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Diesel engine exhausts from a common rail 3.0 L F1C diesel engine were analyzed at two different load conditions of the WLTC testing cycle downstream of both the diesel particulate filter (DPF) and selective catalytic reactor (SCR) to verify their effect on the characteristics of carbon particulate matter. An array of chemical, physical and spectroscopic techniques (gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS), mobility analyzer, UV-Visible absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy) was applied for characterizing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), heavy aromatic compounds and soot, constituting the particulate matter (PM) sampled from the exhaust. The engine was operated in half load (HL) (188 Nm, representing the more common condition for engine in urban traffic) and full load (FL) (452 Nm, representing the best performance of the engine operation) conditions, at the same engine speed (2000 rpm). Soot formation was enhanced in HL condition, with respect to FL, but, just because of the much lower soot amount, the after-treatment systems in this last condition resulted to be less efficient in the soot abatement. Indeed, the abatement through DPF was about 40% lower in the FL condition with respect to HL condition, and any significant further concentration decrease was found after SCR, in both conditions. By contrast, PAH concentration after DPF abatement was found to be higher in the HL with respect to FL condition. A further PAH concentration decrease of about 30% was found after the SCR in the HL condition whereas in FL the reduction was only about 5-6%. Also the heavy aromatic compounds having molecular weight above the GC-MS detection limit (300 u), were mitigated by SCR. Therefore, SCR did not cause a further soot reduction, whereas it was effective in largely reducing PAH and heavy aromatics emissions, especially in the lower temperature condition featuring the half-load condition, when combustion efficiency is worse. Moreover, SCR system reduced the emission of small particles probably due to an enhanced agglomeration of particles, with beneficial effect on the harmfulness to human health.

An electrochemical supercapacitor in all solid configuration using perfluorosulfonate ionomer as polymer electrolyte has been successfully realized. Electrodes of supercapacitor have been prepared using activated carbon material and Nafion ionomer. This latter had the double function of binder and electrolyte. Nafion 115 membrane has been used as electrolyte separator in the preparation of small scale supercapacitors. The capacitance performance of these devices is comparable or better than traditional systems, which use sulfuric acid as electrolyte. The electrochemical evaluation of studied supercapacitor has been carried out by cyclic voltammetry, dc charge/discharge measurements and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. A capacitance of 90 F/g (referred to the weight of active carbon material in the electrode) has been obtained with carbon having surface area (SA) of about 1000m2/g and, a capacitance of 130 F/g with activated carbon having SA of 1500m2/g. These interesting results have been tentatively explained with an optimal configuration of electrodes and with the concomitant beneficial effects on the carbon pores of adsorbed water and Nafion distribution, which produce low distribute resistance in the carbon composite electrodes.

Abstract Electrolyte-separator-free fuel cell (EFFC) is a new emerging energy conversion technology. The EFFC consists of a single-component of nanocomposite material which works as a one-layer fuel cell device contrary to the traditional three-layer anode–electrolyte–cathode structure, in which an electrolyte layer plays a critical role. The nanocomposite of a single homogenous layer consists of a mixture of semiconducting and ionic materials that provides the necessary electrochemical reaction sites and charge transport paths for a fuel cell. These can be accomplished through tailoring ionic and electronic (n, p) conductivities and catalyst activities, which enable redox reactions to occur on nano-particles and finally accomplish a fuel cell function.

In this work some electrochemical characteristics of all solid double layer capacitors prepared by high surface carbon and Nafion polymer electrolyte are reported. Carbon composite electrodes with a Nafion loading of 30 wt.% were prepared and evaluated. Nafion 115 membrane, recast Nafion membrane and 1 M H2SO4 solution in a matrix of glass fiber have been used as electrolyte, in the double layer capacitors. The different double layer capacitors (DLCs) have been evaluated by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The capacitor with a recast Nafion electrolyte exhibits a proton conductivity of about 3x10-2 S cm-1 at ambient temperature, that is higher of that reported for solid electrolytes (10-3 to 10-4 S cm-1) in the current literature on capacitors. A maximum of specific capacitance of 13 F/g of active materials ( ) corresponding to 52 F/g for a single electrode measured in a three-electrode arrangement has been achieved with the capacitor with recast Nafion. The capacitance of the capacitor with recast Nafion electrolyte, evaluated in low-frequency region below 10 mHz, was practically equivalent at that with sulphuric acid electrolyte. The interpretation of the characteristics of the microporous structure of carbon material of the electrodes by impedance analysis is also discussed.

Experimental study we present is a full-scale energy recovery system able to extract, by means of a water sourced heat pump, the leftover thermal bioenergy available in a Sequencing Batch Biofilter Granular Reactor (SBBGR) within the wastewater treatment process. Heat pump compressor engine was powered by a 5.1 kW Photovoltaic plant, thermal energy being recovered is accumulated by two phase change materials tanks (PCM) for heat and cold latent energy storage whose capacity is 0.3 and 0.5 m3 respectively, thermal energy excess was dissipated through evaporator and condenser devices. Thermal energy extracted from SBBGR ranged from 0 to 14.5 kWh as function of environmental temperature and temperature set point of SBBGR. It was largely affected by environmental temperature during radiation and no deterioration of SBBGR performances were recorded during energy extraction even at lowest temperature set point (i.e. 15 °C). Results obtained demonstrated that SBBGR technology, thanks to its particular process scheme, allows wastewater heat extraction within the treatment process operation, making it actually the only wastewater treatment system able to exchange energy at low temperature (15 °C) without prejudice to treatment performances and, at the same time, to operate a thermal regulation of the treatment reactors, integrating the optimization of thermo-dependent biological processes with energy recovery systems.

A 67-year-old Caucasian male with lung cancer was presented to the Emergency Department with asthenia, anorexia, jaundice and choluria. The patient's lung cancer was being treated medically by a combination of paclitaxel/carboplatin with bi-monthly frequency. The patient was also self-medicating with several natural products, including Chlorella (520 mg/day), Silybum marianum (total of 13.5 mg silymarin/day), zinc sulphate (5.5 mg), selenium (50 μg) and 15 g/day of Curcuma longa. In first chemotherapy cycle no toxicity was observed even he was taking other medications as budesonide and sitagliptin. The toxic events started only after the introduction of the dietary products. Chlorella had contamination with cyanobacteria (Oscillatoriales) and 1.08 μg of cyanotoxin Microcystin-LR (MC-LR) per gram of biomass was found. Patient was consuming ca 0.01 μg MC-LR/kg/day. This case report describes the first known case of paclitaxel toxicity probably related to pharmacokinetic interaction with Turmeric and a contaminated Chlorella supplement resulting in an acute toxic hepatitis and the impact on oncologic patient health.

Abstract Electrolyte-free fuel cell (EFFC) which holds the similar function with the traditional solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) but possesses a completely different structure, has draw much attention during these years. Herein, we report a complex of MZSDC–LNCS (Mg 0.4 Zn 0.6 O/Ce 0.8 Sm 0.2 O 2− δ –Li 0.3 Ni 0.6 Cu 0.07 Sr 0.03 O 2− δ ) for EFFC that demonstrates a high electrochemical power output of about 600 mW cm −2 at 630 °C. The co-doped MZSDC is synthesized by a co-precipitation method. Semiconductor material of LNCS is synthesized by direct solid state reaction. The microstructure and morphology of the composite materials are characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDS). The performance of the cell with a large size (6 × 6 cm 2 ) is comparable or even better than that of the conventional solid oxide fuel cells with large sizes. The maximum power output of 9.28 W is obtained from the large-size cell at 600 °C. This paper develops a new functional nanocomposite for EFFC which is conducive to its commercial use.

An ultracapacitor (UCap) based on carbon xerogel electrodes and sodium sulfate electrolyte was investigated in the voltage range between 0 and 1.8 V. Notwithstanding the high value of maximum voltage (1.8 V) the UCap exhibited excellent stability during 20000 of cycling test. Moreover, the achievement of this high voltage made possible to obtain high value of specific energy. The stability was possible because the potential limits of electrode-electrolyte decomposition at positive and negative electrodes were never achieved. This is because an asymmetric UCap with different amounts of carbon xerogel in the electrodes was used. The UCap with the carbon xerogel of BET specific surface area of 3100 m(2) g(-1) demonstrated a specific energy of 17.5 Wh kg(-1) and a specific capacitance of 156 F g(-1) and, retained 91% of initial capacitance after 20000 cycles of duration test. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.