Plastic Sheet Research Articles

Preparation of carbon dots-embedded fluorescent carboxymethyl cellulose hydrogel for anticounterfeiting applications

Fluorescent inks have been emerged as a desirable encoding technique to enhance anticounterfeiting printing of commercial goods. However, significant drawbacks with fluorescent inks, such as poor durability, low efficiency, and high cost. Herein, we describe the preparation of a self-healing authentication ink based on carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) hydrogel immobilized with nitrogen-doped carbon dots (NCD) nanoparticles (NPs) for cutting-edge anticounterfeiting applications. Security inks that self-heal are very durable. Under ambient conditions, the prepared NCD@CMC hydrogel could self-heal with a high healing efficiency. It might stick to diverse surfaces such as plastic, glass and paper sheets. The self-healing composite ink demonstrated outstanding photostability under UV light. Straightforward and environmentally friendly method was applied on the agricultural waste of rice straw toward the production of NCD using hydrothermal carbonization in an aqueous medium, and in the presence of NH4OH as an inexpensive passivating agent. The quantum yield (QY) for NCD reached 24.09 %. Various concentrations of NCD NPs were employed to produce self-healable nanocomposite inks with a variety of emission properties. Stamping homogeneous films onto paper surfaces produced a transparent layer. The CIE Lab and emission spectra of prints independently verified the capability of NCD nanocomposite inks to vary their color to blue under UV illumination. To measure the particle diameter of the prepared NCD, their morphological characteristics were examined by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to indicate diameters of 10–25 nm. Utilizing various analytical techniques, the morphology and chemical composition of the fluorescent prints were examined. We examined the mechanical qualities of the stamped papers as well as the rheological characteristics of the ink hydrogel. Due to their colorless appearance, the excitation band of the printed films was peaked at 364 nm, while their emission was peaked at 465 nm. The current smart ink holds high potential for numerous applications like smart packaging and authentication, and shows great promise as a practical and mass production approach for easily creating anticounterfeiting stamps.

Mechanical characteristics of MHD of the non-Newtonian magnetohydrodynamic Maxwell fluid flow past a bi-directional convectively heated surface with mass flux conditions

In engineering and manufacturing industries, stretching flow phenomena have numerous real-world implementations. Real-world applications related to stretched flow models are metalworking, crystal growth processes, cooling of fibers, and plastics sheets. Therefore, in this work, the mechanical characteristics of the magnetohydrodynamics of the non-Newtonian Maxwell nanofluid flow through a bi-directional linearly stretching surface are explored. Brownian motion, thermophoresis, and chemical reaction impacts are considered in this analysis. Additionally, thermal convective and mass flux conditions are taken into consideration. The mathematical framework of the existing problem is constructed on highly non-linear partial differential equations (PDEs). Suitable similarity transformations are used for the conversion of partial differential equations into ordinary differential equations (ODEs). The flow problem is tackled with the homotopy analysis method, which is capable of solving higher-order non-linear differential equations. Different flow profiles against various flow parameters are discussed physically. Heat and mass transference mechanisms for distinct flow factors are analyzed in a tabular form. The outcomes showed that both primary and secondary velocities are the declining functions of magnetic and Maxwell fluid parameters. The heat transfer rate rises with the cumulative values of the Brownian motion and thermal Biot number. In addition, the mass transfer rate decreases with the rising Schmidt number, Brownian motion parameter, and chemical reaction parameter, while it increases with the augmenting thermophoresis parameter. It has been highlighted that streamlines in the current work for Maxwell and Newtonian models are in fact different from one another.

Elimination of in-plane mechanical anisotropy and enhancement of strength-ductility of rolled Mg sheets via electric-associated twinning and recrystallization

A novel method referred as electric-associated corrugated wide limit alignment (E-CWLA) was proposed to address the contradiction between strength and plasticity of hot-rolled Mg sheets. The counterpart without electricity was known as CWLA. A huge number of tensile twins (TTs) was induced in CWLAed sample R300, and dynamic recrystallization (DRX) occurs. Strong transverse direction (TD)-titled texture accounts for the huge difference in yielding strength between different loading directions, which are closely related to Schmid factors of prismatic <a> and pyramidal <c+a> slips, resulting in different ultimate tensile strength (UTS) and ductility of R300 along different directions. E-CWLAed sample E300 presents good in-plane mechanical isotropy with the maximum UTS of 272.1 MPa, yielding strength of 213.6 MPa and elongation of 22.7%, increasing by 32%, 53% and 83% compared with the as-received sheets, respectively. Regardless loading direction, basal and non-basal slips possess similar SFs and greatly facilitates uniform plastic deformation and mechanical isotropy of E300. The special microstructure including lots of fine grains, some large grains and TTs results in a bimodal basal texture with very weak TD-titled component promotes its good deformation compatibility. Electricity contributes little to TTs formation of E300, and its thermal effect promoting dislocation mobility and DRX and the athermal effect increasing DRX nucleation rate are responsible for final grain size distribution.

Effect of Drying Technique on the Volatile Content of Ecuadorian Bulk and Fine-Flavor Cocoa.

Cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) is one of the most widely consumed edible seeds in the world affected by on-farm processing. This study investigated the effect of different drying techniques, namely oven drying (OD), sun drying (SD), and a modification of sun drying using black plastic sheeting (SBPD), on the volatile profile of fine-flavor and bulk cocoa varieties analyzed by HS-SPME-GC-MS. A total of sixty-four volatile compounds were identified in fresh and dried cocoa. As expected, the volatile profile was clearly modified after the drying step, showing strong differences among cocoa varieties, this factor and its interaction with the drying technique having greater influence according to the ANOVA simultaneous component analysis. A principal component analysis revealed a close relationship between the volatile content of bulk cocoa samples dried by the OD and SD techniques, whereas slight volatile modifications were perceived among fine-flavor samples dried using the three different techniques under study. Overall, the results provide the basis for the potential application of the simplest inexpensive SBPD technique in order to accelerate the drying process of sun drying and produce cocoa with similar (fine-flavor cocoa) or improved (bulk cocoa) aromatic quality to that formed using the traditional SD or the small-scale OD.

Small-Scale Modeling of Flexible Barriers. II: Interactions with Large Wood

During strong floods, rivers often carry significant amounts of sediment and pieces of large wood (LW). When bridges and hydraulic structures are unable to allow LW to pass through, it becomes necessary to trap LW through specific wood retention structures (e.g., flexible barriers). This paper presents a comprehensive analysis of the interactions between LW and flexible barriers using small scale models. A dimensionless criterion is first proposed to compute blockage probability of single logs. It is based on experiments varying log size and shape, channel slope (2%, 4%, and 6%), water discharge, and barrier bottom clearance. Based on runs using six mixtures of hundreds of logs, an equation is secondly provided to compute flow depth at a barrier accounting for the head losses related to large numbers of logs. Conditions leading to the release of LW when the barrier is severely overwhelmed are also studied. The deformation measured on the barrier proves to be lower with LW-laden flows than under full hydrostatic loading of a barrier obstructed by a plastic sheet. Overall, we demonstrate that flexible barriers are very relevant structures to trap LW. A companion paper shows how to design and manufacture a small scale flexible barrier in mechanical similitude with the prototype scale.

An experimental study on the effect of plastic sheet thickness on gas explosion load profiles generated in a vented cylindrical chamber

An experimental study on the effect of plastic sheet thickness on gas explosion load profiles generated in a vented cylindrical chamber

Emotional responses of college students to filtered fluorescent lighting in a classroom (v3).

Classroom lighting, usually bright fluorescent light, can significantly influence the learning environment and emotions of students. To assess the emotional impact of classroom lighting on students during an academic year. This study used an ABAB withdrawal research design in the following manner: in phase A, the baseline condition, classroom lighting was provided by conventional overhead white fluorescent classroom lights; in phase B, the intervention condition, the conventional overhead white fluorescent classroom lights were covered with fabric filters (thin, translucent, creamy-colored plastic sheets) that were attached to the lighting fixture frame with magnetic discs. The filters produced softer light in the classroom than the fluorescent lights. Each phase lasted for at least 2 weeks. During each phase, students rated 18 pairs of words from the Mehrabian and Russell pleasure, arousal, and dominance semantic differential scale at least four times to assess the emotional impact of the lighting conditions. For all three emotional behaviors, the mean score of the filtered fluorescent light phase was significantly greater than the mean score of the baseline unfiltered fluorescent lighting phase, indicating more positive emotional responses. Students also noted they experienced fewer headaches and found it easier to see the whiteboard at the front of the classroom when the light filters were in place. The light filters exerted a positive impact on the students' emotions. Students preferred the filtered lighting to fluorescent lighting. This study supports the installation of filters over fluorescent lights in a college classroom.

Heat and mass transfer of micropolar liquid flow due to porous stretching/shrinking surface with ternary nanoparticles

The present investigation is carried out to predict the flow characteristics of a micropolar liquid that is infused with ternary nanoparticles across a stretching/shrinking surface under the impact of chemical reactions and radiation. Here, three dissimilarly shaped nanoparticles (copper oxide, graphene and copper nanotubes) are suspended in H2O to analyse the characteristics of flow, heat and mass transfer. The flow is analysed using the inverse Darcy model, while the thermal analysis is based on the thermal radiation. Furthermore, the mass transfer is examined in light of the impact of first order chemically reactive species. The considered flow problem is modelled resulting with the governing equations. These governing equations are highly non linear partial differential equations. Adopting suitable similarity transformations partial differential equations are reduced to ordinary differential equations. The thermal and mass transfer analysis comprises two cases: PST/PSC and PHF/PMF. The analytical solution for energy and mass characteristics is extracted in terms of an incomplete gamma function. The characteristics of a micropolar liquid are analysed for various parameters and presented through graphs. The impact of skin friction is also considered in this analysis. The stretching and rate of mass transfer have a large influence on the microstructure of a product manufactured in the industries. The analytical results produced in the current study seem to be helpful in the polymer industry for manufacturing stretched plastic sheets.

Prediction and characterization of forming limits at necking from shear to equi-biaxial loading using the biaxial tensile testing method: Feasibility study and application to AA6061-T4

Determination of forming limit curve (FLC) over a wide range of strain paths can provide a more thorough understanding of sheet metal formability. In this work, for the first time, in-plane biaxial tensile tests employing two distinct cruciform specimens are performed to construct the FLC of AA6061-T4 sheets from shear to equi-biaxial stretching. Four different necking detection methods are investigated in a FE (finite element) procedure to find proper ones for the defined specimens. This procedure consists of the FE modeling of the biaxial tensile test and the Marciniak test. An anisotropic Gurson-Tvergaard-Needleman (GTN) plasticity model based on Hill’48 yield function is calibrated and implemented in simulations to reproduce the anisotropic plasticity and failure behavior of AA6061-T4 sheets. Then, the selected necking detection methods are applied to the biaxial tensile test to experimentally identify the limit strains at necking. The results show that considering two distinct cruciform specimens is an effective solution for the biaxial tensile test to determine the FLC covering a wider range of strain paths. The predicted FLCs show good agreement with the experiments, indicating that the numerical biaxial tensile test combined with the anisotropic GTN plasticity model is an efficient tool for predicting sheet metal formability.

Bismuth oxide nanoparticles (Bi2O3 NPs) embedded into recycled- Poly(vinyl chloride) plastic sheets as a promising shielding material for gamma radiation

In this work, novel γ-ray shielding materials based on recycled poly (vinyl chloride) (r-PVC) were prepared via melt mixing and compression molding technique. The designed materials are low-cost plastic wastes, ductile and lightweight, doped with xBi2O3 NPs (x = 0.0%, 5.0%, 15.0%, 25.0% and 35.0% (w/w)) as a non-toxic nanofiller. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were used to explore the characteristics of the as-prepared r-PVC/Bi2O3 nanocomposites. The γ-ray shielding effectiveness of the r-PVC/Bi2O3 nanocomposites were evaluated using NaI(Tl) scintillation detector at different γ-ray photon energies (121, 334, 778, 963, 1112 and 1408 keV) emitted from Eu-152 standard radioactive point source. For each of the mentioned photon energies, the mass attenuation coefficients (μm) were measured and compared to the Bi2O3 NPs’ doping ratio. The results showed that as the content of Bi2O3 NPs was increased in the nanocomposite, the value of μm significantly increased. In particular, the r-PVC nanocomposite sample containing 35.0 wt% Bi2O3 NPs exhibited the highest μm (2.5301 ± 0.22 at 121 keV). The μm was also calculated theoretically, using the MCNP5 simulation code. Experimental data of μm for all the tested nanocomposites were comparable to that obtained from a theoretical calculation. Moreover, the experimentally measured linear attenuation coefficient was the first step in calculating other shielding parameters, including half-value layer (HVL), tenth value layer (TVL), and mean free path (MFP). These parameters confirmed that addition of Bi2O3 NPs resulted in a higher shielding efficiency for r-PVC. Finally, this study shows that addition of Bi2O3 NPs to r-PVC facilitates the production of lead-free and sustainable polymer nanocomposites with improved γ-ray shielding characteristics, which can be used in nuclear energy applications, as alternatives to the shielding materials currently in use.

Variation of Thermal Conductivity on Two-Dimensional Hydromagnetic Flow of Thermophoretic Forces: Impact of Suction/Blowing

The novelty of thermal conductivity is the transmission of warmth from warmer to cooler portions of a body ensuing in balancing of temperature. Owing to importance of thermal conductivity in engineering technologies, a finite difference scheme is developed to study the originality of thermal conductivity in a two-dimensional fluid motion in assembly with thermophoretic forces, variable thermal conductivity and viscous dissipative heat over a permeable horizontal surface. The thermophoretic effect is included in the concentration boundary layer equation and the formulation has adopted by Talbot-Cheng-Scheffer-Willis (1980). A suitable similarity transformation is adapted to convert the leading PDEs to non-linear ordinary differential equations in non-dimensional form. A well-tested, numerically stable finite difference scheme in connection with Bvp4c is employed via MATLAB code for the conservation of equations under the appropriate transformed boundary conditions. The impact of thermophoretic forces and thermal conductivity in presence of suction/blowing over the fluid velocity and temperature are significant. The thermal conductivity of a substantial is an important property that assistances in the growth of active boiler/refrigerating machineries. In this study, thermophoretic forces (TP) and thermal conductivity (β) enhances the fluid velocity in presence of blowing, while they declines the velocity due to suction. The validity and accuracy of the present model have been checked and found adequate agreement with the previous studies. The importance of such analysis over a horizontal surface have numerous manufacturing, industrial and engineering applications in plastic sheets extrusion, polymer extraction, blowing of glass, manufacture of paper, thermo-electronics and rubber sheets.

The Application of Recycled Epoxy Plastic Sheets Waste to Replace Concrete in Urban Construction and Building

Epoxy plastic, a form of epoxy resin, is widely employed in a variety of sectors due to its superior mechanical qualities and adaptability. The application of waste epoxy plastic in urban highway construction has been a major topic of study. To conduct this study, epoxy polymers are mixed with concrete to enhance the thermal and compressive resistance and tensile strength, which acts as a substitute for conventional cements. The experimental results indicate that ER concrete has good cohesive qualities since it does not collapse or peel, and the nature of the epoxy plastic guarantees that ER concrete has great mechanical capabilities due to the strong bond between the epoxy resin and the fibres. In terms of frost resistance, granular concrete with a 10% ER additive has a mass loss rate between 0.3% and 0.12% and a strength loss rate between 3.55 and 9.4%, outperforming conventional concrete. When often loaded by traffic, ER concrete exhibits no substantial permanent deformation, and its fatigue damage rate is superior to that of ordinary concrete. In total, 10% admixture of ER concrete may efficiently fulfil BPN (British Pendulum Number) and structural depth standards, while greatly improving the road’s skid resistance. In addition, its modulus of elasticity, deformation capacity, and high-temperature stability are superior to those of conventional concrete.

Changes in plastic ingestion by yellow-legged gulls (Larus michahellis) over the breeding season

Gulls can be particularly vulnerable to ingesting plastics when using anthropogenic food sources, with potential consequences for survival and reproductive success. Although birds are known to switch foraging habitats over the breeding season to provide higher quality food for chick provisioning, it is unclear what this means regarding the ingestion of plastics. Here, we tested whether breeding gulls decrease the amount of plastic ingested during reproduction by collecting pellets from a series of monitored nests at a large yellow-legged gull (Larus michahellis) colony in southern France. We found at least one plastic item in 83.9 % of the analyzed pellets, with the most abundant plastic type being polyethylene-based sheet plastic. As predicted, we found a slight decrease in the number of plastic items in pellets at chick hatching. These results suggest that gulls, like other birds, may adjust foraging habits to provide more digestible, less risky, food to chicks.

Evolution of Plasmodial Infection According to Age and Vector Control Method Implemented: Deltamethrin Treated Durable Lining (δDL) in Candiero or Lambdacyhalothrin Indoor Residual Spraying (λIRS) in Chisséquélé, 2 Villages around Balombo Town, Benguela Province, Angola

Several hundred millions of malaria cases were averted these last decades thanks to the large scale implementation of vector control, mainly Long Lasting Insecticide Treated Nets (“LLINs”) and Indoor Residual Spraying (“IRS”).&#x0D; Due to several operational issues IRS were stopped in Angola and the National Malaria Control Program (NMCP) is based upon large scale distribution of Long Lasting Insecticide Treated Nets (LLIN) through different channels.&#x0D; On the other hand the recently developped Insecticide Treated Plastic Sheeting (ITPS) could represent an interesting alternative to IRS in term of longer lasting activity, community acceptability and participation, entomological and epidemiological efficacy observed in various experimental and natural conditions. Actually the acceptability of ITPS was studied in Huambo, a town close to Balombo but not yet its epidemiological efficacy in this area.&#x0D; The aim of the present study was to compare the efficacy of the 2 methods of vector control: Indoor Residual Spraying and Insecticide Treated Plastic Sheeting with 2 parasitological indicators of plasmodial infection: parasite index (“PI”) and parasite load (“PL”) in 2 villages close to Balombo: Candiero, which received 2 rounds of λIRS then δITPS; and Chisséquélé , which received δITPS only and just once; considering 4 age groups recommended in Essential Malariology: 0-2 years old; 3-5 years old; 6-9 years old and 10-15 years old.&#x0D; During the 5 five consecutive years of the study, 46 cross sectional parasitological surveys were regularly done (23 in each village), 4792 thick blood films (“TBF”) were prepared and their microscopical examination revealed the presence of plasmodial infections in 925 i.e. an overall Plasmodial Index of 19.3%.&#x0D; Plasmodium were noticed in 475 of the 2513 TBF (PI=18.9%) made in Candiero and 450 of the 2279 TBF done in Chisséquélé (PI=19.7%) (χ2= 0.55: P= 0.46; OR= 0.95 [0.82-1.09]).&#x0D; Before vector control (VC) Parasite Index (“PI”) of babies (≤ 2 years old) were significantly lower than PI of the three other older age groups. The impact of VC on plasmodial index was different according to age groups. After VC the overall parasite index significantly dropped by #70% in Candiero (IRS village) and # 60% in Chisséquélé (ITPS village), the decrease was significant in each age group but it was less in babies than in the 3 older groups. This could lead to a “negative” conclusion of the efficacy of VC if targeting only plasmodial prevalence in babies.&#x0D; On the other hand Parasite Load (“PL”) significantly dropped the first year after VC in babies in the 2 villages and not in all older age group leading to a positive conclusion of the efficacy of VC when targeting babies; the drop of PL after VC was noticed in some age groups (but not all) in Candiero but not in Chisséquélé.&#x0D; These analyzes underlined the key issues of the choice of indicator and the targeted age groups because conclusion of the efficacy of one or the other method of vector control could be opposite. Another key point is that, considering the classical age groups (0-5 or 2-9 or ≤15 years old) Insecticide treated plastic sheeting appeared as efficient as Indoor Residual Spraying with the double advantage of lasting longer and involving actual community participation.&#x0D; ITPS could therefore be recommended in place of IRS which have well known great operational and social issues.

PHENOTYPIC DETECTION OF Escherichia coli PRODUCING Extended Spectrum Beta Lactamases (ESBLs) IN THE REPRODUCTIVE TRACT BALI COW

Escherichia coli bacteria that are resistant to β-lactam antibiotics and may be able to produce Extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBLs) have been found in the reproductive tract of Bali cattle. Escherichia coli that produce ESBL will cause antimicrobial resistance (AMR) which has become a global health problem. The purpose of this study was to detect phenotypically the presence of Escherichia coli that produces ESBL from the reproductive tract of Bali cattle. This research was conducted in February 2022 in Lando Village, Terara District, East Lombok Regency using 8 female Bali cattle on smallholder farms. Reproductive fluid samples were collected using a plastic sheet gun which was inserted into the Brain Infusion Heart (BHI) media and incubated at the Public Health and Calibration Laboratory of West Nusa Tenggara Province. The samples were then cultured in EMBA media for the isolation of Escherichia coli. The isolated Escherichia coli were then identified by gram staining and biochemical tests based on Bergey's manual of determinative bacteriology. The identified Escherichia coli were screened using the disc diffusion method using the antibiotics Penicillin G10U, Ceftazidime 30 μg, and Cefotaxime 30 μg followed by a confirmation test using the double disk synergy test (DDST) method. The results of the screening test showed that only 12.5% of Escherichia coli (1 out of 8 samples) were resistant to Penicillin G, but they had not been detected to produce ESBL phenotypically.

DETECTION OF ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANT IN Escherichia coli FROM THE REPRODUCTIVE TRACT OF BALI CATTLE ON SMALLHOLDER FARM

Escherichia coli originating from animals, humans, and the environment can spread antibiotic-resistant genes and can encourage antimicrobial resistance (AMR) which is a global health problem. The purpose of this study was to detect the presence of Escherichia coli which is resistant to several antibiotics from the reproductive tract of Bali cattle on smallholder farms on the island of Lombok. This research is a cross-sectional study conducted from March to June 2021 using 8 female Bali cattle that experience reproductive disorders on community farms in Lando Village, East Lombok Regency to collect their reproductive tract fluids using an artificial insemination plastic sheet gun. Reproductive fluid samples are placed on BHIB (Brain Heart Infusion Broth) medium. Escherichia coli cultures were carried out on Eosin Methylene Blue Agar (EMBA) and identified by Gram staining and biochemical tests conducted at the Public Health and Calibration Laboratory, West Nusa Tenggara Province. Antibiotic sensitivity test on isolated Escherichia coli was carried out by disc diffusion method using 5 antibiotics including Penicillin G 10U, Oxytetracycline 30 µg, Gentamicin 10 µg, Tetracycline 30 µg, and Cefotaxime 30 µg. The results showed that 2 (two) 25% Escherichia coli bacteria were successfully cultured on EMBA media and isolated from 8 samples of the reproductive fluids of Bali cattle that were collected. The results of the Escherichia coli sensitivity test to antibiotics found that Escherichia coli samples were 100% resistant to Penicillin G, 100% resistant to Oxytetracycline, 100% resistant to Gentamicin, and 50% resistant to Tetracycline, and 100% resistant to Cefotaxime from 2 isolated Escherichia coli. This explains that Bali cattle in community farms have the potential to spread Escherichia coli which has an impact on the emergence of AMR.

DEVELOPMENT AND EVALUATION OF UNMANNED GROUND VEHICLE FOR AUTOMATED ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING OF LOW-HEIGHT TUNNEL FARMS

Agricultural machinery is an essential tool for improving agricultural production per unit area. It helps farmers to grow more crops in less time and with greater efficiency to meet food security for exponentially growing population. Tunnel farming is an agriculture technique in which the crop is grown in a long row, covered with plastic sheets to maintain favorable environment for crop growth while minimizing environmental and biological hazards. Tunnel farms are divided into low height tunnel, high tunnel, and walk-in tunnel. It is important to monitor tunnels for temperature and relative humidity because these two factors promote disease and pest attack. In low height tunnels, it becomes difficult to physically monitor temperature variations, humidity variation and pest or disease attack. Therefore, it is required to develop suitable solution to this problem which can be provided in the form of small, unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) equipped with necessary sensing devices. In this study, a small UGV having camera, temperature and humidity sensors was developed and evaluated at four different sites. These sites included lemon orchard, research farms, main boulevard and field farm. The temperature and humidity reading were recorded at 8:00, 11:00, 14:00 and 16:00 a day on 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 ft. length from field boundary. In lemon orchard temperature is minimum (240C) and humidity is maximum (69%) at 8:00 AM. In the evening at 2:00 PM temperature was maximum (390C) and humidity was minimum (45%). In research farm temperature was minimum (280C) and humidity was maximum (65%) at 8:00AM. In the evening at 2:00PM temperature was maximum (430C) and humidity was minimum (40%). In Kfueit boulevard temperature was minimum (250C) and humidity was maximum (69%) at 8:00AM. In the evening at 2:00PM temperature was maximum (400C) and humidity was minimum (46%). In Progressive farmer farm temperature was minimum (300C) and humidity was maximum (69%) at 8:00AM. In the evening at 2:00PM temperature was maximum (430C) and humidity was minimum (46%).

Sorting microplastics from other materials in water samples by ultra-high-definition imaging

In this study a commercial particle analyzer was used to image and help sorting microplastic particles (MPs) dispersed in filtrated and de-aerated tap water. The device provides a relatively easy and fast procedure for obtaining ultra-high-definition imaging, allowing the determination of shape, size, and number of 2D-projections of solid particles. The image analysis revealed clear differences among the studied different MPs originating from the grinding of five common grades of plastic sheets as they affect the image rendering differently, principally due to the light scattering either at the surface or in the volume of the microplastics. The high-quality imaging of the device also allows the discrimination of the microplastics from air bubbles with well-defined spherical shapes as well as to obtain an estimate of the size of MPs in a snapshot. We associate the differences among the shapes of the identified MPs in this study depending on the plastic type with known physical properties, such as brittleness, crystallinity, or softness. Furthermore, as a novel method we exploit a parameter based on the light intensity map from moving particles in cuvette flow to sort MPs from other particles, such as, wood fiber, human hair, and air bubbles. Using the light intensity map, which is related to the plastic-water refractive index ratio, the presence of microplastics in water can be revealed among other particles, but not their specific plastic type.

Probability Distribution of Soil Suction of Engineered Turf Cover and Compacted Clay Cover

It is unlikely to predict the distribution of soil suction in the field deterministically. It is well established that there are various sources of uncertainty in the measurement of matric suction, and the suction measurements in the field are even more critical because of the heterogeneities in the field conditions. Hence it becomes necessary to probabilistically characterize the suction in the field for enhanced reliability. The objective of this study was to conduct a probabilistic analysis of measured soil suction of two different test landfill covers, compacted clay cover (CC) and engineered turf cover (ETC), under similar meteorological events. The size of the two test landfill covers was 3 m × 3 m (10 ft. × 10 ft.) and 1.2 m (4ft.) in depth. The covers were constructed by excavating the existing subgrade, placing 6-mil plastic sheets, and backfilling the excavated soil, followed by layered compaction. Then the covers were instrumented identically with soil water potential sensors up to specified depths. One of the covers acted as the CC, and the other cover was ETC. In ETC, engineered turf was laid over the compacted soil. The engineered turf consisted of a structured LLDPE geomembrane overlain by synthetic turf (polyethylene fibers tufted through a double layer of woven polypropylene geotextiles). The sensors were connected to an automated data logging system and the collected data were probabilistically analyzed using the R program. There were significant inconsistencies in the descriptive statistical parameters of the measured soil suction at both covers under the same climatic conditions. Soil suction measured in the field ranged between almost 12 to 44 kPa in ETC, while it was in the range of almost 1 to 2020 kPa in the CC. The histogram and quantile-quantile (Q-Q) plot showed the data to be non-normally distributed in the field. A heavy-tailed leptokurtic (Kurtosis=13) distribution of suction was observed in the ETC with substantial outliers. In contrast, the suction distribution in CC was observed skewed to the right containing a thinner tail indicating an almost platykurtic distribution. The distribution of suction in the field under engineered turf was observed to be reasonably consistent with time compared to bare soil under the same meteorological events. The results obtained from this study revealed the engineered turf system to be an effective barrier to inducing changes in soil suction against climatic events.

Demonstration of Urea Treatment Technology in Selected Kebeles of the Western Zone of Tigray

The study aimed to demonstrate the effect of urea treatment on the utilization of sorghum stover and farmers' perception. It was conducted in four kebeles of Kafta Humera district with one farmer group per kebele. Farmers and agents trained on urea treatment procedures before the experiment. The participating farmers were provided with urea, heavy plastic sheets, and guiding manuals for urea treatment preparation. Weekly meetings were held with group members to address issues and propose solutions. During field visits, data on feed intake, milk yield of cows, and farmers' perception were collected. The results showed that urea treatment technology significantly increased the average daily milk yield of milking cows from 2.39 to 3.85 liters, with an average daily increment of 1.46 liters (61.1%). The analysis indicated that each additional unit of one birr per cow's cost increment resulted in a 1.84 birr benefit from feeding urea-treated sorghum stover as a supplement. Urea treatment also increased sorghum stover intake, reduced wastage, and improved the milk yield and body conditions of lactating local cows. Therefore, it is recommended to introduce urea treatment technology, along with affordable improved feed choppers, to wider areas for further popularization and scaling up of the technology.