Total Silicon Research Articles

A 10-Bit, 12 ps Resolution CMOS Time-to-Digital Converter Dedicated to Ultra-Fast Optical Timing Applications

This paper reports the design of a 10-bit, high-resolution time-to-digital converter (TDC) based on Vernier residues amplification which is a novelty. This TDC architecture allows the measurement of wide time intervals with high picosecond-range resolution. The key benefits of the proposed TDC are that it reduces conversion jitter and provides more design flexibility to enhance matching performances of delay cells and thus reach high conversion linearity regardless of the process technology, which is a strong aspect of the approach. Simulations results show that the TDC achieves a timing resolution of 12 ps rms in a long 12.5 ns timing window, a low core power consumption of 4.8 mW and estimated differential and integral nonlinearities (DNL and INL) of 0.73 and 2.02 LSB with a standard deviation of 0.17 and 0.94 LSB respectively. The TDC, implemented in 0.13 mm CMOS technology, occupies a total silicon area of 1.83 $$\times $$× 2.23 mm$$^2$$2 including pads. Such a TDC will find useful applications in tomographic systems, where several time-correlated single photon counting (TCSPC) channels need to be used in a massively parallel configuration such as in diffuse optical tomography or in time-of-flight positron emission tomography.

An implantable neurostimulator with an integrated high-voltage inductive power-recovery frontend

This paper present a highly-integrated neurostimulator with an on-chip inductive power-recovery frontend and high-voltage stimulus generator. In particular, the power-recovery frontend includes a high-voltage full-wave rectifier (up to 100 V AC input), high-voltage series regulators (24/5 V outputs) and a linear regulator (1.8/3.3 V output) with bandgap voltage reference. With the high voltage output of the series regulator, the proposed neurostimulator could deliver a considerably large current in high electrode-tissue contact impedance. This neurostimulator has been fabricated in a CSMC 1 μm 5/40/700 V BCD process and the total silicon area including pads is 5.8 mm2. Preliminary tests are successful as the neurostimulator shows good stability under a 13.56 MHz AC supply. Compared to previously reported works, our design has advantages of a wide induced voltage range (26–100 V), high output voltage (up to 24 V) and high-level integration, which are suitable for implantable neurostimulators.

SiO excitation from dense shocks in the earliest stages of massive star formation

Molecular outflows are a direct consequence of accretion, and therefore they represent one of the best tracers of accretion processes in the still poorly understood early phases of high-mass star formation. Previous studies suggested that the SiO abundance decreases with the evolution of a massive young stellar object probably because of a decay of jet activity, as witnessed in low-mass star-forming regions. We investigate the SiO excitation conditions and its abundance in outflows from a sample of massive young stellar objects through observations of the SiO(8-7) and CO(4-3) lines with the APEX telescope. Through a non-LTE analysis, we find that the excitation conditions of SiO increase with the velocity of the emitting gas. We also compute the SiO abundance through the SiO and CO integrated intensities at high velocities. For the sources in our sample we find no significant variation of the SiO abundance with evolution for a bolometric luminosity-to-mass ratio of between 4 and 50 $L_\odot/M_\odot$. We also find a weak increase of the SiO(8-7) luminosity with the bolometric luminosity-to-mass ratio. We speculate that this might be explained with an increase of density in the gas traced by SiO. We find that the densities constrained by the SiO observations require the use of shock models that include grain-grain processing. For the first time, such models are compared and found to be compatible with SiO observations. A pre-shock density of $10^5\, $cm$^{-3}$ is globally inferred from these comparisons. Shocks with a velocity higher than 25 km s$^{-1}$ are invoked for the objects in our sample where the SiO is observed with a corresponding velocity dispersion. Our comparison of shock models with observations suggests that sputtering of silicon-bearing material (corresponding to less than 10% of the total silicon abundance) from the grain mantles is occurring.

Self‐aligning silicon interposer tiles and silicon bridges for large nanophotonics enabled systems

A two-and-a-half-dimensional (2.5D) platform for enabling silicon nano-photonics and dense electrical interconnections between interposers in a tile-like configuration is presented. Three 20 × 20 mm silicon interposer tiles are assembled directly on an FR4 printed wiring board (PWB), and two 6 × 20 mm silicon bridges are assembled on top of the interposer tiles. Accurate alignment of interposer tiles to bridges, an important metric in enabling highly efficient optical coupling, is provided using positive self-alignment structures (PSASs). It is demonstrated that by using PSAS on two silicon substrates, sub-micron alignment between substrates is possible; in the cascaded configuration involving FR4, <5 μm alignment accuracy is obtained. In addition, electrical interconnection via a bridge using mechanically flexible interconnects (MFIs) is demonstrated, which made non-bonding interconnections from one interposer tile to another via a silicon bridge, allowing silicon bridges as well as the interposer tiles to be replaced. Total silicon interposer area available is 960 mm2.

High-Q RF CMOS Tunable Active Inductor for multistandard applications

A novel cascode-grounded tunable active inductor topology is proposed. A feedback resistance is added to improve the equivalent inductance and quality-factor, while the tuning of the desired inductance value is achieved by using PMOS resistor and control voltages. The tunable active inductor has been implemented in a standard 0.13 µm CMOS technology. The post-layout simulation results show that a frequency tuning range can be achieved from 1.76 GHz to 6.55 GHz varying the inductance value from 10.94 nH to 44 nH. A high quality factor of 2581 is obtained at the frequency 2 GHz. The total active inductor physical silicon area is (25.3 × 12.21) µm2.

The ecological controls on the prevalence of candidate division TM7 in polar regions.

The candidate division TM7 is ubiquitous and yet uncultured phylum of the Bacteria that encompasses a commonly environmental associated clade, TM7-1, and a “host-associated” clade, TM7-3. However, as members of the TM7 phylum have not been cultured, little is known about what differs between these two clades. We hypothesized that these clades would have different environmental niches. To test this, we used a large-scale global soil dataset, encompassing 223 soil samples, their environmental parameters and associated bacterial 16S rRNA gene sequence data. We correlated chemical, physical and biological parameters of each soil with the relative abundance of the two major classes of the phylum to deduce factors that influence the groups' seemingly ubiquitous nature. The two classes of the phylum (TM7-1 and TM7-3) were indeed distinct from each other in their habitat requirements. A key determinant of each class' prevalence appears to be the pH of the soil. The class TM7-1 displays a facultative anaerobic nature with correlations to more acidic soils with total iron, silicon, titanium and copper indicating a potential for siderophore production. However, the TM7-3 class shows a more classical oligotrophic, heterotroph nature with a preference for more alkaline soils, and a probable pathogenic role with correlations to extractable iron, sodium and phosphate. In addition, the TM7-3 was abundant in diesel contaminated soils highlighting a resilient nature along with a possible carbon source. In addition to this both classes had unique co-occurrence relationships with other bacterial phyla. In particular, both groups had opposing correlations to the Gemmatimonadetes phylum, with the TM7-3 class seemingly being outcompeted by this phylum to result in a negative correlation. These ecological controls allow the characteristics of a TM7 phylum preferred niche to be defined and give insight into possible avenues for cultivation of this previously uncultured group.

Model assessment of present-day Phaeocystis colony blooms in the Southern Bight of the North Sea (SBNS) by comparison with a reconstructed pristine situation

We performed simulations with the existing MIRO&CO-3D ecological model to assess the present-day magnitude and geographical extent of undesirable Phaeocystis colony blooms in the Southern Bight of the North Sea (SBNS) receiving anthropogenic nutrient inputs from large European rivers that mix with the inflowing Atlantic waters. The criterion of 4·106Phaeocystis colonial cells L−1 of Lancelot et al. (2009) is used to scale the presence of undesirable bloom. These simulations are compared with a reconstructed pristine SBNS ecosystem making use of nutrient inputs calculated with the Seneque/Riverstrahler model of the river system when all human activities on the watershed have been erased. Interannual variability is considered by performing model runs for two contrasted meteorological years: wet (2001) and dry (2005). Results show a large excess of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) delivery to the SBNS, i.e., 12 and 5 times the pristine situation respectively. In contrast, the total silicon (Si) input is decreased with respect to natural conditions due to freshwater diatom growth in some eutrophied rivers. Qualitatively, rivers deliver nutrients in large Si excess for pristine condition but N excess for both 2001 and 2005, when scaled to the N, P and Si requirement of coastal diatoms.Responding to the river nutrient inputs, either natural or of anthropogenic origin, phytoplankton blooms are simulated in the vicinity of the river mouths, especially in the eastern SBNS receiving 78–98% of the direct river inputs. In this area nutrients cumulate along a SW-NE gradient and the bloom is forming a wide ribbon parallel to the coast. A short time-delay is simulated between the western and eastern SBNS due to light limitation imposed by the amount of suspended particles carried by the Thames River. A spring diatom-Phaeocystis succession is simulated for both present-day and pristine condition. Diatoms dominate the bulk of the pristine phytoplankton community; Phaeocystis colonies develop in the whole domain, especially in the Thames and Scheldt river plume though their biomass remains low and never exceed the threshold of 4·106cellsL−1. In contrast, present-day Phaeocystis colonies start growing when diatoms attain their maximum in April, co-occur with and supplement them in May and June, reaching colonial cells densities >4·106cellsL−1 in many locations of the SBNS. Overall, Phaeocystis colonies are favored by wet meteorological conditions that enhance river N delivery. The geographical extent of undesirable Phaeocystis blooms thus varies between dry and wet years and affects 72% of the modeled SBNS domain distributed in three areas: the eastern band (90%), the Thames plume (6%) and a small offshore area (4%) possibly connected to the eastern band.

Synthesis of lightweight polymer-reinforced silica aerogels with improved mechanical and thermal insulation properties for space applications

Cross-linking of silica aerogels with organic polymers is an effective way to overcome their fragility and poor mechanical properties. It has also been shown that adjusting the nanoskeleton of silica aerogels using different silica precursors can lead to improved mechanical properties, mesoporosity and thermal conductivity. In this paper, the effect of the incorporation of 1,6-bis(trimethoxysilyl)hexane (BTMSH) and 1,4-bis(triethoxysilyl)-benzene (BTESB) into the underlying silica structure of tri-methacrylate cross-linked silica aerogels is examined. In order to attain a simple, cost and time effective procedure, the sol–gel process and addition of organic monomers are performed in one single step. The effect of the amount of silicon derived from alkyl-linked and aryl-linked bis-silane precursors as well as the effect of the cross-linker concentration on the mechanical strength, thermal conductivity, porosity and other properties of the synthesized aerogels are studied. Different reinforced silica aerogels with density range from 0.13 to 0.39gcm−3, compression strength from 11 to 400kPa and thermal conductivity of 0.039–0.093Wm−1K−1 were obtained. The cross-linked aerogels made by replacing 5–10mol% of total silicon by BTESB showed a drastic improvement in their surface area and thermal insulation properties along with an increase in the mechanical strength. The surface area and thermal insulation improvements obtained for aryl-bridged polysiloxanes were attributed to the aryl spacer within the aerogels body, which leads to aerogel with high extent of porosity or pore volume when compared to the alkyl-bridged polysiloxanes.Therefore, for the first time we were able to show the dependency of thermal conductivity values on the silica structure by proper designing the mesoporosity of the resulting aerogels.

Silicon nanocrystals in carbide matrix

Ordered silicon nanocrystals in silicon carbide are produced by Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition by means of the multilayer approach followed by annealing at 1100°C. The crystallization is verified by Raman scattering, X-ray diffraction, Transmission Electron Microscopy, and UV–vis spectroscopy. The conditions for the periodic structure to survive the high temperature annealing and for the SiC barrier to confine the Si crystal growth are examined by energy-filtered transmission electron microscopy and X-ray reflection. The final layout appears to be strongly influenced by the structural features of the as-deposited multilayer. Threshold values of Si-rich carbide sublayer thickness and Si-to-C ratio are identified in order to preserve the ordered structure. The crystallized fraction is observed to be correlated with the total silicon volume fraction. The constraints are examined through the use of ab-initio calculations of matrix-embedded silicon nanocrystals, as well as in terms of existing models for nanocrystal formation, in order to establish the role played by the interface energy on nanocrystal outgrowth, residual amorphous fraction, and continuous crystallization. A parameter space of formation of ordered Si nanocrystals is proposed. The diffusivity of carbon in the crystallized material is evaluated, and estimated to be around 10–16cm2/s at 1100°C.

32 Bit $\times\,$32 Bit Multiprecision Razor-Based Dynamic Voltage Scaling Multiplier With Operands Scheduler

In this paper, we present a multiprecision (MP) reconfigurable multiplier that incorporates variable precision, parallel processing (PP), razor-based dynamic voltage scaling (DVS), and dedicated MP operands scheduling to provide optimum performance for a variety of operating conditions. All of the building blocks of the proposed reconfigurable multiplier can either work as independent smaller-precision multipliers or work in parallel to perform higher-precision multiplications. Given the user's requirements (e.g., throughput), a dynamic voltage/frequency scaling management unit configures the multiplier to operate at the proper precision and frequency. Adapting to the run-time workload of the targeted application, razor flip-flops together with a dithering voltage unit then configure the multiplier to achieve the lowest power consumption. The single-switch dithering voltage unit and razor flip-flops help to reduce the voltage safety margins and overhead typically associated to DVS to the lowest level. The large silicon area and power overhead typically associated to reconfigurability features are removed. Finally, the proposed novel MP multiplier can further benefit from an operands scheduler that rearranges the input data, hence to determine the optimum voltage and frequency operating conditions for minimum power consumption. This low-power MP multiplier is fabricated in AMIS 0.35- μm technology. Experimental results show that the proposed MP design features a 28.2% and 15.8% reduction in circuit area and power consumption compared with conventional fixed-width multiplier. When combining this MP design with error-tolerant razor-based DVS, PP, and the proposed novel operands scheduler, 77.7%-86.3% total power reduction is achieved with a total silicon area overhead as low as 11.1%. This paper successfully demonstrates that a MP architecture can allow more aggressive frequency/supply voltage scaling for improved power efficiency.

Characterizing Spatial Patterns of Airborne Coarse Particulate (PM 10–2.5 ) Mass and Chemical Components in Three Cities: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis

Background: The long-term health effects of coarse particular matter (PM10–2.5) are challenging to assess because of a limited understanding of the spatial variation in PM10–2.5 mass and its chemical components.Objectives: We conducted a spatially intensive field study and developed spatial prediction models for PM10–2.5 mass and four selected species (copper, zinc, phosphorus, and silicon) in three American cities.Methods: PM10–2.5 snapshot campaigns were conducted in Chicago, Illinois; St. Paul, Minnesota; and Winston-Salem, North Carolina, in 2009 for the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis and Coarse Airborne Particulate Matter (MESA Coarse). In each city, samples were collected simultaneously outside the homes of approximately 40 participants over 2 weeks in the winter and/or summer. City-specific and combined prediction models were developed using land use regression (LUR) and universal kriging (UK). Model performance was evaluated by cross-validation (CV).Results: PM10–2.5 mass and species varied within and between cities in a manner that was predictable by geographic covariates. City-specific LUR models generally performed well for total mass (CV R2, 0.41–0.68), copper (CV R2, 0.51–0.86), phosphorus (CV R2, 0.50–0.76), silicon (CV R2, 0.48–0.93), and zinc (CV R2, 0.36–0.73). Models pooled across all cities inconsistently captured within-city variability. Little difference was observed between the performance of LUR and UK models in predicting concentrations.Conclusions: Characterization of fine-scale spatial variability of these often heterogeneous pollutants using geographic covariates should reduce exposure misclassification and increase the power of epidemiological studies investigating the long-term health impacts of PM10–2.5.Citation: Zhang K, Larson TV, Gassett A, Szpiro AA, Daviglus M, Burke GL, Kaufman JD, Adar SD. 2014. Characterizing spatial patterns of airborne coarse particulate (PM10–2.5) mass and chemical components in three cities: the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis. Environ Health Perspect 122:823–830; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1307287

2-D Modeling Capability Certification of Optical Critical Dimension (OCD) Metrology Tool by Sigma Shape PMOS Silicon Recess Structure

Optical Critical Dimension (OCD) metrology is a much popular and efficient way to monitor structure sizes such as heights, side wall angles (SWAs), and critical dimensions (CDs). Due to the continuous shrinkage of feature sizes, the IC process is becoming more and more complicated. The growing demand on the OCD applications always outpaces the development of OCD-technology capabilities. Thus, we have to find a more reliable method and a special structure to certify the capability of OCD modeling and library stability, so as to improve the measurement performance as much as possible. In this paper, we selected a 2-D Sigma Shape PMOS Silicon Recess (Σ-PSR) structure for the OCD modeling evaluation and established a certification procedure as well as a relevant evaluation method, which includes the design of DOE (Design of Experiment) wafers, the handbook for data collections, the scoreboard for OCD result analysis for verifying both OCD 2-D modeling performance and library stability. The DOE wafers were processed to form different PSR structures such as total silicon recess depth, sigma height, pull back, tip-off-gate, undercut, and spacer width splits, etc. There are 17-output required parameters for the OCD modeling. At least, 9 floating parameters are necessary to build the Σ-PSR model. The accuracy of the DOE trend and the precision, stability, and GRR (Gauge Repeatability and Reproducibility) of all output parameters were analyzed to evaluate the capability of the OCD modeling. TEM data were also collected to demonstrate the OCD performance of Σ-PSR profile monitor. Finally, we summarized the evaluation method and discussed the future OCD certification work by advanced reference metrology tools.

Volatile organic silicon compounds in biogases: development of sampling and analytical methods for total silicon quantification by ICP-OES.

Current waste management policies favor biogases (digester gases (DGs) and landfill gases (LFGs)) valorization as it becomes a way for energy politics. However, volatile organic silicon compounds (VOSiCs) contained into DGs/LFGs severely damage combustion engines and endanger the conversion into electricity by power plants, resulting in a high purification level requirement. Assessing treatment efficiency is still difficult. No consensus has been reached to provide a standardized sampling and quantification of VOSiCs into gases because of their diversity, their physicochemical properties, and the omnipresence of silicon in analytical chains. Usually, samplings are done by adsorption or absorption and quantification made by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) or inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). In this objective, this paper presents and discusses the optimization of a patented method consisting in VOSiCs sampling by absorption of 100% ethanol and quantification of total Si by ICP-OES.

Power-Rail ESD Clamp Circuit With Diode-String ESD Detection to Overcome the Gate Leakage Current in a 40-nm CMOS Process

A new silicon controlled rectifier-based power-rail electrostatic discharge (ESD) clamp circuit was proposed with a novel trigger circuit that has very low leakage current in a small layout area for implementation. This circuit was successfully verified in a 40-nm CMOS process by using only low-voltage devices. The novel trigger circuit uses a diode-string based level-sensing ESD detection circuit, but not using MOS capacitor, which has very large leakage current. Moreover, the leakage current on the ESD detection circuit is further reduced, adding a diode in series with the trigger transistor. By combining these two techniques, the total silicon area of the power-rail ESD clamp circuit can be reduced three times, whereas the leakage current is three orders of magnitude smaller than that of the traditional design.

Caracterização e adição de poeira de aciaria elétrica em ferro-gusa

O objetivo desse trabalho é estudar a redução dos óxidos de ferro e zinco contidos na poeira de aciaria elétrica (PAE), na forma de briquete, por um banho de ferro-gusa líquido com elevado teor de silício. A poeira de aciaria foi caracterizada através das seguintes técnicas: análise química, análise granulométrica, difração de raios X, microscopia eletrônica de varredura (MEV) e análise de microrregiões por EDS. Os experimentos foram realizados em escala de laboratório em um forno tubular vertical, com um fluxo argônio. Periodicamente, foram retiradas amostras do banho para a verificação dos teores de silício do banho. Os óxidos de zinco, ferrita de zinco e outros óxidos foram reduzidos, volatilizados e coletados pelo sistema de limpeza de gás, montado na parte superior do forno. Foi possível obter picos no EDS, que identificaram uma composição de, aproximadamente, 55,00% de zinco, além de conseguir reduzir o FeO pelo silício e carbono do ferro-gusa.

Light spectral filtering based on spatial adiabatic passage

We present the first experimental realization of a light spectral filter based on the spatial adiabatic passage technique. We demonstrate that a fully integrable CMOS-compatible system of three coupled identical total internal reflection silicon oxide waveguides with variable separation along their propagation direction can be used simultaneously as a low- and high-pass spectral filter within the visible range of wavelengths. Light is injected into the right waveguide, and after propagating along the system, long wavelengths are transferred into the left output, whereas short wavelengths propagate to the right and central outputs. The stopband reaches values up to −11 dB for the left output and approximately −20 dB for the right plus central outputs. The passband values are close to 0 dB for both cases. We also demonstrate that the filtering characteristics of the device can be controlled by modifying the parameter values, which define the geometry of the triple-waveguide system. However, the general filtering behavior of the system does not critically depend on technological variations. Thus, the spatial adiabatic passage filtering approach constitutes an alternative to other integrated filtering devices, such as interference or absorbance-based filters. Researchers have developed a waveguide-based scheme for filtering different wavelengths of light that suits chip-level integration. The approach, developed by Ricard Menchon-Enrich and co-workers from Barcelona, Spain, and Lausanne, Switzerland, relies on wavelength-dependent coupling between three closely spaced silicon oxide waveguides. When white visible light is launched into the right waveguide input, the red spectral components are transferred to the left waveguide output while green and blue components propagate to both right and central outputs. This ‘spatial adiabatic passage filter’ represents an alternative to filters that rely on either absorption or interference, which can be lossy or inconvenient to implement. Furthermore, because this filter is compatible with complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor fabrication, it could potentially be combined with other optical and electronic devices in a monolithic photonic integrated circuit.

Removal of silicon from green liquor with carbon dioxide in the chemical recovery process of wheat straw soda pulping

Green liquor in the chemical recovery process of wheat straw pulping was treated with carbon dioxide to precipitate silicon by a one-step process and a seeding process to address problems caused by high silicon content. The total silicon removal, the particle size, and the sedimentation performance of silica were investigated. The results showed that the pH of green liquor decreased with increasing amounts of carbon dioxide, becoming stable after the pH decreased to 8.2. Reaction temperature had no significant effect on the removal of silicon. About 99% of silicon removal was achieved at a pH of 9.2 at room temperature. In the one-step process, the particle size increased and the silica sedimentation performance improved with decreasing pH. The particle size decreased and the sedimentation performance improved with increasing reaction temperature. At a pH of 9.5 and reaction temperature of 80°C, the particle size was 10.43 μm. In the seeding process, 40% green liquor was treated with carbon dioxide at 80°C until the pH was about 10.5, then the 40% treated green liquor was mixed with the remaining 60% of green liquor. The mixture was then treated with carbon dioxide at a reaction temperature of 80°C until the pH reached 9.5. In that situation, the particle size reached 14.11 μm. Compared with the one-step process, the particle size of silica generated by the seeding process was bigger and the sedimentation performance was improved.

TSV-Aware Analytical Placement for 3-D IC Designs Based on a Novel Weighted-Average Wirelength Model

Through-silicon vias (TSVs) are required for transmitting signals among different dies for the 3-D integrated circuit (IC) technology. The significant silicon areas occupied by TSVs bring critical challenges for 3-D IC placement. Unlike most published 3-D placement works that only minimize the number of TSVs during placement due to the limitations in their techniques, this paper proposes a new 3-D cell placement algorithm that can additionally consider the sizes of TSVs and the physical positions for TSV insertion during placement. The algorithm consists of three stages: 1) 3-D analytical global placement with density optimization and whitespace reservation for TSVs; 2) TSV insertion and TSV-aware legalization; and 3) layer-by-layer detailed placement. In particular, the global placement is based on a novel weighted-average (WA) wirelength model, giving the first published model that can outperform the well-known log-sum-exp wirelength model theoretically and empirically. Also, a scheme is proposed to enhance the numerical stability of the WA wirelength model. Furthermore, 3-D routing can easily be accomplished by traditional 2-D routers since the physical positions of TSVs are determined during placement. Experimental results show the effectiveness of our algorithm. Compared with state-of-the-art 3-D cell placement works, our algorithm can achieve the best routed wirelength, TSV counts, and total silicon area, in shortest running time.

The impact of station location on water quality characterization in the Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge

Water quality was monitored in the Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge based on the Consent Decree (CDN), the Enhanced Refuge (ERN), the four-part Test impacted (FPTIN), and the four-part test unimpacted (FPTUN) networks. Alkalinity, dissolved organic carbon, total organic carbon, dissolved oxygen, total dissolved solids, total suspended solids, turbidity, pH, specific conductivity, calcium, chloride, silicon, sulfate, and total phosphorus (TP) were measured from 2005 through 2009. When the ERN was used, the 10 μg TP L(-1) Consent Decree limit would have been exceeded and would have ranged from a low of 2 months in 2009 to a high of 9 months in 2005. Based on the CDN, the limit exceeded only for 1 month in each year from 2006 through 2008. Based on the FPTIN, the 10 μg TP L(-1) limit would have been exceeded and would have ranged from a low of 1 month in 2007 to a high of 7 months in 2005 and 2008. Based on the CDN, the limit only exceeded for 1 month in each year from 2006 through 2008. Since TP is rapidly removed from canal water intruded into the Refuge marsh, one cannot expect a water quality sampling station located 2 km from the source to reliably detect violations. This may be the primary reason why there have been very few months when TP concentration has exceeded the limit since 1992 or part four of the four-part test annual 15 μg L(-1) limit since 2006.

The silicon supplement ‘Monomethylsilanetriol’ is safe and increases the body pool of silicon in healthy Pre-menopausal women

BackgroundMonomethylsilanetriol (MMST) has been used for decades as an oral silicon supplement for bone and connective tissue health, although there are no formal data on its in vivo utilisation or safety following sustained dosing.MethodsTo investigate whether MMST contributes to the body pool of silicon and, secondly, to establish its safety following 4 weeks’ supplementation in humans, twenty-two healthy pre-menopausal women (22–38 years) were recruited and supplemented with MMST at the maximum daily recommended dose (10.5 mg Si/day) for 4 weeks in a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled, cross-over design (i.e. 8 weeks in total). Fasting serum and urine samples were collected at baseline and at the end of the 4-week supplementation/placebo periods for analysis of total silicon by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry, MMST by proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and full serum biochemistry. Participants also reported on, by questionnaire, their health, well-being and quality of life at 0, 4 and 8 weeks.ResultsOverall, 4-weeks supplementation with MMST significantly increased total fasting Si concentrations in serum and urine (P ≤ 0.003; paired t-test). MMST was semi-quantifiable in serum and quantifiable in urine, but only accounted for ca. 50% and 10%, respectively, of the increased total-Si concentration. There were no reported adverse effects (i.e. changes to health and well-being) or serum biochemical changes with MMST versus placebo.ConclusionsOur data indicate that oral MMST is safe, is absorbed and undergoes sufficient metabolism in vivo to raise fasting serum silicon levels, consistent with other well absorbed forms of dietary silicon (e.g. orthosilicic acid). It thus appears to be a suitable silicon supplement.