Mini pretreatment system integrated with micro pre-concentrator and micro GC column

Sensor Review ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 37 (2) ◽  
pp. 137-141 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yanni Zhang ◽  
Jianhai Sun ◽  
Xiaofeng Zhu ◽  
Jinhua Liu ◽  
Zhanwu Ning

Purpose As the concentration of environmental samples was generally very low and existing analytical instruments had limited sensitivity, developing mini pre-treatment systems for effectively concentrating the components was very important and necessary. The purposed of this paper is to develop mini pretreatment system integrated with micro pre-concentrator and micro GC column. Design/methodology/approach In this work, a mini pre-treatment system integrated with a micro pre-concentrator and a micro gas chromatograph (GC) column was proposed. The micro pre-concentrator filled with single-walled carbon nanotubes as adsorbent materials was able to effectively concentrate the trace environmental sample, which dramatically improved the response of detectors. In addition, instead of conventional columns, micro GC columns were able to effectively separate gas mixtures, which are able to overcome low resolution and poor anti-interference ability of portable instruments. Findings The results demonstrated that the proposed pre-treatment system was able to concentrate the trace sample with a concentration factor of 15 and effectively separate the gas mixtures with a resolution over 1.5. Originality/value A mini pre-treatment system integrated with a micro pre-concentrator and a micro GC column was proposed.

Sensor Review ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 32 (3) ◽  
pp. 187-193 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert Bogue

PurposeThis paper aims to provide a technical description of the sensors and instruments used on NASA's Mars Science Laboratory mission.Design/methodology/approachFollowing an introduction, this paper describes the various sensors and instruments used on the mission. The sampling systems, power source and communication technologies are also considered.FindingsThis shows that the Mars Science Laboratory is equipped with an array of sophisticated analytical instruments, sensors and cameras which will yield a unique insight into the Martian environment.Originality/valueThis paper provides details of the sensors and instruments being deployed on NASA's latest robotic mission to the surface of Mars.


2016 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 59-70
Author(s):  
Nirmala Gnanasundaram ◽  
Aruna Singh ◽  
M Ganesapillai

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to harness the potential of microwave pre-treatment to prepare carbon from locally available Sterculia foetida fruit shells for adsorption of heavy metals, particularly Nickel ions (Ni++), from effluent. Design/methodology/approach – The pre-treatment methods comprise conventional methods as sun drying and oven drying as well as high intensity microwave drying. Response surface methodology was employed to analyse the optimization of the process. The adsorption behavioural characteristics of the material were established applying adsorption isotherms. Findings – Adsorption of Ni++ was found to be effective in microwave drying at output power of 300 W. It was observed that the maximum adsorption capacity was attained at pH 6; an adsorbent dosage of 0.25 mgml−1 and initial metal ion concentration of 20 ppm with an interactive effect of initial concentration and dosage. Originality/value – The research puts emphasise on prospecting of novel biomass for carbonization and application of the same for effective adsorption. Available literature on Sterculia foetida is very limited and this work will serve to create database on the amenability of processing.


2018 ◽  
Vol 48 (3) ◽  
pp. 453-467
Author(s):  
Dipika Agrahar-Murugkar ◽  
Aiman Zaidi ◽  
Shraddha Dwivedi

Purpose The purpose of the study was to discover whether incorporating flours with high nutritive value along with pre-treatment of cereals with nixtamalization and sprouting of legumes would result in a high-quality healthy alternative for corn-based snacks. Design/methodology/approach Flours of nixtamalized cereals-corn, wheat, rice and sorghum and sprouted legumes-soybean and green gram are made into dough and baked instead of fried to form multi-grain chips. The particle size and physical properties of flour and nutritional, functional and textural properties of dough and chips are tested to study the effect of combination of nixtamalization of cereals and sprouting of legumes in the development of chips. Findings Baked multi-grain chips made of nixtamalized cereals and sprouted legumes had a significantly (p < 0.05) smaller particle size of 24.6 µm compared to T1 24.8 µm, C1 29.3 µm and C2 31.7 µm. T2 and C2 had significantly (p = 0.05) lower OAC value than C1 and T1 due to nixtamalization as nixtamalized flour needed half the amount of oil during dough formation. T1 showed highest calcium (mg/100 g) of 466 which was significantly (p < 0.05) higher than all other groups. The overall acceptability of T2 (8.6) was significantly (p < 0.05) higher than T1 (7.8), C2 (7.4) and C1 (6.8) on the nine-point Hedonic scale. Originality/value The developed chips are superior in terms of higher protein and minerals with better organoleptic acceptability and lower fat content in comparison to both corn chips and nixtamalized corn chips. The multi-grain chip therefore offers a new option for the consumer in high-quality healthy alternative to corn-based fried snacks.


1997 ◽  
Vol 35 (6) ◽  
pp. 63-70 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yoshimasa Watanabe ◽  
Yoshihiko Iwasaki

This paper describes a pilot plant study on the performance of a hybrid small municipal wastewater treatment system consisting of a jet mixed separator(JMS) and upgraded RBC. The JMS was used as a pre-treatment of the RBC instead of the primary clarifier. The treatment capacity of the system was fixed at 100 m3/d, corresponding to the hydraulic loading to the RBC of 117 L/m2/d. The effluent from the grid chamber at a municipal wastewater treatment plant was fed into the hybrid system. The RBC was operated using the electric power produced by a solar electric generation panel with a surface area of 8 m2 under enough sunlight. In order to reduce the organic loading to the RBC, polyaluminium chloride(PAC) was added to the JMS influent to remove the colloidal and suspended organic particles. At the operational condition where the A1 dosage and hydraulic retention time of the JMS were fixed at 5 g/m3 and 45 min., respectively, the average effluent water quality of hybrid system was as follows: TOC=8 g/m3, Total BOD=8 g/m3, SS=8 g/m3, Turbidity=6 TU, NH4-N=7 g/m3, T-P=0.5 g/m3. In this operating condition, electric power consumption of the RBC for treating unit volume of wastewater is only 0.07 KWH/m3.


2019 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 5-8
Author(s):  
Ian Cummins

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to discuss the recent National Appropriate Adult Network (NAAN) report on the role of the appropriate adult. Design/methodology/approach This paper is based on the NAAN report and a review of relevant policy and research literature. Findings There to Help 2 highlights that there are still significant gaps in the provision of appropriate adult schemes across England and Wales. These gaps potentially place vulnerable adults at increased risk. Originality/value This paper is a review of recent research.


2019 ◽  
Vol 41 (4) ◽  
pp. 740-757 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sophie Hennekam ◽  
Subramaniam Ananthram ◽  
Steve McKenna

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate how individuals perceive and react to the involuntary demotion of a co-worker in their organisation. Design/methodology/approach The authors draw on 46 semi-structured in-depth interviews (23 dyads) with co-workers of demoted individuals. Findings The findings suggest that an individual’s observation of the demotion of a co-worker has three stages: their perception of fairness, their emotional reaction and their behavioural reaction. The perception of fairness concerned issues of distributive, procedural, interpersonal and informational justice. The emotional responses identified were feelings of disappointment/disillusion, uncertainty, vulnerability and anger. Finally, the behavioural reactions triggered by their emotional responses included expressions of voice, loyalty, exit and adaptation. Originality/value Perceptions of (in)justice perpetrated on others stimulate emotional and behavioural responses, which impacts organisational functioning. Managers should therefore pay attention to the way a demotion is perceived, not only by those directly concerned, but also by co-workers as observers.


2019 ◽  
Vol 32 (4) ◽  
pp. 455-471
Author(s):  
Jorge Cruz-Cárdenas ◽  
Jorge Guadalupe-Lanas ◽  
Ekaterina Zabelina ◽  
Andrés Palacio-Fierro ◽  
Margarita Velín-Fárez ◽  
...  

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to understand in-depth how consumers create value in their lives using WhatsApp, the leading mobile instant messaging (MIM) application. Design/methodology/approach The study adopts the perspective of customer-dominant logic (CDL) and uses a qualitative multimethod design involving 3 focus groups and 25 subsequent in-depth interviews. The research setting was Ecuador, a Latin American country. Findings Analysis and interpretation of the participants’ stories made it possible to identify and understand the creation of four types of value: maintaining and strengthening relationships; improving role performance; emotional support; and entertainment and fun. In addition, the present study proposes a conceptual model of consumer value creation as it applies to MIM. Practical implications Understanding the way consumers create value in their lives using MIM is important not only for organizations that offer MIM applications, but also for those companies that develop other applications for mobile phones or for those who wish to use MIM as an electronic word-of-mouth vehicle. Originality/value The current study is one of the first to address the topic of consumer behavior in the use of technologies from the perspective of CDL; this perspective enables an integrated qualitative vision of value creation in which the consumer is the protagonist.


2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 378-396 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arian Razmi-Farooji ◽  
Hanna Kropsu-Vehkaperä ◽  
Janne Härkönen ◽  
Harri Haapasalo

Purpose The purpose of this paper is twofold: first, to understand data management challenges in e-maintenance systems from a holistically viewpoint through summarizing the earlier scattered research in the field, and second, to present a conceptual approach for addressing these challenges in practice. Design/methodology/approach The study is realized as a combination of a literature review and by the means of analyzing the practices on an industry leader in manufacturing and maintenance services. Findings This research provides a general understanding over data management challenges in e-maintenance and summarizes their associated proposed solutions. In addition, this paper lists and exemplifies different types and sources of data which can be collected in e-maintenance, across different organizational levels. Analyzing the data management practices of an e-maintenance industry leader provides a conceptual approach to address identified challenges in practice. Research limitations/implications Since this paper is based on studying the practices of a single company, it might be limited to generalize the results. Future research topics can focus on each of mentioned data management challenges and also validate the applicability of presented model in other companies and industries. Practical implications Understanding the e-maintenance-related challenges helps maintenance managers and other involved stakeholders in e-maintenance systems to better solve the challenges. Originality/value The so-far literature on e-maintenance has been studied with narrow focus to data and data management in e-maintenance appears as one of the less studied topics in the literature. This research paper contributes to e-maintenance by highlighting the deficiencies of the discussion surrounding the perspectives of data management in e-maintenance by studying all common data management challenges and listing different types of data which need to be acquired in e-maintenance systems.


2020 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
pp. 755-770
Author(s):  
Maria Krambia-Kapardis

Purpose The purpose of this study is to develop a profile of whistleblowers and to determine whether whistleblowing legislation would encourage those individuals to bring to light some illegal or unethical behaviour that otherwise would remain in the shadows. Design/methodology/approach Having identified whistleblowing correlation, a survey was carried out in Cyprus of actual whistleblowers and could-have-been whistleblowers. Findings Males between 46 and55 years of age, regardless of whether they have dependents or hold senior positions in organizations are significantly more likely to blow the whistle. However, could-have-been whistleblowers did not go ahead because they felt that the authorities would not act on their information. Research limitations/implications Because of the sensitive nature of the research topic and the fact that only whistleblowers or intended whistleblowers could participate in the study, the sample size is limited as a result. This, in turn, limits both the number of respondents in each category (actual and intended) as well as constrains the statistical analysis that could be carried out on the data. Practical implications It remains to be seen whether EU Member States shall implement the European Directive 2019/1937 on the protection of persons who report breaches of Union Law, in its entirety by the due date, namely December 2021. Originality/value This study provides a literature review of whistleblowing and reports an original survey against the backdrop of the European Directive.


2019 ◽  
Vol 37 (1) ◽  
pp. 134-142
Author(s):  
Alberto Bueno-Guerrero

Purpose This paper aims to study the conditions for the hedging portfolio of any contingent claim on bonds to have no bank account part. Design/methodology/approach Hedging and Malliavin calculus techniques recently developed under a stochastic string framework are applied. Findings A necessary and sufficient condition for the hedging portfolio to have no bank account part is found. This condition is applied to a barrier option, and an example of a contingent claim whose hedging portfolio has a bank account part different from zero is provided. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first time that this issue has been addressed in the literature.


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