Mixture Of Charcoal Research Articles

Removing the N and P in Dairy Effluent using Multi-Soil-Layer (MSL) Systems

The disposal of untreated dairy wastewater in Hawaii is a current concern because of possible contamination of surface, subsurface, and coastal water as well as increasing treatment costs resulting in the closure of many dairies. The objective of this study was to quantify the effectiveness of Multi-Soil-Layer (MSL) systems in removing nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) from the dairy effluent and to explore ways to increase MSL efficiency. Four MSL systems were constructed with replications of two treatments. Treatments were commercial Perlite or the Leilehua soil in the aerobic layer. A mixture of charcoal, sawdust, iron filings, and Honouliuli soil comprised the anaerobic layer in both treatments. Untreated dairy effluent was applied to each system at a flow rate of 505 L m-2 d-1 over a 4-month period. During the study, the removal of phosphate ranged 94% to 97% by the Leilehua MSL system in contrast to 47% to 97% by the Perlite MSL system. Effluent nitrogen (N) consisted of 98% ammonium and about 1% nitrate. Total inorganic N removal ranged 51% to 93% for the Leilehua and 46% to 96% for the Perlite MSL system. The results indicate that MSL systems can be effective in removing inorganic N and phosphate from dairy effluent. The MSL systems can be economical because of the nominal cost of the material used and the small amount of space needed.

Improving multi-soil-layer (MSL) system remediation of dairy effluent

Dairy effluent disposal is a serious problem in the Hawaiian Islands. Dairies often establish multiple settling lagoons to accumulate and store effluent. Occasionally, the overflow of lagoons leads to the transfer of nutrients, such as nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P), and other contaminants, to hydrologically associated surface, subsurface, and coastal waters. This study was conducted to assess the removal of inorganic N and phosphate in dairy effluent using multi-soil-layer (MSL) systems. Four MSL systems were constructed with two replications of two treatments, which were Perlite and the Leilehua soil. Both materials were used separately for forming an aerobic layer in the MSL systems, whereas an anaerobic layer was formed from a mixture of charcoal, sawdust, iron filings and Honouliuli soil. The results of this study revealed that the removal of inorganic N was similar for the Leilehua and Perlite MSL system, which was 22–93% and 21–96%, respectively. Phosphate removal was higher in the Leilehua MSL system (64–99%) compared to the Perlite MSL system (9–97%). Additional aeration increased the removal of phosphate by the Leilehua MSL system. Sucrose application with a constant rate of aeration increased the removal of inorganic N both in the Leilehua and Perlite MSL systems and increased phosphate removal in the Perlite MSL system. The study demonstrated that MSL systems have the potential to remove high percentages of inorganic N and phosphate in dairy effluent enabling reuse of the water.

Improving the Palatability of Activated Charcoal in Pediatric Patients

To compare the taste preference and ease of swallowing of activated charcoal among healthy teenagers when mixed separately with 3 different additives: chocolate milk, Coca-Cola, and water. Healthy volunteers between 14 to 19 years of age were selected for the study. Five grams of activated charcoal (25 mL of 0.2 g/mL of Charcodote [Pharma Science, Montreal, Canada]) was mixed with 25 mL of chocolate milk, Coca-Cola, or water individually to make up 50 mL. The volunteers drank the 3 cups of the charcoal-additive mixture separately and then rated taste and ease of swallowing on a 10-cm visual analogue scale. The subjects then indicated their preferred charcoal-additive mixture if he/she had to drink 9 more portions of charcoal (this would estimate the dose of charcoal for a 50-kg child). A total of 44 subjects were recruited (25 boys and 19 girls). The mean scores for taste preference for chocolate milk, Coca-Cola, and water mixtures of charcoal were 5.5, 6.3, and 2.0, respectively, on a 10-cm visual analogue scale. Thus, subjects preferred the taste of charcoal mixed with chocolate milk or Coca-Cola over charcoal mixed with water (P = 0.0003 for both comparisons). The subjects did not show a statistically significant difference for ease of swallowing between the 3 charcoal-additive mixtures. Overall, 48% preferred the chocolate milk mixture, 45% preferred the Coca-Cola mixture, and 7% preferred charcoal mixed with water. Healthy teenaged subjects identified that activated charcoal (Charcodote) mixed with chocolate milk or Coca-Cola (in a 1:1 ratio) improved taste but had no significant effect on improving ease of swallowing. Overall, the addition of chocolate milk or coke improves the palatability of charcoal and is favored over charcoal mixed with water alone.

Effect of Different Kinds of Environmental Freindly Materials on the Growth of Rice

Over last three decades, farming system has been directed to maximize agricultural production and to increase farmer’s income through adoption of high–yielding crop varieties with high input of agro–chemicals (Yoo, 1999). These farming practices have resulted in many problems like food safety, soil fertility, and deterioration of fresh and underground water–quality (Bouwnan, 1990; Duxbury and Moiser, 1993; Jones and Schwab, 1993). Loess soil being one of the important economic consequences of quaternary environmental change, in that it resulted in large areas of soil that have an agriculturally more favorable particle size distribution and mineralogical composition than other common sediment types and also plays an important role in maintaining yields of arable crops (Catt, 2001). Although the environment is very important, no use of fertilizers and agricultural chemicals causes significant yield loss in rice production (Ku et al., 1999). Thus, environmental–friendly agricultural practice has been drawing a global attention as a promising alternative for sustainable food production. Lately circulated environmental–friendly agricultural materials include microbial products, amino acids, pyroligneous acid, charcoal, mixture of charcoal with pyroligneous acid (MCPA), chitosan and brown rice vinegar etc (Choi, 1998). Loess soils are among the most fertile soils in the world, principally because the abundance of silt particles ensures good water supply, aeration, root penetration, and seedbed production (Catt, 2001). Research reports indicate favorable effects of MCPA and charcoal in improving soil productivity and yield in crops such as sweet potato, sorghum, melon, sugarcane (Tsuzuki et al., 1993; Uddin et al., 1994; Shibayama et al., 1998). However, there have been no attempts for the application of these materials on paddy soil and loess “Hwangto” for rice, which is one of the most important crops in Asia. Therefore, this study was carried out to investigate the effect of environmentally–friendly materials treated in paddy soils and loess soil “Hwangto” on the growth and yield of rice.

Structure and properties of diffusion layers formed on alloy steels due to carburizing in activated charcoal mixtures

Processes of thermochemical treatment of tools, accessories, and parts from alloy steels, which make it possible to form wear-resistant carbide diffusion layers by high-temperature carburizing in a solid carburizer based on charcoal mixtures and activating nitrogen-bearing additives in the form of carbamide and versene, are described.

Bench-scale and packed bed sorption of methylene blue using treated olive pomace and charcoal

A combination of olive pomace after solvent extraction and charcoal produced from the solid waste of olive oil press industry was used as an adsorbent for the removal of methylene blue (MB) dye from aqueous solutions. Batch tests showed that up to 80% of dye was removed when the dye concentration was 10 mg/ml and the sorbent concentration was 45 mg/ml. An increase in the olive pomace concentration resulted in greater dye removal from aqueous solution, and an increase in MB dye concentration at constant adsorbent concentration increased the dye loading per unit weigh of adsorbent. In the kinetic of the adsorbent process, the adsorption data followed the second-order kinetic model better than first order kinetic model. Charcoal showed higher sorption capacity (uptake) than that of olive pomace. In the fixed bed adsorption experiment, the breakthrough curves showed constant pattern behavior, typical of favorable isotherms. The breakthrough time increased with increasing bed height, decreasing flow rate and decreasing influent concentration and methylene blue dye uptake. The uptake of MB dye was significantly increased when a mixture of olive pomace and charcoal was packed in the column in a multi-layer fashion. Different models were used to describe the behavior of this packed-sorption process.

Experimental Determination of the Extinction Coefficient for a Packed-Bed Particulate Medium

The extinction coefficient of a powder mixture of ZnO and beech charcoal is determined at ambient temperature using two experimental set-ups: (a) radiation in the range 500–1000 nm is captured by a 200 μm-diameter fiber optic and sent to a spectrometer equipped with a Si/PbSe detector; (b) radiation in the range 350–1100 nm is captured by a 5 mm-diameter Si-photodiode. Both set-ups measure the attenuation of intensity from a 3273 K blackbody source. The experimental results are implemented in the numerical solution of the equation of radiative transfer, using the Monte-Carlo ray-tracing technique. The extinction coefficient is determined to be 10103 ± 615 m−1 at 1000 nm using set up (a), and 7850 ± 337 m−1 for the range 350–1100 nm using the more accurate set-up (b).

Out-of-hospital administration of activated charcoal by emergency medical services

We assess the feasibility of activated charcoal provided by emergency medical services (EMS). This was a 12-month follow-up study on the feasibility of a newly introduced protocol to administer activated charcoal by EMS to acutely poisoned patients before arrival at the hospital. Administration of activated charcoal (50 g or 1 g/kg orally or by nasogastric tube) was considered in 2,047 patients with acute poisoning. Main outcome measures were success rate and elapsed times in and adverse effects of administering charcoal. Activated charcoal was considered to be an indication for 722 patients (35% of the study population) and was administered to 555 patients. Median elapsed time from poison ingestion to activated charcoal administration was 88 minutes, and median time from activated charcoal administration to hospital arrival was 20 minutes. Activated charcoal was not given to 101 (15.4%) patients, although considered indicated, because of patient refusal (n=72), inability to ingest a charcoal mixture (n=23), technical problems (n=4), or recommendation by the hospital after telephone consultation (n=2). Charcoal caused no reported adverse effects. Out-of-hospital activated charcoal administration by EMS is feasible, even in severe poisonings. Adverse events were rare.

Manioc peel and charcoal: a potential organic amendment for sustainable soil fertility in the tropics

In tropical areas, where crop production is limited by low soil quality, the development of techniques improving soil fertility without damage to the environment is a priority. In French Guiana, we used subsistence farmer plots on poor acidic soils to test the effect of different organic amendments, bitter manioc peel (M), sawdust (Sw) and charcoal (Ch), on soil nutrient content, earthworm abundance and yard-long bean (Vigna unguiculata sesquipedalis) production. The peregrine Pontoscolex corethrurus was the only earthworm species found. Pod production and plant growth were lowest in unamended soil. The application of a mixture of manioc peel and charcoal (M + Ch) improved legume production compared with other organic mixtures. It combined the favourable effects of manioc peel and charcoal. Manioc peel improved soil fertility through its low C:N ratio and its high P content, while charcoal decreased soil acidity and exchangeable Al and increased Ca and Mg availability, thus alleviating the possible toxic effects of Al on plant growth. The M + Ch treatment was favourable to P. corethrurus, the juvenile population of which reached a size comparable to that of the nearby uncultivated soil. The application of a mixture of manioc peel and charcoal, by improving crop production and soil fertility and enhancing earthworm activity, could be a potentially efficient organic manure for legume production in tropical areas where manioc is cultivated under slash-and-burn shifting agriculture.

Charcoal consumption and casting activity by Pontoscolex corethrurus (Glossoscolecidae)

The endogeic earthworm Pontoscolex corethrurus (Glossoscolecidae) is a peregrine species commonly found in tropical lands cleared by man for cultivation. We compared the charcoal consumption and casting activity of a population of P. corethrurus from a cultivated area under repeated slash-and-burn (fallow population) with that of a population from a field cultivated after recent burning of a mature forest (forest population). Their cast production was measured in containers in the presence of pure charcoal, soil of fallow and forest origin, or a mixture of charcoal and soil. The forest population defecated less in pure charcoal than in forest soil, whereas the reverse was observed for the fallow population. When living in fallow soil, both populations defecated more at the surface of a mixture of charcoal and soil than at the surface of pure soil (×2 and ×3 with fallow and forest populations, respectively). In forest soil, both populations showed an increased charcoal consumption (×12). In the light of these experiments, we hypothesized that an adaptation of P. corethrurus to charcoal and fallow soil exists, supporting the observed distribution of this earthworm species in tropical open lands.

Gunpowder: alchemy, bombards, and pyrotechnics: the history of the explosive that changed the world

When Chinese alchemists fashioned the first manmade explosion sometime during the tenth century, no one could have foreseen its full revolutionary potential. Invented to frighten evil spirits rather than fuel guns or bombsneither of which had been thought of yettheir simple mixture of saltpeter, sulfur, and charcoal went on to make the modern world possible. As word of its explosive properties spread from Asia to Europe, from pyrotechnics to battleships, it paved the way for Western exploration, hastened the end of feudalism and the rise of the nation state, and greased the wheels of the Industrial Revolution. With dramatic immediacy, novelist and journalist Jack Kelly conveys both the distant time in which the devils distillate rose to conquer the world, and brings to rousing life the eclectic cast of characters who played a role in its epic story, including Michelangelo, Edward III, Vasco da Gama, Corts, Guy Fawkes, Alfred Nobel, and E. I. DuPont. A must-read for history fans and military buffs alike, Gunpowder brings together a rich terrain of cultures and technological innovations with authoritative research and swashbuckling style.

Effects of charcoal with pyroligneous acid and barnyard manure on bedding plants

The usefulness of a mixture of charcoal with pyroligneous acid (MCP) and with barnyard manure (MCB) to improve the medium for bedding plants was evaluated. The basal medium was peat moss, soil, vermiculite, perlite and sand (2:1:1:1:1) (v/v). The MCP or MCB was mixed with the basal medium at 0, 10 or 30% (v/v) and seedlings were transferred to this medium. Both treatments of MCP shortened the number of days to flowering from transplantation of zinnia, melampodium and scarlet sage, increased the survival rate of scarlet sage and zinnia, and raised the quality, such as for melampodium and zinnia. But MCP decreased the quality in a few species because the plant height of French marigold decreased and the plant height and plant spread of scarlet sage decreased with the 30% treatment. MCB increased the survival rate of zinnia with the 10% treatment and tended to improve the quality of all species. We conclude that MCB improves the growth and quality and is effective for the cultivation of bedding plants.

The interaction of endosulfan with the Collembolan, Proisotoma minuta (Tullberg): toxicity, the effects of sub-lethal concentrations and metabolism.

An increased level of the Collembolan, Proisotoma minuta Tullberg was found in the cotton-growing areas of New South Wales, Australia. They were regularly exposed to endosulfan, a highly insecticidal compound. Toxicity, sub-lethal effects and metabolism of endosulfan were studied in P minuta that had been successfully maintained in a plaster of Paris and charcoal mixture substrate with freeze-dried yeast as a food. The 168-h LD50 values were 0.011, 0.049 and 0.055 mg liter(-1) for alpha- and beta-endosulfan and endosulfan sulfate, respectively. When P minuta were exposed to non-lethal concentrations of the endosulfans, egg production was inhibited. On recovery from the toxic effects of the endosulfans they resumed production of viable eggs. Conversion of alpha- and beta-endosulfan to endosulfan sulfate was found and the endosulfan sulfate could be further metabolized. The rate of metabolism of alpha-endosulfan was greater than that of beta-endosulfan and the product of endosulfan sulfate metabolism was not identified.

Stratigraphy and geochronology of pitfall accumulations in caves and fissures, Bermuda

Deep fractures (“fissures”) and avens (“skylights”) in limestone cave roofs create natural traps for sediments and biota. Fissures fill quickly with surface sediment and organisms soon after opening. Debris cones are formed as materials fall, wash, or drift on air through openings in cave skylights. Such deposits in Admiral's and Grand Canyon Cave, Bermuda contain distinct beds and are composed of mixtures of sediment and charcoal, together with fossils of land snails, crabs, birds, reptiles, and bats. The “pitfall” accumulations were periodically sealed over by calcite flowstone. A stratigraphic record of surface activity and fauna through both glacial and interglacial periods has been preserved. The succession also provides an ideal setting in which to compare several geochronological methods. Calibrated 14C ages on charcoal and shells provide dated horizons at 1600, 12,800, and about 35,000 14C yr BP. Thermal ionization mass spectrometric (TIMS) ages on several flowstone layers constrain the entire sequence in the Admiral's Cave sequence between 126,300±900 yr (Termination II) and historical times. A continuous relative-age record generated by amino acid epimerization (AAE) geochronology ( d-alloisoleucine/ l-isoleucine or aIle/Ile) on the pulmonate land gastropod Poecilozonites verifies the biostratigraphy, reveals a minimal degree of mixing between stratigraphic units, and establishes an independent temporal link between the subterranean and subaerial deposits of Bermuda. This convergence between stratigraphy and geochronology yields a precisely dated succession from the oceanic island of Bermuda, and thus presents a unique opportunity to assess the rates and processes of evolutionary and climate change during that interval.

Radiation synthesis and characteristics of charcoal filled PVA/PVP hydrogels

Hydrogels from a mixture of charcoal and poly(vinyl alcohol)/poly( N-vinyl pyrrolidone) were made by single “freezing and thawing” or two-step “freezing and thawing” and gamma-ray irradiation. Physical properties such as gel content and adsorption of bacteria were examined.

The Use of River Clam Shells (Aspatharia Sinuata) as an Energizer in Case Carburization of Mild Steels

River clam shells (aspotharia sinuata) which mainly contains calcium carbonate (CaCO 3 ) was explored for use as an energizer during pack-carbonization process. The mild steel samples were pack-carbonized at 950°C for various time duration in carbonizing compounds containing a mixture of charcoal and varying amounts of clam shells up to a maximum of 50% clam shell (CaCO 3 ) as energizer. Some other samples from the same stock were also pack carbonized using 100 % charcoal. The carbonization depths of the heat treated samples were measured using a micro hardness tester. The results showed that river clam shell is an effective energizer with maximum hardness obtained with the composition of 70% charcoal +30% river clam shells.

Formation, Structure, and Corrosion Properties of Carbo-Nitrided High-Chromium Steels

Structure and properties of carbidized surface zones on 4Х3ВМФ, 4Х5МФС, and 20Х13 steels upon high-temperature nitro-cementation in atmospheres of common or vacuum pyrolysis of nitrogen- and carbon-containing components and charcoal mixtures are discussed.

234 放電プラズマ焼結法による機能性複合材料の作製(OS 高エネルギー加工(2))

The present paper refers to experimental study of the powder mixture of wood charcoal, iron and copper followed by spark plasma sintering. A composite molding technique is applied to the compression molding of different type of powders at a constant heating temperature and forming pressure. The main factors affecting the sintering and bonding of different substances include temperature and pressure. It was found that Fe/Cu/Carbon powders can be heated fast and sintered in very short time: ISminutes at the temperature range of 820℃ to 990℃ using spark plasma sintering. The investigation on manufacturing of functionally composite materials is summarized above and it is evident that more work using different approaches is necessary.

Uso de subprodutos de carvão vegetal na formação do porta-enxerto limoeiro 'Cravo' em ambiente protegido

O trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar o efeito do uso de fino de carvão no substrato e da aplicação de extrato pirolenhoso no substrato e na planta sobre o desenvolvimento de porta-enxertos de limoeiro 'Cravo' (Citrus limonia Osbeck) cultivados em ambiente protegido. O experimento foi desenvolvido no delineamento em blocos casualisados, com análise em esquema fatorial 3 x 2 x 3, sendo: 3 proporções de fino de carvão (0, 100 e 200 cm³ dm-3) em mistura com substrato comercial, 2 concentrações de extrato pirolenhoso (0 e 20 cm³ dm-3) misturadas no substrato (240 cm³ por dm³ de substrato) e 3 concentrações de extrato pirolenhoso (0, 5 e 10 cm³ dm-3) pulverizadas na parte aérea, em 4 repetições. Aos 150 e 180 dias após o plantio foram realizadas avaliações do desenvolvimento das plantas. As misturas de fino de carvão e substrato comercial contendo fino de carvão na proporção de 100 cm³ dm-3 não influíram no desenvolvimento de porta-enxertos de limoeiro 'Cravo' , porém, na proporção de 200 cm³ dm-3 prejudica o desenvolvimento dos mesmos. O umedecimento pré-plantio do substrato com solução diluída (20 cm³ dm-3) de extrato pirolenhoso ou pulverização da parte aérea das plantas com soluções a 5 e 10 cm³ dm-3 provoca redução do desenvolvimento de porta-enxertos de limoeiro 'Cravo' .

Burrowing activity of the geophagous earthworm Pontoscolex corethrurus (Oligochaeta: Glossoscolecidae) in the presence of charcoal

The geophagous earthworm Pontoscolex corethrurus is frequently found in burnt tropical soils where charcoal plays an important role in soil fertility. We studied the burrowing activity of this species in two-dimensional (2D) microcosms with one half-filled with soil and the other with a 3:2 (w/w) mixture of charcoal and soil (CHAR+soil). We measured the volume of empty burrows and those filled with black or brown casts in both substrates, as well as the initial and final fresh weights of the worms. The correlation between brown cast production and both initial and final fresh weights of the worms, reinforced by the presence of feeding cavities in soil but not in CHAR+soil, suggests that P. corethrurus would ingest soil to obtain its nutrient requirements, in contrast to charcoal which was ingested for other purposes. We observed that at equal burrow volume created in the two substrates, P. corethrurus produced smaller black casts than brown, suggesting that burrows were created in CHAR+soil mainly by pushing aside the particles of this lighter substrate. The observed transport of charcoal to soil points to the importance of P. corethrurus in the incorporation of charcoal particles into organic-poor soil.