations with China. Two Engineering Schools at Queen's University Belfast (QUB), with ...

Science.gov (United States)

development of strategic partnerships, and sustainability. ...... http://eo.msfc .nasa.gov/smsp.html#mikem (accessed 9/15/09); ...

Environmental Research Database

Objectives1) To develop and test a simple yet effective management tool which the Chemical Process Industry can~%~ incorporate into its Environmental Management Systems linking Life Cycle Assessment with Sustainable~%~ Development and through Risk Assessment produce a Methodology which will allow companies to~%~ prioritize their moves towards a more sustainable business practice.~%~~%~ 2) Through this network on sustainable processing practice establish an inter-disciplinary li [continued...]Description~%~'Sustainable Development is a network of Sustainable Processing Routes, or ways of doing things' (Boron, Murray,2000)~%~~%~We should like to explore this concept, through the network of academic colleagues listed, supported by key companies who have already established EMAS /ISO ...

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

[1] Independent data from the Gulf of Mexico are used to develop and test the hypothesis that the same sequence of physical and ecological events each year allows the toxic dinoflagellate Karenia...Full Text Available

CERN Document Server

The sustainable enterprise fieldbook

Environmental Research Database

No further description is available

Science.gov (United States)

This paper explores how an aid-funded Ph.D.-programme in mathematics education instituted in some Southern African Development Community countries measures up to issues related to research capacity development projects. The research capacity development programme is described and reflected against mutual benefit, relevance, sustainability and prioritization of the location of project funding expenditure--some of the constructs in the discourse on research capacity development initiatives. It is found that the benefits of the programme are indeed mutual; the outcomes regarding relevance and sustainability are more uncertain and the location of expenditure of the funding is not overtly in favour of the donor country.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lake Erie, the southernmost of the Laurentian Great Lakes, is narrow and relatively shallow in comparison to other Great Lakes. The lake experiences extreme water level fluctuations and storm energy restricts the development of wetlands to protected areas within embayments, lagoons, or behind barriers. However, coastal marshes of western Lake Erie fringe the shorelines of Michigan, Ohio, and Ontario and encompass an area of 268 km/sup 2/. This publication reviews the ecological data and information on the wetlands of Lake Erie, which are some of the more productive areas in the Great Lakes ecosystem. The geologic history of the Lake Erie leading to the development of wetlands, the present environment, and present wetland distribution are presented as background in the opening chapters. Biological information available for the Lake Erie wetlands is discussed in detail, and ecological processes ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Abstract Policy-makers are increasingly recognising that the promotion of more sustainable consumption patterns is an indispensable prerequisite for achieving sustainable development in the long term. Policy documents and action plans have been published, and a wide array of policy instruments has been implemented with the aim of reducing the environmental and social burdens of consuming goods and services. But what are the latest trends and innovative approaches in sustainable consumption (SC) policies? What could be learnt for future policy-making? Based on an overview of European policy instruments and several case studies, the paper discusses instructive examples of SC policy instruments, in particular the Danish information campaign "One Tonne Less", the Dutch tax incentive scheme "Gr...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

The concept of sustainable consumption (SC) has been proposed as a way of operationalising sustainable development (SD). However, until now, in view of the difficulties in conceptualising SC, emphasis has been placed mainly on a pragmatic approach. In an a-conceptual and pragmatic account of SC, many problems remain unaddressed, such as the danger of the notion becoming empty and lack of integration between the different dimensions of sustainability. In this paper, we propose that the informational space provided by the capability approach (CA) offers a conceptual framework to elaborate SC. The CA is employed here (i) to discuss the philosophical underpinnings of SC as part of a strategy for enhancing quality-of-life and (ii) to investigate the links between the different dimensions of SC....

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

? Introduction Old-growth forests on Changbai Mountain are economically and ecologically important but have been fragmented outside Changbai Mountain Biosphere Reserve. The trend of forest landscape degradation on Changbai Mountain threatens forest sustainability and biodiversity conservation in the region. Previous studies have focused mainly on the structure and function of protected forests but have ignored managed forests outside the reserve border. ? Objectives In this paper, deforestation processes are studied for two forestry enterprises, namely Baihe and Lushuihe Forestry Bureaus, with different socioeconomic structure due to their differences in proximity to Changbai Mountain Biosphere Reserve, which attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists each year. Baihe?s income comes from b...

Science.gov (United States)

EPA's Brownfields Economic Redevelopment Initiative was established to assist states, site planners and other community stakeholders to work together to assess, cleanup and sustainably reuse brownfields sites. EPA has developed a series of guides to help these parties effectively...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

If trends from the past continue into the future, the major increase in the use of energy will come from the developing nations. If the industrialization of the Third World continues to be based on the burning of fossil fuels, the impact on the global climate from these sources alone will be substantial. Statistical information supporting the above statements is presented. The conclusion is reached that improving the efficiency of energy use is not sufficient to avert climatic changes. The accelerated and worldwide use of nuclear power is essential and, if prudently used, can become, contrary to the recommendations of the Brundtland Commission, the basic energy source fuelling future sustainable developments of the world. (author).

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The disappointing progress in toxic emission reductions and sustainable economic development the world over, has been reviewed five years after the Rio de Janeiro Environmental Summit. The author`s conclusion is that there has been no progress at all, and that politicians, once again, seized on the language of sustainable development while emptying it of meaning. Sustainable development requires market regulation and the subordination of economic objectives to social need. Instead, there has been a rise of neo-liberalism. This is a type of historical counter-current that has been developing over the past two decades. It advocates unlimited deregulation, the weakening of governments, and the primacy of economic interests focused on the search for profits. It is the view of this author that so long as the conflict between ...

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

To capitalize on the response of tumor cells to ionizing radiation, we developed a controlled-release nanoparticle drug delivery system using a targeting peptide that recognizes a radiation-induced...Full Text Available

Wastenet

high biodiversity values and potential for development of sustainable agriculture (cattle and horse grazing, some organic cultivation), ...on global change and its effects on natural resources Details: Gill Heaton, 01865 373625, E-mail: gill.heaton@

Science.gov (United States)

The main objective of Phase I of this SBIR project was to demonstrate the feasibility for successful development of an antimicrobial wound dressing based on a hydrogel sustained release matrix. This goal has been achieved. In vitro studies of drug diffusi...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

This paper discusses key methods for sustaining quality engineering data, the fundamental principles that these methods are based on, and the methods for supporting the performance of nuclear power plants by the provision of quality engineering data at all times. The concept of an 'engineering data foundation', and a Configuration Management data model are developed. The concepts and methods for managing the integrity of engineering data across many different databases and document systems are developed, including the key concepts of data-positions and data-values, Master Data and Copy Data, and the concept of a 'partnership between people and technology'. (author). 7 refs., 1 tab., 2 figs.

KoreaScience (Korea)

Full Text Available

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

This publication presents seven national case studies from a coordinated research project on Indicators for Sustainable Energy Development conducted during the 2002-2005 time period. The project was led by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in cooperation with the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA). The case studies were developed by research organizations from Brazil, Cuba, Lithuania, Mexico, Russia, Slovakia and Thailand. This publication is being issued just prior to the 15th session of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development for which energy for sustainable development is a major theme. The 15th session of the Commission will focus on policy decisions on practical measures and options to expedite implementation in selected clusters of energy issues. The application the energy ...

Wastenet

... (restricted)] 101-127 On the transmission of exchange rate fluctuations to the macroeconomy: Contrasting evidence for developing and developed countries by Magda Kandil [Downloadable! (restricted)] 2005, Volume 14, Issue 4 377-405 Predicting the poverty impacts of trade reform by Thomas Hertel & Jeffrey Reimer [Downloadable! (restricted)] 407-435 Sustaining imperfectly credible trade liberalization: Do the rate of tariff reduction ...

Environmental Research Database

DescriptionThis application is a request for Bridge Link funds to support studies in order to develop a full proposal under the Link Sustainable Livestock Scheme in collaboration with Dr Nigel Scollan of IGER. The hypothesis being examined is that the poor performance of some ruminants is due to poor nutrition at strategic time points during the animal's development. The initial hypothesis will be tested in sheep and the results from this will be used to develop the full proposal. Excessive fat in ruminan [continued...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

After the introduction Chapter 2 presents details of the ecological-economic analysis based on the FAO/IIASA agro-ecological zones (AEZ) approach for evaluation of biophysical limitations and agricultural production potentials, and IIASA's Basic Linked System (BLS) for analyzing the world's food economy and trade system. The BLS is a global general equilibrium model system for analyzing agricultural policies and food system prospects in an international setting. BLS views national agricultural systems as embedded in national economies, which interact with each other through trade at the international level. The combination of AEZ and BLS provides an integrated ecological-economic framework for the assessment of the impact of climate change. We consider climate scenarios based on experiments with four General Circulation Models (GCM), and we assess the four basic socioeconomic ...

Environmental Research Database

ObjectivesThe vision The Centre's vision is a rural transformation in the developing world where smallholder households massively increase their use of trees in agricultural landscapes to improve their food security, nutrition, income, health, shelter, energy resources and environmental sustainability. This vision is founded upon three basic tenets: 1. The growing importance of trees and treebased systems in sustaining livelihoods and agroecosystems; 2. The Centre's experience and comparative adv [continued...]DescriptionBackground: The International Council for Research in Agroforestry (ICRAF) was created in response to a visionary study in the mid-1970s led by forester John Bene of Canada's International Development Research Centre (IDRC). The study coined the term 'agroforestry' and called for global recognition of the key role trees play on farms. This led to the establishment of ICRAF in 1978 to ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Since 1983, about 600 research projects received a total of DM 250 million public funds for the following tasks: - Development of scientific fundamentals for monitoring and observation of forest decline and its ecological and economic consequences. - Investigation of the cause-effect relationship of forest damage, with particular regard to the involvement of the various compartments of the forest ecosystem and to the contribution of different pollutants. - Development of the scientific fundamentals required for forestry measures to accompany the air pollution abatement measures. The investigations comprised both laboratory and field tests. The findings and conclusion are summarized. (orig./MG).

Wastenet

...Studies People Projects Opportunities Framework Critical Sectors Development Goals Geographic Region Geographic Scale Research Themes Printer-Friendly MSU Environmental Science and Policy Program Michigan State University East Lansing , Michigan Type: Program Education Level: Graduate Event Duration: Ongoing Philosophy of the doctoral specialization: In the ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This final report of the Manitoba Round Table on Environment and Economy (MRTEE) chronicles its history, objectives, accomplishments and ongoing challenges from 1988-1997. MRTEE`s mandate was to promote environmentally sustainable economic development in Manitoba through policies and programs that combine environmental concerns with economic decisions. The seven main objectives of the MRTEE were: (1) the implementation of a sustainable development strategy for Manitoba, (2) the design of a communications program on environment-economy integration and an action plan to upgrade environmental education, (3) implementation of market-driven and incentive programs to promote environmental protection by business, agriculture and resource users, (4) implementation of sustainable development within the public sector, (5) encouragement of individual businesses, farms and ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

This paper has two key objectives. Firstly, using the findings from case study research undertaken in Colombo (Sri Lanka), Faisalabad (Pakistan) and Dar es Salaam (Tanzania), the paper seeks to demonstrate the importance of an appropriate regulatory framework and effective mechanisms of enforcement for sustainable urban transport systems in developing countries. Secondly, the paper highlights the critical importance of communication and co-ordination between stakeholders (defined here as transport users, providers and regulators) if regulation is to be effective. The views of poor and disadvantaged passenger groups-women, children, the elderly and disabled-are used in the paper to illustrate the importance of transport systems to their livelihoods, such as work, education, health and socia...

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Ecological speciation is the process by which barriers to gene flow between populations evolve due to adaptive divergence via natural selection. A relatively unexplored area in ecological speciation...Full Text Available

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This report is an appraisal of the state of the European Union`s environment. It was requested by the European Commission as part of the review process of the Fifth Environmental Action Programme `Toward sustainability`. Main sections of the report are headed: societal developments and driving forces; environmental themes and topics; integration economy and environment. Themes covered are: climate change, ozone depletion, acidification, air pollution and quality, waste management, urban-issues, inland water resources, coastal zones and marine waters, risk management, soil quality, and nature and diversity. The main conclusions of this report are that the European Union is making progress towards reducing certain pressures on the environment, though this is not enough to improve the general quality of the environment and represents even less progress towards sustainability. Without accelerated policies, pressures on the ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This report is intended to satisfy two concurrent needs: (1) provide a contract deliverable from Oncorh Consulting to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), with emphasis on identification of salient results of value to ongoing Yakima/Klickitat Fisheries Project (YKFP) planning and (2) summarize results of research that have broader scientific relevance. This is the fourth in a series of reports that address reproductive ecological research and monitoring of spring chinook populations in the Yakima River basin. This annual report summarizes data collected between April 1, 2004 and March 31, 2005 and includes analyses of historical baseline data, as well. Supplementation success in the Yakima Klickitat Fishery Project's (YKFP) spring chinook (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) program is defined as increasing natural production and harvest opportunities, while keeping adverse ecological interactions and genetic impacts within ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The purpose of this assessment is to develop a versatile process that will provide a mechanism for evaluating both present and future risks to this environment. Much of the regulatory and environmental interest in the port has centered around a Ballast Water Treatment facility that treats and discharges up to 30 mgd of oily ballast water brought in by crude oil tankers. However, six point discharges and other potential sources of pollution exist in the area. The authors have delineated eleven subareas in the port in order to identify the potential anthropogenic stressors, as well as the receptors that could be exposed to these stressors. Potential effects were then characterized for each exposure. Each component is ranked and integrated, resulting in a relative risk estimate in each subarea. Both the discernible risks, based on available data, and the data gaps are presented. Uncertainty is expressed as a range of high and low risk associated with each component. ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This conference was attended by experts on current issues in engineering of an urban ecosystem, composting, biofuels and green energy. The meeting provided a forum to discuss advances in the application of engineering principles and practices dealing with biological systems for the production of food, bioproducts and energy. The discussions focused on engineering practices in agriculture, forestry, bioresources, biochemistry and biosystems. The 7 technical sessions of the conference were entitled: aquaculture; safety and training; bioprocessing; energy production and biofuels; environment and ecology; soil and water; and development of technologies. The conference feature 58 presentations, of which 9 have been catalogued separately for inclusion in this database. refs., tabs., figs.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The authors have led development of a Standard Guide for Residential Green Buildings through the consensus process of the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM). The voluntary guidance document has been processed through two public peer reviews in ASTM`s E-50.06 sub-committee on the environment. The guide`s purpose is to present general criteria for home builders, residential designers and developers on how to systematically approach the creation of a green home--from the design phase on through to eventual de-commissioning of residential structures. This paper briefly reviews the standards process, includes an overview of the Standard Guides` principal criteria, and provides a robust resource listing for further investigation by readers. During development of the Standard Guide, authors emphasized thorough review of the available literature on sustainable residential ...

Science.gov (United States)

Biofuels may contribute to both rural economic development and climate change mitigation and adaptation. The Gota Verde Project in Yoro, Honduras, attempts to demonstrate the technical and economic feasibility of small-scale biofuel production for local use by implementing a distinctive approach to feedstock production that encourages small farm sizes, mixed cropping of biofuel feedstock from Jatropha and food crops, particularly corn and beans, grown side by side on the same farmland and the total involvement of small rural farmers. But is the project sustainable? Using EC-Assess, the Earth Charter ethics-based assessment tool, to assess the sustainability of this project, the author found that in some assessment categories the actions surpassed the intended objectives, showing that the project was achieving certain Earth Charter goals without specifically stating its intention to address them. (Contains 3 images, 3 ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This paper provides an overview of a multi-year research project being conducted at the University of St. Gallen, Switzerland. The objective of the research is to evaluate the role of financial structure in promoting the development of innovative and sustainable energy technologies and its current relationship to innovation and entrepreneurial activity in this important economic sector. In this paper, emphasis is placed on the venture capital segment of the capital market and the electricity segment of the energy industry. We first provide a short overview of the electricity sector. We then briefly discuss the concept of innovation and entrepreneurship and its relationship to our research effort. Finally, the bulk of the paper outlines the conceptual framework for the venture capital element of the research project. We conclude the paper with a summary of our preliminary observations. (Author)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Current European and the US experiences in waste management are reviewed in the perspective of sustainable development. This publication questions the validity of the current approach taken by the Germany at ``closing the loop`` based on the example of packaging and packaging waste. The product item focus of current German legislation is compared with Danish and US approaches that are based on an integrated policy which covers the whole of waste generation and handling and is not product/item oriented. 1 fig., 2 tabs.

Environmental Research Database

DescriptionIn young pigs the post-weaning period is generally characterised by a marked reduction in voluntary feed intake, poor growth and development, and diarrhoea. The associated reduction in digestive and absorptive capacity of the gastrointestinal tract decreases the overall efficiency of nutrient capture and utilisation, thereby causing an increase in nutrient loading to the environment. The reduction in digestive and absorptive efficiency after weaning has implications for lifetime performance be [continued...

Science.gov (United States)

Analytical solutions are derived for a flow in a semi-infinite vertical porous medium with heat and mass transfer. When the temperature and mass concentration are uniform a constant pressure is possible and sustains a fully developed flow. Thereafter there is a small perturbation on the wall temperature and concentration and the subsequent two-dimensional problem is tackled for a large Prandtl number, free convection parameters and small Reynolds number. The heat transfer rate at the wall is discussed quantitatively.

Wastenet

... Future Job Fund Scheme Goodwood Allotments Location: Goodwood Allotments Work undertaken by long-term unemployed young people under the Future Jobs Fund (FJF) transforms derelict allotments into a readily workable space for the local community. New Parks Skegness Ride Location: New Parks Youth Centre Youths from the New Parks Club for Young People engage with sustainable transport and develop teamwork skills via a team bike ride. ...

Science.gov (United States)

A stochastic linear fractional programming (SLFP) approach is developed for supporting sustainable municipal solid waste management under uncertainty. The SLFP method can solve ratio optimization problems associated with random information, where chance-constrained programming is integrated into a linear fractional programming framework. It has advantages in: (1) comparing objectives of two aspects, (2) reflecting system efficiency, (3) dealing with uncertainty expressed as probability distributions, and (4) providing optimal-ratio solutions under different system-reliability conditions. The method is applied to a case study of waste flow allocation within a municipal solid waste (MSW) management system. The obtained solutions are useful for identifying sustainable MSW management schemes with maximized system efficiency under various constraint-violation risks. The results indicate that SLFP can support in-depth analysis of ...

CERN Document Server

Wireless sensor networks can revolutionize soil ecology by providing measurements at temporal and spatial granularities previously impossible. This paper presents a soil monitoring system we developed and deployed at an urban forest in Baltimore as a first step towards realizing this vision. Motes in this network measure and save soil moisture and temperature in situ every minute. Raw measurements are periodically retrieved by a sensor gateway and stored in a central database where calibrated versions are derived and stored. The measurement database is published through Web Services interfaces. In addition, analysis tools let scientists analyze current and historical data and help manage the sensor network. The article describes the system design, what we learned from the deployment, and initial results obtained from the sensors. The system measures soil factors with unprecedented temporal precision. However, the deployment required ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This article discusses the proper use of sandy land in China from the viewpoint of ecology. The many low-yield fields in every locality across China include sandy land that is unsuited to the cultivation of grains such as paddy rice, corn and wheat. Separate investigations of the northern plain and the southern coast between 1980 and 1982 demonstrated that sandy land in a warm climatic zone (e.g. Huang He) is suited to peanuts, soybeans and other oil-bearing crops; that forestation can be carried out on sandy land in Inner Mongolia and Xinjiang; and that coastal sandy land has much salinity and is best suited to growing horsetail beefwood. Moreover, the creation of windbreaks along the coasts of southern China has lessened the threat of wind-blown sand which had made rice not worth cultivating on sandy land. It is concluded that different crops can be grown on the sandy soil of China's temperate, warm, semitropical and tropical zones.

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Hydrological classification constitutes the first step of a new holistic framework for developing regional environmental flow criteria: the ?Ecological Limits of Hydrologic Alteration (ELOHA)?. The aim of this study was to develop a classification for 390 stream sections of the Segura River Basin based on 73 hydrological indices that characterize their natural flow regimes. The hydrological indices were calculated with 25?years of natural monthly flows (1980/81?2005/06) derived from a rainfall-runoff model developed by the Spanish Ministry of Environment and Public Works. These indices included, at a monthly or annual basis, measures of duration of droughts and central tendency and dispersion of flow magnitude (average, low and high flow conditions). Principal Component Analysis (PCA) indi...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This paper discusses how to overcome failures and pitfalls in software configuration management. (LSP)

Science.gov (United States)

... prominent example today, perhaps, is the issue of stem cell research, but there is a whole list of issues ... ...

International Science & Technology Center (ISTC)

Determination of the Ecology Factor for the Magistral Oil Pipelines, Working in Difficult Hilly and Geology Conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Recognizing the importance of energy as a vital component in economic development, the Taiwanese government has been continuously revising its energy policy, seeking to balance economic development, energy supply, and environmental protection (3E). Some measures, in an attempt to achieve the 3E balance, were previously implemented in Taiwan; nevertheless, some unresolved issues departing from certain core principles of Taiwan's sustainable energy policy and an international initiative for a low carbon society remain. The aim of this paper is to examine the energy supply and demand structure of Taiwan and the present status of individual energy carriers (including coal, petroleum, natural gas and electricity). In addition, it investigates the current energy policy framework and its implementation in Taiwan, identifies unresolved issues regarding sustainable energy development, and ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The diesel engine is the most efficient device for converting chemical energy stored in liquid hydrocarbon fuels into useful work. Up to 50% of the energy in the fuel is converted into output shaft work. The modern diesel engine is twice as efficient as the early diesel engines and produces as much as sixty times as much power for a given cylinder size. These developments have, in recent years, been accompanied by a substantial reduction in the noxious elements in the exhaust gas so that engines are now, relatively speaking, ecologically clean. The developments have centred around exhaust gas turbocharging and improved fuel injection systems, but recent work on low-heat-rejection engines has resulted in significant advances in structural ceramics and in high-temperature lubricating oil, as well as an enhanced understanding of heat transfer in high-temperature combustion chambers. (author).

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Abstract. Malaria vector control targeting the larval stages of mosquitoes was applied successfully against many species of Anopheles (Diptera: Culicidae) in malarious countries until the mid-20th Century. Since the introduction of DDT in the 1940s and the associated development of indoor residual spraying (IRS), which usually has a more powerful impact than larval control on vectorial capacity, the focus of malaria prevention programmes has shifted to the control of adult vectors. In the Afrotropical Region, where malaria is transmitted mainly by Anopheles funestus Giles and members of the Anopheles gambiae Giles complex, gaps in information on larval ecology and the ability of An. gambiae sensu lato to exploit a wide variety of larval habitats have discouraged efforts to develop and impl...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

An international conference on forestry research presented papers on topics including forest mensuration, growth and yield; growth/yield relationships; design, performance, and evaluation of experiments; forest resource inventory and monitoring techniques; forest management, planning, and managerial economics; forestry and rural development in developing countries; forestry in sustainable economic development; conceptual advances in multiple-use forestry evaluations; economic evaluation of forest damages; supply and demand of roundwood and forest industry products; forestry and rural development in industrialized countries; analysis and evaluation of forest policies; forest institutions and organizations; biological and economic considerations when harvesting young thinning stands; applied sector modelling; and structural changes of the forest sector in a global perspective. ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

More than 80% of the people of Nepal are farmers and 90% of the farmers do farming for subsistence. Agricultural productions contribute about 50% of country's GDP. Agricultural sector has been categorized as the top priority sector since many years. The environment of the country has also deteriorated substantially by the unplanned and unscientific use of natural resources such as air, soil, water, air and forest. Fertility of the soil has also been declining and studies show that productions in mountains is decreasing at a rate of 40 Kg/ha. Yr (1). The Terai, a narrow strip of land in the south, is in heavy pressure due to over exploitation and population growth (both natural and migratory). Shallow groundwater (shallow tube wells) is the main source of drinking water in Terai (the lowland region of Nepal). A study conducted by Department of Water Supply and Sewerage (DWSS) showed that more than 55% of Terai tube wells are microbiologically contaminated (2). There might be many ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

In Romania, the nuclear power is an element of sustainable development, being competitive, efficient and viable in the market economy. Fuel supply is ensured as nuclear fuel is manufactured in the country out of local uranium resources available in Romania. As for the environmental protection, it is known that, unlike the thermal power plants, the nuclear power plants do not release sulfur and nitrogen oxides, carbon dioxide and do not generate slag and ashes. The operation of nuclear power units does not release pollutants and, accordingly, these stations can contribute to the limitation and the abatement of environmental pollution. After seven years of Cernavoda NPP Unit 1 operation, a facility for storing low and medium level nuclear fuel wastes was built at the plant site as well as an intermediate dry storage for spent nuclear fuel whose first modules were commissioned in July 2003. They shall provide safe storage conditions for nuclear ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

A compartment model, including removal of organic matter in a forest ecosystem, is developed to describe matter cycling and net CO{sub 2} flux of the ecosystem especially of managed forests. The model consists of five carbon stocks: atmosphere, foliage, woody matter, underground matter, and dead organic matter in the soil. Employing appropriate values of ecophysiological parameters in the model and simulation of man-made sugi (Cryptomeria japonica D. Don) plantation forests shows that these forests have high growth potential with a maximum total phytomass of over 750 t ha{sup -1} in dry matter basis. When the typical pattern of thinning regime for sugi plantation forests in Japan is applied to the present model, the simulated forest biomass developments compare well with mensuration data from various forestry sites. The CO{sub 2} balance between the sugi forest ecosystem and the atmosphere reveals a net CO{sub 2} fixation of 49.38 million ton ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

The effective integration of technology into the teaching and learning of mathematics remains one of the critical challenges facing contemporary tertiary mathematics. This article reports on some significant findings of a wider study investigating the use of technology in undergraduate mathematics. It first discusses a taxonomy developed to describe and compare technology use within individual courses and departments that identifies a complex range of factors, summarized under six defining characteristics of an integrated technology mathematics curriculum (ITMC). An instrument for a simple comparison of technology use employing the elements of this taxonomy is provided. It then presents evidence gathered from an observational study of technology implementation at The University of Auckland...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

It has been observed that dislocation loops form and grow during annealing of silicon wafers implanted at doses above the amorphization threshold. Dislocation loops can act to store interstitials for prolonged periods of anneals, sustaining an interstitial super-saturation and thus causing substantial transient enhanced diffusion (TED). The authors have developed a comprehensive model which, in combination with a model and parameters for {l_brace}311{r_brace} defects from previous work, accounts for the formation and evolution of dislocation loops during ion implant annealing, as well as giving the correct TED behavior.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Analytical solutions are derived for a flow in a semi-infinite vertical porous medium with heat and mass transfer. When the temperature and mass concentration are uniform a constant pressure is possible and sustains a fully developed flow. Thereafter there is a small perturbation on the wall temperature and concentration and the subsequent two-dimensional problem is tackled for a large Prandtl number, free convection parameters and small Reynolds number. The heat transfer rate at the wall is discussed quantitatively. (author). 4 refs.

Environmental Research Database

DescriptionThis project aims to develop a hybrid bioremediation/phytoremediation process for sustainable in- situ treatment of hydrocarbon contaminated soils, centred on 3 tenets: 1) Application of wood-chip derived compost enriched with white rot fungi for primary bioremediation; 2) Growth of pre-selected plant species for secondary phytoremediation; 3) Use of stress- adapted mycorrhizal fungi to maximise plant performance. A multidisciplinary approach is essential to optimise bioremediation for the trea [continued...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This remedial investigation (RI)/feasibility study (FS) supports the selection of remedial actions for the David Witherspoon, Inc. 901 Maryville Pike Site in Knoxville, Tennessee. Operations at the site, used as a recycling center, have resulted in past, present, and potential future releases of hazardous substances in to the environment. This Site is a Tennessee Superfund site. A phased approach was planned to (1) gather existing data from previous investigations managed by the Tenn. Dept. of Environment and Conservation; (2) perform a preliminary RI, including risk assessments, and an FS with existing data to identify areas where remedial action may be necessary; (3) gather additional field data to adequately define the nature and extent of risk-based contaminants that present identifiable threats to human and/or ecological receptors; and (4) develop remedial action alternatives to reduce risks to acceptable levels.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

In this paper, we consider the development of demand-side research, from an early interest in conservation behavior to a later focus on physical, economic, psychological and social models of energy consumption. Unfortunately, none of these models account satisfactorily for measured energy consumption in the residential sector. Growing interest in the end-uses of energy (e.g. in support of load forecasting, demand-side management and least-cost utility planning), increasing international studies of energy use, and continuing work in the energy and lifestyles research tradition now support an emerging cultural perspective on household energy use. The ecological foundations of the cultural model and its applications in energy research are discussed, along with some of the analytic consequences of this approach. (author).

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are ecologically important root symbionts of most terrestrial plants. Ecological studies of AMF have concentrated on differences between species; largely assuming...Full Text Available

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The present publication is based on facts, data, knowledge and projects, which have been incorporated in the development of an energy concept for the district Schmalkalden-Meiningen. The energy concept of a district is a concept oriented at action on and realisation of mid-term and long term decisions in the fields of energy policy, economy and ecology, which must be taken by municipal and economic decision-making bodies. The energy concept accords with the targets of the Agenda 21, the environmental targets of the Federal Republic of Germany and of the Land Thuringia. Accepting this energy concept the district Schmalkalden-Meiningen shows its willingness to contribute to a lasting development in all fields of economy and ecology and thus does justice to its increasing responsibility. (orig.) [German] Die vorliegende Veroeffentlichung baut auf Fakten, Daten, Erkenntnissen und Projekten auf, die in die ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

... Safety Institute, GRS, Cologne (Germany) INIS-UA--089 456 p. APPLIED LIFE

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

This book proposed that a post-2012 climate regime will need to balance the needs of all countries while aiming to prevent the potentially serious economic and social consequences of the impacts of climate change. Four elements were presented to support the emergence of an internationally acceptable approach: (1) the need to ensure sustainable economic development; (2) the effective development and penetration of clean technologies; (3) the establishment of an effective international carbon market over the long term; and (4) the integration of adaptation in development and natural resource management decision-making. A series of discussion papers were presented which reviewed options on how best to create an effective and inclusive international climate regime that will achieve large reductions in global emissions and equitably reflect the diverse circumstances of countries while promoting ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The organization of the Biofuels Excellence Network, inside PROMINP - the Program of Mobilization of the National Industry of Oil and Natural Gas, has the objective of improving the actions of technical innovation and management in the chain of Oil, Gas Natural and Biofuels, through the optimized use of physical, financial, technological resources, of information and staff, with maximum qualification in areas of the human knowledge, whose purpose is to make decisions on specific problems of improvement of processes and/or products, besides promoting actions for the development and reinforcement of the markets of ethanol and biodiesel. The organization of the Biofuels Excellence Network became necessary, in order to enable Brazil to reach vanguard standards in biofuels (ethanol and biodiesel) in a sustainable, competitive and environmentally responsible way. Among the main reasons for the creation of the Biofuels Excellence Network are: to speed ...

Science.gov (United States)

Lack of access to basic education leads to diminished individual and national capabilities, therewith furthering cycles of poverty. An equitable education system meeting basic learning needs represents not only a human right, but also a means for reducing poverty, promoting productivity, and sustaining development. The Government of China--the most populous developing nation, the majority of whose citizens live in rural areas--has been committed to universalizing nine-year compulsory education among school-aged children and eliminating illiteracy among youths and adults aged 15-45. This study examines lessons learned from China's efforts in these areas. It also reports on current challenges and trends in a new national initiative for achieving high-quality universal basic education by the year 2007.

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to critically explore business-to-business critical success factors (B2B CSFs) for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) operating in the Chinese B2B marketplace, evaluate the findings, and use the generated CSFs to propose a framework to assist in the marketing management of B2B in China. The proposed framework provides a guideline for academics and practitioners and highlights the significant role of each factor in developing and sustaining effective B2B electronic commerce (B2B e-commerce) practice for SMEs. Design/methodology/approach - The proposed framework is constructed by combining the empirical findings and B2B literature. The quantitative (online survey) was targeted at, proprietors, chief executive officers, managing directors, general...

Science.gov (United States)

... and the Commonwealth forces launched Operation GOODWOOD in an attempt to break through the German lines. In the ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This paper was presented at the opening plenary session. As the end of the century approaches, environmental protection is one of the most significant global issues which will shape our energy path and economic development pattern. In face of environmental challenges, we will have to take into account environmental factors in the economic development process itself. This requires the pursuit of sustainable economic development, a process which may involve strengthened energy conservation, improved efficiency and switching to less carbon intensive energy sources. Energy inefficiency, technological scarcity and financial vulnerability in developing countries may best be resolved by changing their economic and market structures to facilitate relevant investments. However, effective reform of the energy industry in developing economies and economies in transition ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The purpose of this work is to characterize the role of the financial institutions in achieving sustainable development meaning a process of development which leaves at least the same amount of capital, natural and man-made, to future generations as current generations have access to. This makes it clear that sustainable development is about capital allocation and thus should be at the core of financial markets activity. On a more practical level the different ways banks affect environment are analyzed: as investors - supplying the investments with environmental perspective; as lenders - developing new financial products to encourage sustainable development; as valuers - estimating risks and opportunities in project-financing; as powerful stake holders - as shareholders and lenders they can exercise considerable ...

Science.gov (United States)

Kong-Ming Wu (Corresponding author) The application of recombinant DNA technology has resulted in many insect-resistant varieties by genetic engineering (GE). Crops expressing Cry toxins derived from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) have been planted worldwide, and are an effective tool for pest control. However, one ecological concern regarding the potential effects of insect-resistant GE plants on non-target organisms (NTOs) has been continually debated. In the present study, we briefly summarize the data regarding the development and commercial use of transgenic Bt varieties, elaborate on the procedure and methods for assessing the non-target effects of insect-resistant GE plants, and synthetically analyze the related research results, mostly those published between 2005 and 2010. A mass of laboratory and field studies have shown that the currently available Bt crops have no direct detrimental effects on NTOs due to their narrow spectrum of ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

In May 1985, a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit was issued for the Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant, a nuclear weapons components production facility located in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, and operated by Martin Marietta Energy Systems, Inc., for the US Department of Energy. As a condition of the permit, a Biological Monitoring and Abatement Program (BMAP) was developed to demonstrate that the effluent limitations established for the Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant protect the classified uses of the receiving stream (East Fork Poplar Creek), in particular, the growth and propagation of fish and aquatic life, as designated by the Tennessee Department of Health and Environment. A second purpose for the BMAP is to document the ecological effects resulting from implementation of a water pollution control program that will include construction of nine new wastewater treatment facilities over the next 4 years. Because of the complex nature of the effluent ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Indicators are important tools for communicating and making accessible scientific and technical information to policymakers and the general public. They therefore play an important role in transforming information into action. Worldwide, many initiatives are underway to construct indicators for a variety of purposes, including those for reporting on sustainable development. This paper briefly describes the attempts made so far, but stresses that the users of the indicators should play a greater role in indicator construction. In developing countries, a substantial lack of data has meant that specific policy formulation may develop without adequate technical input. In developed countries also, data gaps may hinder policy formulation, implementation, and evaluation. However, the development of indicators as tools to assist in the management of hazardous wastes and ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Full text: The transmutation of nuclear waste to reduce the burden on a geological repository is a relevant topic within the Program of Nuclear Safety Research of the Research Centre Karlsruhe. Several studies have confirmed that a high efficiency of transmutation of actinides is reached in fast neutron spectrum reactor system. Therefore, an important effort is dedicated to the study of transmutation strategies with different fast reactors and their associated technologies. Moreover, in international contexts as Generation IV International Forum (GIF) and Sustainable Nuclear Energy Technology Platform (SNETP), fast reactors are considered in the frame of sustainable development of nuclear energy and reduction of waste. The systems that are currently under investigation, in the frame of the different fuel cycle scenarios, are liquid metal cooled and gas cooled fast reactors as well as Accelerator Driven Sub-critical ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

World oil prices are responsible for new concerns about the health of the international banking system, particularly the $60 billion in annual deficits of the developing countries. If the banks continue lending money to these countries in hopes of repayment in better times, they could jeopardize their financial position; but if they stop the loans, they will jeopardize repayment of the present debts. High US interest rates, heavy goods and technology, economic sanctions imposed by the US in response to Russia's invasion of Afghanistan, and the unregulated Eurocurrency market have contributed to the problem. No one knows how great a loss the capital markets can sustain and still survive. New banking arrangements by the World Bank and other institutions are still unproven. 19 references. (DCK)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

A series of modifications which increased the capacity of Canadian Electrolytic Zinc's Valleyfield plant from 220,000 MT/year to 260,000 MT/year during the last decade is discussed, combined with an an overview of the plant's operations. The modifications included modernisation of the waste disposal methods and facilities, such as a new high-density sludge wastewater treatment process, a new process to remove selenium from weak acid solutions and the jarofix process. Roasting capacity also has been improved by recent investments in new cooling coils, rebricking, oxygen enrichment and process automation. In addition to increases in refining capacity, the improvements also enabled the company to minimize its impact on the environment and the community.

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Much progress has been made in the clinical, biological and technical aspects of the T-cell-depleted haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Our experience demonstrates that infusing a megadose of extensively T-cell-depleted hematopoietic peripheral blood stem cells after an immuno-myeloablative conditioning regimen in acute leukemia patients ensures sustained engraftment with minimal GvHD without the need of any post-transplant immunosuppressive treatment. Since our first successful pilot study, our efforts have concentrated on developing new conditioning regimens, optimizing the graft processing and improving the post-transplant immunological recovery. The results we have so far achieved in high risk acute leukemia patients show that haploidentical transplantation ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

This study was developed as part of the project ?Studies for Environmental and Cultural Sustainability of the Fulni-? Medical System: Office on handling medicinal plants?. The Fulni-? people are located in Pernambuco State, Northeastern Brazil. One of the components of this project was an ethnobotanical diagnosis of the indigenous land, where a phytosociological survey was performed in an area of Caatinga vegetation, located at Ouricuri settlement. Based on these ethnobotanical data, we calculated a conservation priority index aiming to rank species that should receive immediate attention from the Fulni-? people. We identified 44 woody plants, 50% of which have a medicinal use. Among these, six plants were considered highly vulnerable and in need of immediate conservationist attention, in ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Actinide recycling by partitioning and transmutation is considered as one of the most promising strategies to reduce the inventory of radioactive waste, thus contributing to make nuclear energy sustainable. To make advances beyond the current state of the art in pyrochemical separations processes, the Domain 2 (DM2) of ACSEPT has been built on considering a process approach based on system studied. Four work packages that represent the main steps of a process block diagram have been identified: head-end steps, core process development, and salt treatment for recycling and waste conditioning. The results obtained in this domain will be integrated in DM 3 (Process) in order to orientate the R and D studies of DM2 and to propose and validate flowsheets at the end of the project. The state of the art on pyrochemical separation within the European Community and the working program of ACSEPT in pyrometallurgy are presented in this work. (authors)

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Abstract Entrapping inclusion complexes in liposomes has been proposed to increase the entrapment efficiency (EE) and stability of liposomes compared with conventional liposomes. In the present study, a stable honokiol-in-hydroxypropyl--cyclodextrin-in-liposome (honokiol-in-HP--CD-in-liposome) was developed as honokiol delivery system by a novel method. The final molar ratio of honokiol/HP--CD/lipid was selected as 1:2:2. The mean particle size was 123.5 nm, the zeta potential was -25.6 mV, and the EE was 91.09 2.76%. The release profile in vitro demonstrated that honokiol is released from honokiol-in-HP--CD-in-liposome with a sustained and slow speed. Crystallographic study indicated that honokiol was first bound within HP--CD and then the inclusion complex was encapsulated within liposom...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

We summarize recent developments in x-ray microscopy of polymers by focusing on the characterization of organic electronic devices. The quantitative compositions of model polymer blends have been mapped at a resolution of {approx}35 nm. Since it could be inferred that these devices have structures smaller than 35 nm, quantitative compositional mapping at length scales below the present resolution limit of x-ray microscopy is required. Organic devices thus serve to both highlight the success of NEXAFS microscopy to date, but to also outline the very real need for higher spatial resolution. New approaches to create improved optics or different acquisition modalities are required if x-ray microscopy is to make sustained contributions to such an important area of research as organic devices.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heat transfer augmentation based on the process intensification concept in heat exchangers and thermal reactors has received much attention in recent years, mainly due to energy efficiency and environmental considerations. The concept consists of the development of novel apparatuses and techniques that, compared to those commonly used today, are expected to bring dramatic improvements in manufacturing and processing, substantially decreasing equipment size, energy consumption, and ultimately resulting in cheaper, sustainable technologies. The objective of this paper was to investigate the heat transfer characteristics of tubular thermal reactor using static mixing technology. Glycerin and water were used as the test fluids and water was used as the heating source. The results for heat transfer rate were strongly influenced by tube geometry and flow conditions.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

An electrochemistry model was developed to analyse the J-V characteristics of a Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) water electrolyzer for hydrogen production. The Butler-Volmer equation and water transport characteristics through electrolyte membrane were employed to simulate the electrode activation over-potential and membrane ohmic over-potential, respectively. The modeling results are found to agree reasonably well with experimental data published in the literature. The parametric simulations show that the ohmic over-potential is relatively small with typical water content in the membrane. Compared with the cathode over-potential, the anode over-potential is more significant and constitutes the major source of voltage loss. The high anode over-potential is due to the relatively slow oxidation kinetics, which is related to anode material property and microstructure. This model can be integrated with a photovoltaic or wind turbine model to predict the performance of ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The first task for remediation actions against underground contamination should be an effective confinement of contamination plumes. Some conventional barrier techniques have been already proved to have sufficient features to prevent such plumes from extending horizontally, but further technical development is required to construct a bottom barrier to stop plumes going deeper. Superjet{sup {trademark}} is a powerful version of the jet grouting method (1) and is characterized by prompt construction of an underground cement pile when exceeds 5 meter in diameter. Its application to a case of construction of underground lapping beams has shown satisfactory completion to sustain underground open space. The results and some basic experiments indicate that this method is technically feasible to build a bottom barrier with a certain mechanical strength.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This work, carried out by the parliamentary office for the evaluation of scientific and technological choices on request of the French National Assembly and Senate, takes stock of the present day situation and technical perspectives of development of renewable energy sources and of research needs of the French industry in this domain: 1 - renewable energies: key-technologies for the energy supply of developing countries and for a rational consumption in transportation systems and accommodations of developed countries (energies technically different from fossil or nuclear energies; fundamental energy sources for a developing world; different national goals in Europe depending on the available natural resources and on the political realities; a minor interest in France for the domestic power generation but a major interest for transports, residential and tertiary sectors and export); 2 - priority choices ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

A case study is presented where an integrated, ecologically relevant exposure assessment is presented for a polluted lowland river. Using partial least squares regression of latent structures (PLS), an analysis of the impact of two effluents on physico-chemical water quality measures, macroinvertebrate and diatom communities, and in situ bioassay responses with four different test species are combined into an integrative exposure assessment. Bioassays focussed on growth and condition related endpoints, because they are key functional processes of organisms and populations. Integrating these multiple lines of evidence, we were able to discriminate among the impact of both effluents, link changes in physico-chemical water quality with bioassay endpoints and ecological quality of the ecosystem, and address the importance of integrating all information into one exposure assessment framework. The bioassays under field conditions indicated that most ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The proceedings of the third RAAN conference, titled 'RAAN as Support of Nuclear Power', held in Drobeta Turnu-Severin, Romania on 6-7 Nov 2003, are structured on three sections covering the following issues: - Section 1. Energy and Environment (19 papers); - Section 2. Isotopic products (3 papers); - Section 3. Prospects of Nuclear Power development in Romania (17 papers). Nuclear power in Romania was initiated on the basis of CANDU reactor type technology, an option found able to fulfill the requirements for a sustainable economic development, to support the electric energy demand of the country and to ensure the population and environment protection. The construction of the Cernavoda NPP was heavily based on the Romanian industry participation and basic and applied nuclear research national resources. The experience acquired from Cernavoda NPP Unit 1 will be fruitfully used in construction of the Units 2-5 to be built. ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This is the ninth quarterly report as required by the Hanford Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order (Ecology et al. 1990), also known as the Tri-Party Agreement, established between the US Department of Energy (DOE), the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology). The Tri-Party Agreement sets the plan and schedule for achieving regulatory compliance and cleanup of waste sites at the Hanford Site. This report covers progress for the quarter that ended June 30, 1991. A total of 87 milestones have been completed to date. 39 refs., 1 fig.

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

BackgroundSister species divergence and reproductive isolation commonly results from ecological adaptation. In mimetic Heliconius butterflies, shifts in colour pattern...Full Text Available

Science.gov (United States)

Jun 16, 2011 ... Description: Within the Deschutes River basin of central Oregon, the geology, hydrology, and physiography influence geomorphic and ecologic ...

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

An environmental study was done to examine the prevalence of Vibrio mimicus in some aquatic environments of Dhaka, Bangladesh, and of Okayama, Japan. Water samples from Dhaka environments and water...Full Text Available

Science.gov (United States)

The biomass maps were compared with the U.S. Forest Service biomass map for 2002 , LVIS height data, and estimates from high resolution imagery. ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Macrofouling of cooling-water systems is one of the more significant and costly problems encountered in the nuclear power industry. Both marine and freshwater macroinvertebrates can be responsible for losses in plant availability because of plugged intakes and heat transfer equipment. There is a greater diversity of macrofouling organisms in marine waters than in fresh waters. Marine macrofouling organisms include barnacles, mollusks, bryozoans, and hydroids. Barnacles are crustaceans with feathery appendages, which allow them to attach to a variety of surfaces. They are a major cause of severe macrofouling because they can remain attached even after death. The major freshwater macrofouling organisms include the Asiatic Clam (Corbicula fluminea) and the newest freshwater macrofouler, the Zebra Mussel (Dreissena polymorpha). The introduction of the Zebra Mussel into the Great Lakes has created economic and ecological problems that will not easily be solved. The ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fully-fired combined cycle plants utilizing the high temperature gas turbine discharge as gas intake for a coal-fired steam generator were developed in the 1960's. Long-term experience and the excellent reliability statistics of the gas turbines of these plants have proven that the thermodynamic, economical and ecological advantages of combined cycle units over conventional units strongly suggest such plants for fossil-fuel applications. This paper describes the design and operation of these plants. Topics are Gersteinwerk Unit K combined-cycle power plant, plant design concept, design criteria and performance, gas turbines, steam generators, steam turbines, various modes of operation, typical plant start-up, environmental considerations, prototype plants and topping old steam turbine plants. It concludes that combined-cycle plants provide efficiencies over 45% with low NO/sub x/ emission and a low emission rate. 15 refs.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

This document defines the quality assurance requirements for the US Department of Energy-Richland Operations Office Environmental Restoration Remedial Action program at the Hanford Site. The Environmental Restoration Remedial Action program implements significant commitments made by the US Department of Energy in the Hanford Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order entered into with the Washington State Department of Ecology and the US Environmental Protection Agency. This document combines quality assurance requirements from various source documents into one set of requirements for use by the US Department of Energy-Richland Operations Office and other Environmental Restoration Remedial Action program participants. This document will serve as the basis for developing Quality Assurance Program Plans and implementing procedures by the participants. The requirements of this document will be applied to activities affecting quality, using a ...

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Objectives To evaluate the extent to which intensive care units participating in the initial Keystone ICU project sustained reductions in rates of catheter related bloodstream infections.Design...Full Text Available

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Most livestock farmers in the United States do not take advantage of anaerobic digester technology because of the high cost and large scale. These limitations therefore reduce the production of renewable energy from farmlands. In order to expand anaerobic digestion methods and improve environmental quality, affordable and smaller-scale digesters should be developed to enable most livestock farmers to convert manure to methane. Doing so would improve their economic efficiency and environmental sustainability. This paper provided an analogy to the development of the Model T to better explain the need and potential for this technology. A modified fixed-dome digester was installed on the Ohio State University dairy in Columbus, Ohio. The digester was unheated, buried, had a volume of 1 m{sup 3} and received diluted dairy manure as feedstock. Biogas was produced at digester temperatures as low 10 degrees C during colder ambient ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cooperation for low carbon and energy efficient development is a high priority for France, in line with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. France contributes to tackling climate change by working with its partners on all continents to implement projects both to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and to adapt to climate change. Within the framework of the Marrakech Accords, France also encourages the implementation of the Kyoto Protocol Clean Development Mechanism, in particular between French business and non-Annex I countries; this mechanism will facilitate the financing of mitigation projects and contribute to the sustainable development of host countries in the South. At multilateral level, France is a major donor. At a bilateral level, an initial analysis of cooperation projects which are strongly linked to tackling climate change identified public support of 136 millions ...

Science.gov (United States)

... due to the evolving nature of the Strategy Maps and the changing priority roles, it was decided not to link the SMSP directly with any Strategic Plans. ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

In this article the results of a study on sustainability of energy crops are discussed. Contribution to the reduction of the greenhouse effect and other environmental effects were investigated for the Netherlands. The study assumed that energy crops are grown on set-aside land or grain land. Generating electricity and/or heat from hemp, reed, miscanthus, poplar and willow show the best prospects. These crops are sustainable and may in the future be economically feasible. Ethanol from winter wheat shows the most favourable environmental effects, but is not economically efficient. Liquid fuels from oil seed rape and sugar beet are not very sustainable. 2 tabs., 4 refs.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The new industrial political tools based on the sustainable development of productive activities, and originating at the Rio Conference in 1992, late introduced by the EU, the Government and voluntary organizations (ISO, CEM, UNI) are gradually entering the market, thereby underling their effect in terms of industrial competitiveness. The main tools were examined in the report and mostly refer to the voluntary ones which, in surpassing the 'command and control' logic, increasingly tend to get close to traditional fiscal, tariff and financial ones. Voluntary agreements, environmental management systems (EMAS, ISO 14001), the risk prevention systems (UNI 10617), certification (Eco label, ISO 14040) and environment communication tools (environment balance sheet, environmental report, environmental statement) are synthetically described. [Italian] I nuovi strumenti di politica industriale orientati allo sviluppo sostenibile delle ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

In many parts of the United States, as well as other regions of the world, competing demands for fresh water or water suitable for desalination are outstripping sustainable supplies. In these areas, new water supplies are necessary to sustain economic development and agricultural uses, as well as support expanding populations, particularly in the Southwestern United States. Increasing the supply of water will more than likely come through desalinization of water reservoirs that are not suitable for present use. Surface-deployed seismic and electromagnetic (EM) methods have the potential for addressing these critical issues within large volumes of an aquifer at a lower cost than drilling and sampling. However, for detailed analysis of the water quality, some sampling utilizing boreholes would be required with geophysical methods being employed to extrapolate these sampled results to non-sampled regions of the aquifer. The ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Spent nuclear wastes are inevitable issues to use nuclear power as a sustainable energy. Therefore, every country has their fuel cycles which are best for their environmental and/or political circumstances for the use of nuclear energy. These days agreements are made that spent nuclear fuels should be recycled to minimize waste volume and its toxicity all around the world. Republic of Korea also has a plan to recycle the spent nuclear fuels by using Gen-IV concept burner reactors and pyro-process plants. Not many options of national nuclear strategies are exist because Korea has too many people for its limited land space. KAERI already has been proposing a national fuel cycle concept called 'KIEP-21' that encompasses all the requirements of the advanced nuclear fuel cycle such as reduction of volume, toxicity, HLW heat load and so on. Authors suggest non-national fuel cycle concept called 'PyroGreen' for the sustainable nuclear energy system. ...

Science.gov (United States)

Bacteriocins are an abundant class of antimicrobial molecules that appear to mediate population dynamics within species. The bacteriocins of Escherichia coli have served as a model for exploring the ecological role of these potent toxins. Studies suggest that colicins provide a competitive edge in nutrient-poor environments and that there might be a trade-off between the costs and benefits of colicin production. PMID:10203843

Science.gov (United States)

This 'Issues in Ecology' article from the Ecological Society of America provides information about the consequences of nutrient enrichment along the US coast. It describes problems such as harmful algal blooms (HABs), anoxia, hypoxia, and dead zones. It explains which nutrients are involved and describes implications of excess nutrients in regions such as the Gulf of Mexico/Mississippi River basin. The article features several color photographs, maps, and diagrams.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

As part of on-going study of acid mine drainage (AMD), a comprehensive ecological risk assessment was conducted in the Leading Creek Watershed in southeast Ohio. The watershed is influenced by agriculture and active and abandoned coal-mining operations. This work presents a broad overview of several quantitative measures of hydrology and hydraulic watershed properties available for in risk assessment and evaluates their relation to metrics of ecology. Data analysis included statistical comparisons of metrics of ecology, ecotoxicology, water quality, and physically based parameters describing land use, geomorphology, flow, velocity, and particle size. A multiple regression analysis indicated that abandoned mining operations dominated impacts upon aquatic ecology. It also indicated low flow velocity measurements and a ratio of maximum velocity to average velocity at low flow where helpful in describing ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Since 1988, the Expertise group of Molecular and Cellular Biology (MCB) is an important partner in the development of the Micro-Ecological Life Support System Alternative (MELiSSA). The MELiSSA was designed to allow a small crew to survive on an Antarctic, lunar or Mars outpost, and is a joint research project currently fostered by the European Space Agency, ESA. The MELiSSA functions through a series of five interconnected compartments, of which four are microbial bioreactors and was engineered to degrade organic waste, regenerate the outpost's atmosphere and water, and provide the crew with an additional vegetarian diet. The bioreactor of the third compartment provides the edible cyanobacteria and plants of the fourth compartment with nitrate instead of ammonium as a source of nitrogen. The two bacteria responsible for the biological transformation of ammonium to nitrate (nitrification) are Nitrosomonas europaea and Nitrobacter winogradskyi. ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

As the 20th century draws to a close, both individual countries and the world community face challenging problems related to the supply and use energy. These include local and regional environmental impacts, the prospect of global climate and sea level change associated with the greenhouse effect, and threats to international relations in connection with oil supply or nuclear proliferation. For developing countries, the financial cost of providing energy to provide basic needs and fuel economic development pose an additional burden. To assess the magnitude of future problems and the potential effectiveness of response strategies, it is important to understand how and why energy use has changed in the post and where it is heading. This requires study of the activities for which energy is used, and of how people and technology interact to provide the energy services that are desired. The authors and their colleagues have analyzed trends in energy ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

At the 1996 Conference in North Carolina, The Green Institute began to share its story. Their presentation this year will cover where they are in the design process and their plans for using solar and wind technologies in the development of an Eco-Industrial Park and Business Incubator. Located in a Federal Enterprise Community in Minneapolis, this project borrows sustainable and green building principles using the Rocky Mountain Institute and Solar Living Center as models. Using a change in the paradigm regarding how industry does business, The Green Institute is joining with developments across the country that are putting together Eco-Industrial Parks which use closed loop production systems to reduce waste and emissions generated from manufacturing processes. Using renewable energy, both solar and wind, presents challenges both in the integration of systems on this small site and the educational opportunities with a ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

This conference and trade show provided a forum to present new, emerging and existing technologies that will play a key role in ensuring that hydrocarbon exploitation occurs in a sustainable manner, where costs and resource recovery are optimized while minimizing environmental impacts. The challenge of developing maturing basins, frontier lands and unconventional resources was discussed. In particular, the application of thermal recovery methods such as steam assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) for the in-situ recovery of heavy oils and bitumens was reviewed and compared with the performance of alternative enhanced energy recovery technologies such as vapor extraction (VAPEX). The conference was attended by local and international participants in the petroleum sector, including managers, engineers, technologists, geologists, and other petroleum industry specialists. The conference featured 132 presentations addressing topics such as improved ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Water injection into a vapor-dominated geothermal reservoir is an effective method of sustaining steam production from the field. Injection puts additional water to the reservoir and raises the prevailing reservoir pressure. This process improves the field`s productivity. However, the increased pressure also increases the water retention capacity of the reservoir rocks through the effects of adsorption and capillary condensation. Due to the significant costs associated with water injection programs, optimizing injection not only involves maximizing the energy yield from the resource but also the present worth of the project. Two crucial parameters that need to be established are: (1) how much to inject; and, (2) when to inject it. This study investigated the optimal design of these parameters. It was found that comparable energy yield can be attained for injection programs that are initiated at various stages of the field`s development. Higher ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This report deals with the renewable energies and the local development called the territory intelligence in action. Taking into account the place of the electricity in the french energy accounting and the part of the nuclear in its production, the local authorities have to act in the heat domain, which is the first energy need in France, far in front of the specific electricity (those which cannot be replace by other type of energy). But 80% of the heat is today covered by fossil energies. No actions to change this situation will be done without a real implication of the local government. The authors preconize an ambitious objective: cover 50% of the heat needs from renewable energies in the next generat This objective must rely on a program called ''alternative energies''. In this framework the authors provide recommendations on the implementation of the renewable energies as an essential challenge for the local authorities. ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The focus of the present Great Lakes water quality agreement between Canada and the United States is on transboundary pollution and particularly the injury to health and property from exposures to persistent toxic substances. Several scientists and policy advisors have suggested, on the basis of the Ecosystem Approach and systems theory, that the agenda should move on to other demanding topics, such as the introduction of exotic species, biodiversity, habitat restoration, fisheries management, sustainable development, and governance of the Great Lakes basin. None of these issues, however, poses the same scale of threat to national sovereignty and bilateral interests as does transboundary pollution. Thus, none warrants the degree of attention that has been and should be paid, despite declining budgets, to assessing and controlling releases of persistent toxic substances that continue to injure fish, wildlife, and human health. Instead, it is ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chemical admixtures are used in dam construction to improve plasticity of the dry materials mixture over time. Roller compacted concrete (RCC) has been used on many dam projects in China. However, the use of RCC has frequently resulted in water reduction problems. This paper provided details of an admixture based on polycarboxylate ether (PCE) which was developed to improve the quality of RCC constructions at the JinHong dam in China. Use of the polymer at the JinHong dam resulted in a vibration sensitive concrete that was sustained over time. Under identical mix-design and compaction conditions in the laboratory, specific gravity of the RCC was increased from 2417 kg/m{sup 3} to 2463 kg/m{sup 3}. The high specific gravity of the material resulted in satisfactory strength data from the dam project. The key-ratio of the splitting tensile strength versus compressive strength was higher than 8 per cent in all cases. A key advantage of the tailored ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The aim of this paper is to analyse the role that the Japanese Government has played in the development of alternatives to conventional vehicles, the effect of government programmes, and the importance of technical flexibility in government support schemes. The focus is on battery-powered electric vehicles (BPEVs), hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), and fuel cell electric vehicles. The effects of government policy and the process of innovation are analysed from a systems approach drawing on the literature regarding technical change and innovation. The whole chain of government support, including the context in which these different policies have been implemented since the early 1970s, is studied. The Japanese Government has adopted a comprehensive strategy including R and D, demonstration programmes and market support guided by long-term strategic plans. The role of the Government has been that of a conductor in the development process supplying ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Abstract Questions: How important is the choice of flow routing algorithm with respect to application of topographic wetness index (TWI) in vegetation ecology? Which flow routing algorithms are preferable for application in vegetation ecology? Location: Forests in three different regions of the Czech Republic. Methods: We used vegetation data from 521 georeferenced plots, recently sampled in a wide range of forest communities. From a digital elevation model, we calculated 11 variations of TWI for each plot with 11 different flow routing algorithms. We evaluated the performance of differently calculated TWI by (1) Spearman rank correlation with average Ellenberg indicator values for soil moisture, (2) Mantel correlation coefficient between dissimilarities of species composition and dissimil...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

An overview of climatic factors and impact relative to river ice engineering and science is presented. An explanation of the fundamentals of climatic change is followed by a review of direct and indirect climatic influences that govern river ice breakup and related trends. Known responses of river ice to climatic change and potential future changes to ice breakup processes are described along with the probable ecological and socio-economic consequences of these changes. Changes in engineering approaches to accommodate the present ice regime and predicted changes in climatic variables that affect river ice processes and reduce the vulnerability of infrastructure and ecosystems to climatic change are examined. Future research on the links between river ice and stream ecology is suggested to identify ecological concerns that may result from changes in river ice regimes induced by climatic change. 60 refs., 3 figs.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The divertor 'Large Project' was conceived with the aim of demonstrating the feasibility of meeting the lifetime requirements by employing the candidate armor materials of beryllium, tungsten (W) and carbon-fiber-composite (CFC). At the start, there existed only limited experience with constructing water-cooled high heat flux armored components for tokamaks. To this was added the complication posed by the need to use a silver-free joining technique that avoids the transmutation of n-irradiated silver to cadmium. The research project involving the four Home Teams (HTs) has focused on the design, development, manufacture and testing of full-scale Plasma Facing Components (PFCs) suitable for ITER. The task addressed all the issues facing ITER divertor design, such as providing adequate armor erosion lifetime, meeting the required armor-heat sink joint lifetime and heat sink fatigue life, sustaining thermal-hydraulic and electromechanical loads, ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The International Project on Innovative Nuclear Reactors and Fuel Cycles (INPRO) was launched in the year 2000, based on a resolution by the IAEA General Conference (GC(44)/RES/21). INPRO intends to help to ensure that nuclear energy is available in the 21st century in a sustainable manner, and seeks to bring together all interested Member States, both technology holders and technology users, to consider, jointly, actions to achieve desired innovations. INPRO is taking care of the specific needs of developing countries. This IAEA publication is part of Phase 1 of INPRO. It intends to provide an overview on history, present situation and future perspectives of nuclear fuel cycle technologies. While this overview focuses on technical issues, nevertheless, the aspects of economics, environment, and safety and proliferation resistance are important background issues for this study. After a brief description about the INPRO project and an evaluation ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Between 1970 and 1981, 348 patients underwent definitive irradiation. Of these patients 6 (1.7 per cent) sustained severe rectal injury as manifest by major rectal bleeding, rectal stricture, rectal mucosal slough and rectal ulceration. Severe rectal injury was observed in 0 of 13 patients (0 per cent) treated with 125iodine, 3 of 329 (1 per cent) treated with 6,400 to 6,800 rad external irradiation, 2 of 39 (5 per cent) treated with 7,000 to 7,300 rad external irradiation, and 1 of 7 (14 per cent) treated with 198gold and external irradiation. The impact of radiation dose, radiation therapy technique and surgical trauma was assessed. Rectal injury was managed by supportive measures in 2 patients and by diverting colostomy in 3 with benefit. One patient underwent abdominoperineal resection. A small bowel fistula and an intra-abdominal abscess developed, and the patient died.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This Conference is a key technology transfer activity supported by the ongoing Combustion Equipment Technology (Oil-Heat R and D) program at BNL, and is aimed at providing a forum for the exchange of information among international researchers, engineers, manufacturers, and marketers of oil-fired space-conditioning equipment. The objectives of the Conference were to: identify and evaluate the state-of-the-art and recommend new initiatives for higher efficiency, a cleaner environment, and to satisfy consumer needs cost-effectively, reliably, and safely; and foster cooperation among federal and industrial representatives with the common goal of sustained national economic growth and energy security via energy conservation. The 1996 Oil Technology Conference comprised: (a) fourteen technical papers, and (b) four workshops which focused on mainstream issues in oil-heating technology, namely: oilheat research agenda forum; fan atomized burner commercialization, ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Attacks by herbivorous insects reduce biomass production in willow plantations. The long-term goal of our research is to develop sustainable plant protection against these insect pests. Two lines of research are pursued. The first concentrates on identifying factors involved in the regulation of leaf-eating beetles. These insects vary in density among plantations, sometimes reaching outbreak levels resulting in complete defoliation. Mortality factors of eggs and larvae in plantations with low and high beetle densities have been investigated. The importance of plant resistance has also been investigated. The second line of research considers the mechanisms behind an earlier demonstrated resistance in certain willow clones against a gall midge. By using molecular techniques we have searched for markers of resistance. Promising results have been found concerning so called PR proteins; in particular chitinase seems to be present in high activities ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nuclear energy provides a third of Europe's electricity with nearly no greenhouse-gas emissions. Sustained efforts are now being conducted to harmonize regulations all over Europe through WENRA and to converge on technical nuclear safety practices within the TSO network ETSON (European Technical Safety Organizations Network). In CANDU type NPP the tritiated water occurs by the neutron bombardment of deuterium. The tritiated water vapors imply health hazard (in the critical organs of the body the water presents a 10 day average biological half-life) and the early detection in nuclear plants of tritium emissions is important because the tritiated water vapors have the same characteristics as of atmospheric water vapors. By detecting tritiated vapors, the monitoring system ensures the following objectives: (a) indicates levels of tritium generally due to heavy water leakage, (b) reduces the possibility of health hazard. In order to attain this goal of safety function, ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This document outlines the Maintenance Implementation Plan (MIP) for the Plutonium Finishing Plant (PFP) located at the Hanford site at Richland, Washington. This MIP describes the PFP maintenance program relative to DOE order 4330.4B. The MIP defines the key actions needed to meet the guidelines of the Order to produce a cost-effective and efficient maintenance program. A previous report identified the presence of significant quantities of Pu-bearing materials within PFP that pose risks to workers. PFP`s current mission is to develop, install and operate processes which will mitigate these risks. The PFP Maintenance strategy is to equip the facility with systems and equipment able to sustain scheduled PFP operations. The current operating run is scheduled to last seven years. Activities following the stabilization operation will involve an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to determine future plant activities. This strategy includes ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

First, attention is paid to the development and use of new construction techniques, including the use of new building materials, e.g. synthetic materials and the so-called steel frame method. Next, the reduction of the energy consumption during the service life of a house is discussed. The reduction can be realized by means of passive methods, e.g. improved windows, thermal insulation and design, or by means of active methods, e.g. electric load monitoring. The information in this article mainly concerns the housing construction in the USA and Canada. The purpose of this article to contribute to the discussion in the Netherlands on innovation in the building technology, e.g. formulated in the report `Bouwvisie 2010` (Vision on Buildings for the year 2010) of the Dutch Advisory Board Technology Policy for the Building Industry (ARTB, abbreviated in Dutch) and the building technology policy of the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs (EZ). 4 figs., 2 tabs., 23 refs.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Red mud is a by-product of the alkaline extraction of aluminum from the bauxite and represents a renewed environmental problem due the significant annual throughput by the plants. In the present work, the pozzolanic properties of Brazilian red mud fired at 600, 700, 800 and 900 deg C were investigated by monitoring lime consumption using DTA analysis and Brazilian standard methodology NBR 5772 (1992). Products and kinetics of hydration were determined in cement pastes produced with 5 and 15% red mud using x-ray diffraction and DTA analysis. Compressive strength and capillary absorption tests were realized on mortars constituted by 5, 10 and 15% red mud in replacement of cement. When calcined at 600 deg C, the red mud develops good pozzolanic properties, and the compressive strength of mortars produced with this waste meet values in accordance with regulatory standard. These results shown than red mud can be used, in partial replacement of cement, as new ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Electron trapping in crossed electric and magnetic fields is an important mechanism by which electrical discharges can develop in low pressure gases. The authors report observations of discharges produced by this mechanism around a spherical anode in two space simulation chambers, namely the Space Plasma Interaction Experiment (SPIE) at the University of Maryland, and the NASA-Lewis B-2 chamber. They have identified two types of discharges in these experiments. In the B-2 chamber, the breakdown takes the form of a runaway dischage with spherical topology, limited only by the ability of the power supply to provide the current. In the SPIE chamber this type of discharge also occurs, in addition to a low current toroidal discharge which is observed at higher magnetic fields. They present measurements of both types of discharge and show how the trapping effect of the magnetic field together with secondary electron emission by high energy ion bombardment of the chamber ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This paper investigates the relationship between economic growth and pollutant emissions for a small and open developing country, Tunisia, during the period 1961-2004. The investigation is made on the basis of the environmental Kuznets curve hypothesis, using time series data and cointegration analysis. Carbon dioxide (CO{sub 2}) and sulfur dioxide (SO{sub 2}) are used as the environmental indicators, and GDP as the economic indicator. Our results show that there is a long-run cointegrating relationship between the per capita emissions of two pollutants and the per capita GDP. An inverted U relationship between SO{sub 2} emissions and GDP has been found, with income turning point approximately equals to $1200 (constant 2000 prices) or to $3700 (in PPP, constant 2000 prices). However, a monotonically increasing relationship with GDP is found more appropriate for CO{sub 2} emissions. Furthermore, the causality results show that the relationship between income and ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This paper investigates the relationship between economic growth and pollutant emissions for a small and open developing country, Tunisia, during the period 1961-2004. The investigation is made on the basis of the environmental Kuznets curve hypothesis, using time series data and cointegration analysis. Carbon dioxide (CO{sub 2}) and sulfur dioxide (SO{sub 2}) are used as the environmental indicators, and GDP as the economic indicator. Our results show that there is a long-run cointegrating relationship between the per capita emissions of two pollutants and the per capita GDP. An inverted U relationship between SO{sub 2} emissions and GDP has been found, with income turning point approximately equals to 1200 (constant 2000 prices) or to 3700 (in PPP, constant 2000 prices). However, a monotonically increasing relationship with GDP is found more appropriate for CO{sub 2} emissions. Furthermore, the causality results show that the relationship between income and ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Human resource competence building and continued enhancement of performance is the most vital input for safe and reliable operations of a Nuclear Power Plant. Integrated planning leading to the decision of timely selection of optimum number of fresh people and deployment of experienced manpower with desired lead time is inevitable to achieve the above objective. For safe and reliable plant operation human performance analysis followed by suggestive measures to improve the same is needed. Corrective or strengthening input may be in terms of training, work environment, motivations, organizational culture and climate, leadership and prevailing environmental force and bio-rhythm of individuals with critical days are to be worked out The adequacy in training and development not only gives safe and reliable plant operations but results in greater employee satisfaction and self esteem as well. As of date, in the present vibrant global scenario, only the organization which ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Radiation necrosis of normal CNS tissue represents one of the main risk factors of brain irradiation, occurring more frequently and earlier at higher total doses and higher doses per fraction. At present, it is believed that the necrosis results due to increasing capillary permeability caused by cytokine release leading to extracellular edema. This process is sustained by endothelial dysfunction, tissue hypoxia, and subsequent necrosis. Consequently, blocking the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) at an early stage could be an option to reduce the development of radiation necrosis by decreasing the vascular permeability. This might help to reverse the pathological mechanisms, improve the symptoms and prevent further progression. A patient with radiation-induced necrosis was treated with an anti-VEGF antibody (bevacizumab), in whom neurologic signs and symptoms improved in accordance with a decrease in T1-weighted fluid-attenuated ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Based on preliminary studies, some conclusions can be drawn concerning the Accelerator Fuel Enricher and Fission Product Exterminator (APEX). APEX-1 and APEX-2 systems can destroy TU's, /sup 137/Cs, and /sup 90/Sr at acceptable cost and efficiency. The principal difference between APEX-1 and APEX-2 is the in-reactor and in-circuit inventory of /sup 137/Cs and /sup 90/Sr. Stable and low hazard wastes can be disposed of by burial. Accelerator breeders can effectively sustain a fission reactor economy indefinitely. Military waste can be blended into commercial fuel cycle for transmutation. Accelerator and target technologies appear practical and could be developed in a few years. More detailed studies are needed to better define the technical and economic features of the LAFER and APEX cycles, so that comparative assessments can be made between these cycles, as well as with other transmutation and waste disposal concepts.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

This Environmental Assessment (EA) reviews the environmental consequences associated with the proposed action of granting a site use permit to construct and operate a conference center on an approximately 70-acre tract of land on the Savannah River Site (SRS). While the proposed action requires an administrative decision by DOE, this EA reviews the linked action of physically constructing and operating a conference center. The SRS is a DOE-owned nuclear production facility encompassing approximately 200,000 acres in southwestern South Carolina. The proposed conference center would have an area of approximately 4,000 square feet, and would infrequently accommodate as many as 150 people, with the average being about 20 people per day. In addition to the No-Action alternative, under which the Research Foundation would not require the 70-acre tract of SRS land for a conference center, this EA considers site preservation. Under Site Preservation only minimal activities necessary to the SRS ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The issue of projecting policies ensuring appropriate energy supply in the future has become more important in Germany after conclusion of the agreement on a long-term nuclear power phase-out. A recent comparative analysis of a selection of scientific studies forecasting the implications of a nuclear power phase-out has shown that there is demand for more studies examining the issue in greater detail, and on the basis of an enlarged scope of research topics. Hence the present study, intended as a preliminary analysis, will investigate the potential, conditions of successful application, conceivable support schemes, and effects of those policy options that in any case, apart from the nuclear power phase-out scenario, are of essential importance in the context of building the proper conditions for sustainable development of Germany's energy sector. The options and strategies examined are: stepping up energy efficiency programmes and ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Scour around offshore structures is well known. It is caused by the strong eddy formation at the base of the structures protruding from the sea bottom. The strong vortices result in an amplified effective shear stress working on the sea bottom surface adjacent to the structure. When the surrounding sea bottom is lowered the scour protection will end up being a cap on a small hill and when the slopes are getting too steep the scour protection will roll or slide down the sides. It will loose its cohesion and therefore its integrity. This will take place irrespective of the type of scour protection material and the type of scour protection. This report describes scour protections, which can deal with this particular problem. Such a scour protection must be able to sustain the following loads: Be able to follow the lowering of the seabed on its way down; Be resistant to edge scour (scour around the perimeter of the scour protection). The installation of scour ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The advantages offered by green roofs range from improvement in architectural and landscape aesthetics to reductions in building energy costs. Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) is encouraging sustainable community development through new policies and regulations that promote green roof installation on public and commercial rooftops in Seattle's urban center. An understanding of climate-specific green roof performance is required in order to develop an accurate representation of the stormwater benefits of green roofs. This paper explored the relative importance of green roofs in storm water management and low impact development (LID) in various areas of Seattle. It also examined the relative effectiveness and applicability of green roofs under various conditions and in various parts of the city compared to other LID strategies such as Seattle's natural drainage systems (NDS) designs, ...

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Ecological investigations were made of habitats containing natural populations of the snail Oncomelania hupensis quadrasi and of habitats free from the snail in the island of Leyte,...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Although deep-sea cephalopods are key marine organims, their feeding ecology remains essentially unknown. Here, we report for the first time the trophic structure of an assemblage of these animals (19...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

The scaling of reproductive parameters to body size is important for understanding ecological and evolutionary patterns. Here, we derived allometric relationships for the number and mass of seeds, eggs...Full Text Available

Wastenet

... 12, 2007 | Rate It Distribution and Variety of Equatorial Rain Forest , The http://www.esd.ornl.gov/projects/qen/rainfo.html (3 votes) an in depth examination of ecological patterns in rainforests from the Oak Ridge National Laboratory Added: Mar. 17, 2001 ...

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Pyrethroid insecticides have been extensively used in China and worldwide for public health pest control. Accurate resistance monitoring is essential to guide the rational use of insecticides and resistance...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Evolutionary biologists have long been fascinated by both the ways in which species respond to ecological conditions at the edges of their geographic ranges and the way that species' body sizes evolve...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

• Background and Aims Although mangroves have been extensively studied, little is known about their ecological wood anatomy. This investigation examined the potential use of...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

The effective population size (N_e) is an important parameter in ecology, evolutionary biology and conservation biology. It is, however, notoriously difficult to estimate,...Full Text Available

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Air pollution abatement measures are not an end in themselves, and undesirable side effects should be taken into account. The proposed emission index takes into account the total emissions caused by a technical project as well as the effects of the individual pollutants.

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

While pleiotropic adaptive mutations are thought to be central for evolution, little is known on the downstream molecular effects allowing adaptation to complex ecologically relevant environments. Here...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

BackgroundComplex situations that follow war and natural disasters have a psychosocial impact on not only the individual but also on the family, community and society. Just as the...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are obligate biotrophs, known to play an important role in ecological processes. Conventional light microscopy is the most common method used to detect their presence...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

BackgroundThe order Tetraodontiformes consists of approximately 429 species of fishes in nine families. Members of the order exhibit striking morphological diversity and radiated...Full Text Available

Science.gov (United States)

... the political charisma to compete with support of heavy divisions until recently. ... 82nd Airborne Division, the 101st Air Assault Division, the ...

Wastenet

... Database listings you may be interested in: 3rd Party Reviewed Listings Sustainable Industrial Paper Strap - Natural & White High strength, sustainable, recyclable paper strap SDF Strapping, Inc. High Graphics Litho Lam Corrugated High Graphics Corrugated Packaging (Litho-Lam) Accurate Box Company, Inc. EcoSystem Packaging Solution Starch-based loosefill packing peanut system StarchTech GreenChoice 100 100% recycled, clay-coated paperboard Strathcona Paper, L.P. Greener Package Database! comprehensive sustainability data on packaging materials searchable by converted package or raw material standardizes reporting of sustainability claims many ...

Science.gov (United States)

... 124 Headquarters, 82nd Airborne Division, 82nd Airborne Division Airborne Standing Operating Procedures ... the Light Infantry divisions during the ...

Science.gov (United States)

Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic,. Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, .... Another study on ESA industry and partners: in relation with sustainability of ...

Science.gov (United States)

consider applying the requirements of MIL-STD-2073-1. 5.2.5. Sustainability. Because of the design control the. Government has had over. XIL-SPEC designs, ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The role of natural enemies in the regulation of populations is one of the major questions facing population ecologists. Simplification have led to two theoretical ways of incorporating the role of natural enemies in single ecological models: diffusion models and patch-type models. The predictions of the models are different because of the way variability is incorporated. Three equations are presented for diffusion models and one for patch models. Since the two types of models apply at different combinations of spatial and temporal scales, the right model(s) to choose for a particular study requires careful assessment. A continuing dialogue between experimentalists and theoreticians will lead to a better understanding of natural systems such as those that occur in biological control.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Based upon the existing regulatory cleanup criteria, remediation of this wetlands was proposed by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and Energy (NJDEPE). This remedial process would have totally destroyed a thriving Old Field Wetlands. Site-Specific evaluation of the chemicals of potential concern (CPC), remaining source areas, potential environmental fate and transport (EF and T), toxicology (including oral absorption and bioaccumulation) and potential land use scenarios were conducted. It was determined that although the analytical chemistry data reported soil concentrations of arsenic, the compound used by the facility and discharged to the wetlands sediments was in fact gallium arsenide. Secondly, all remaining source areas and hot spots had previously been remediated. Vertical migration to soils had not progressed past a depth of 3 feet and groundwater/surface water did not contain significantly elevated concentrations of gallium arsenide. In comparison to ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The position paper will provide the basis for further strategies on offshore wind power development in consideration of ecological and conservation aspects. [German] Das Positionspapier des Bundesministeriums fuer Umwelt, Naturschutz und Reaktorsicherheit (BMU) einschliesslich des Umweltbundesamtes (UBA) und des Bundesamtes fuer Naturschutz (BfN) ist Ergebnis der Arbeiten der BMU-Projektgruppe 'Windenergienutzung im Offshore-Bereich im Hinblick auf die BMU-Anliegen'. Es beschreibt den derzeitigen Stand einer Strategie zur umwelt- und naturvertraeglichen Erschliessung der Windenergienutzung auf See (Offshore). Es bildet die Grundlage fuer die Weiterentwicklung dieser Strategie und dabei insbesondere zur Abstimmung mit den Anliegen anderer Bundesressorts und den Kuestenlaendern, sowie zur intensiveren Einbeziehung beteiligter Verbaende und Fachkreise. Vor dem Hintergrund der zur Genehmigung eingereichten Antraege fuer ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Richmond Harbor is on the eastern shoreline of central San Francisco Bay and its access channels and several of the shipping berths are no longer wide or deep enough to accommodate modem deeper-draft vessels. The Water Resources Development Act of 1986 (PL99-662) authorized the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), San Francisco District to deepen and widen the navigation channels in Richmond Harbor. Several options for disposal of the material from this dredging project are under consideration by USACE: disposal within San Francisco Bay, at open-ocean disposal sites, or at uplands disposal sites. Purpose of this study was to conduct comprehensive evaluations, including chemical, biological, and bioaccumulation testing of sediments in selected areas of Richmond Harbor. This information was required by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and USACE. Battelle/Marine Sciences Laboratory collected 20 core samples, both 4-in. and 12-in., to a project depth of -40 ft ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Large-scale decommissioning of Russian nuclear-powered submarines (NPS) and their utilization prospects gave rise to numerous complicated scientific and technical, as well as economic, problems. Problems of handling of radioactive equipment from the reactor compartments (RC) are among the vital ones, arousing a growing concern with the public. Without solution of the problems the processes of NPS utilization can not be considered completed. It involves potential hazard, for the environment both from NPS being paid up (temporal on-float storage) with unloaded spent nuclear fuel (SNF), and RC, cut from submarine hull, containing highly radioactive equipment and materials but no SNF. Diverse variations of the concept of reactor compartment handling of NPS subject to, utilization are possible, but, in principle, there are essentially two variants: (1) RC utilization directly in the course of NPS utilization, envisaging removal of radioactive equipment from the reactor compartment and its ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nuclear power in Romania was initiated on the basis of CANDU reactor type technology, an option found to fulfill the requirements for a sustainable economic development, to support the electric energy demand of the country and to ensure the population and environment protection. The construction of the Cernavoda NPP was heavily based on the Romanian industry participation and basic and applied nuclear research national resources. The experience acquired from Cernavoda NPP Unit 1 will be fructified in the construction of Units 2-5 to be built. The Romanian Ministry of Education and Research implemented a nuclear national program for research and development taking into account the European Union requirements and recommendations, the cooperation with the IAEA - Vienna and the Romanian government policy on short and medium terms in the nuclear field. The research-development program targeted: the reactor ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The main aim of the project is to model the energy wood business and total logistics in a certain large region. First, wood utilisation locations inside this area are examined; the most important ones are the wood processing factories, and the heating- and power plants. After that, wood potentials in the forests of the area are evaluated in sub-areas suitable in size and sufficiently detailed for further evaluations. For that purpose, the most valuable source data are forest management plans, up to ten years forward, on which basis the wood fuel potentials can be evaluated following sustainable development. In Finland there are extensive and detailed data bases storing forest information and it is possible to collect necessary data for a data base applicable to our calculations. In logistical sense it is important to know, by which delivery chains the economically best and desired results are achieved. The software prototype based on data base ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Herbivores and pathogens impact the species composition, ecosystem function, and socioeconomic value of forests. Herbivores and pathogens are an integral part of forests, but sometimes produce undesirable effects and a degradation of forest resources. In the United States, a few species of forest pests routinely have significant impacts on up to 20 million ha of forest with economic costs that probably exceed $1 billion/year. Climatic change could alter patterns of disturbance from herbivores and pathogens through: (1) direct effects on the development and survival of herbivores and pathogens; (2) physiological changes in tree defenses; and (3) indirect effects from changes in the abundance of natural enemies (e.g. parasitoids of insect herbivores), mutualists (e.g. insect vectors of tree pathogens), and competitors. Because of their short life cycles, mobility, reproductive potential, and physiological sensitivity to temperature, even modest climate change will ...

Science.gov (United States)

Accurate crop growth monitoring and yield forecasting are significant to food security and sustainable development of agriculture. However, regional crop growth simulation faces the difficulties in determining the spatial distribution of some model parameters and initial conditions. In this study, regional biomasses at turn-green stage of winter wheat were re-estimated by linking WOFOST model and Soil Adjusted Vegetation Index (SAVI) synthesized from remote sensing data. Moreover, we proposed a way of combining evapotranspiration derived from satellite remote sensing data to crop grow simulation model. Thus, the regional initial available soil water and irrigation at earring stage were re-initialized and re-estimated by using remote sensing data. Those methods were well applied to simulate the growth and development for winter wheat at local site. After regionalizing of weather data, crop model parameters and initial ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

In the present work, the introduction of alternative energy of biogas in agricultural communities for the sustainable development was studied through exploitation of residual biomass and also getting as by-product the biological fertilizer. A fast composting of the domestic residue with the organic was made possible where part of this residue after processing was taken together with effluent to the biodigester. The bibliographical research on the processes of generation of biogas, about composting and the equipment for processing had been carried through. The projects engineering with the use of computational tools had been developed with the software Super Pro 4,9 Design and ORC GPEC 2004 by our research group. Five case studies had been elaborated, where different scenes related with our innovation, that uses of the residue for the composting together with domestic effluent for digestion. Several economic parameters were ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vacuum insulation panels (VIP) offer excellent thermal resistance properties that can enhance the energy efficiency of insulating systems, save space and contribute to energy consumption reductions. However, VIPs are not used much in Canada, and new commitments to carbon dioxide reductions has created the need to study the prospect of using VIPs in various components of a building envelope. For that reason, assessment methods for the applicability and sustainability of VIPs for use in building envelope construction were developed. There are practical aspects regarding the long-term performance and application of VIPs in building construction. Air molecules and water molecules can permeate through the foil and seams of the VIPs, causing a reduction in thermal resistance. This paper addresses some of the test methods that may accelerate long term changes in thermal resistance. Results were presented from tests using elevated pressure, relative ...