Experimental Investigation of Cigarette Butts as a Trigger on Smoldering Combustion Propagation of Peat; Case Study on Pelelawan Peat

Peatland fires are a problem every year in Indonesia especially in Sumatera Island. In Riau during the dry season, there will be peatland fires that are difficult to extinguish. There are several reasons for peatland fires and this study will analyze whether cigarette butts can cause peat fires or not. In this research peat sample was dried at 35-45°C and at temperature at 115°C to reduce water content in peat samples. Cigarette butts as a trigger were prepared with a length of 30 mm and tested on a bomb calorimeter to determine their calorific values. The cigarette butts with the highest HHV (High Heating Value) were used and burned on the surface of the peat sample by adding airflow to the sample with varying flow rates. The fastest of smoldering combustion propagation velocity was obtained 785 mm/hour for vertical direction and 1336 mm/hour for horizontal direction with speed of airflow of 5 m/s. The highest temperature was obtained in the experiment of 902°C with the speed of airflow of 5 m/s.

EXPRESS EVALUATION OF SORPTION MECHANISM ON PEAT CONTAINING MATERIALS

Peat is an effective sorbent of heavy metals, which is due to its high cation-exchange ability. The use of peat sorbents has many advantages. It is an inexpensive, affordable, and effective sorbent for a wide range of environmental pollutants. Also, it can be used either separately or as a combined sorbent and complex constituents; however, it also has several disadvantages, such as insufficient mechanical strength and low chemical stability of peat particles. To overcome these shortcomings, various methods of peat modification have been developed (e.g., peat modified with chitosan, which is used as a sorbent for heavy metals removal like peat). The ion-exchange sorption properties of sorbents on the base of peat and chitosan - modified peat were evaluated by the method of pH meter. An acid-activated peat sample was also investigated. The experiments were carried out in a static mode using natural peat samples taken from the Lake Sevan (near the city of Vardenis of the Gegharkunik region of the Republic of Armenia). Also, a similar study was conducted on KU-2-8 cation exchange resin. The purpose of this article was the express evaluation of the sorption mechanism of peat sorbents. Cation exchanger was transferred to the H+ form by treatment with HCl (1N). Changes in the pH profile as a function of the exposure time indicate their identity with the pattern of the pH change of the cation exchanger. It was found that acid activation of peat (exposure of a peat sample in HCl 1N for 10-16 hours) increases its adsorption capacity. In this case, the maximum decrease in pH is pH = 2.33, which is 1.44 points lower than for peat (pH = 3.77) and 0.95 points more than for KU-2-8 cationite. This indicates that sorbents based on peat can be regenerated. Chitosan-modified peat exhibits deterioration in sorption capacity. In this case, pHmin = 3.9, which shows that sorption on chitosan is not ion-exchange in nature.

Segregation Peat Fiber and Pre- Consolidation Pressure Effect on the Physical Properties of Reconstituted Peat Soil

The preparation of the undisturbed peat sample at the site must be conducted to understand its characteristics. However, the sampling process becoming difficult due to the condition of peat soils itself. Due to the limitation in gaining undisturbed sample, a study on reconstitution sample becoming more popular in term of investigating the properties of soil that represent the real site condition. The main purpose of this paper was to investigate the physical properties of undisturbed and reconstituted peat RS3.350, RS2.360, RS1.000 and RS0.425. In this study, the segregation of peat and expulsion water with the aids pre-consolidation pressure was applied to the reconstituted sample. The range value of the physical properties of reconstituted peat was varied from each type of peat classification which affected by the segregation fiber and pre-consolidation pressure effect method. The entire reconstituted peat samples were recons passing the opening sieve size 3.350mm, 2.360mm, 1.000mm and 0.425 mm and were subjected with the 50 kPa, 80 kPa and 100 kPa pre-consolidation pressures. As a result, the natural Parit Nipah peat soil was classified as hemic peat (H5). The percentage of water content, liquid limit, organic content and fiber content for the reconstituted sample is lower compared to the undisturbed peat sample; but differed from specific gravity where the percentage for the reconstituted sample was higher than the undisturbed sample. Conclusively, the segregation of peat fiber and pre-consolidation pressure methods greatly affect and change the physical properties of peat samples.

An Investigation of Soil Volume Changes at Four Dimensional Points of Peat Soil Sample in Parit Nipah and Pontian

Peat soils occur in many countries and formed naturally through the decomposition of plant and animal matter. These soils are known as a very problematic soft soil due to its low bearing capacity and high compressibility. These two main factors may be based on the characteristics of the soil itself. This study is focused on its physical properties and shrinkage measurement. It is also to investigate the shrinkage measurement that obtained from the diameter at four dimensional points and bar linear shrinkage method for both location peat sample. There are varies method that can be used in order to obtain a full description of the shrinkage behavior of peat. The sample was taken from two different locations which are Parit Nipah and Pontian. Linear shrinkage method is used to determine the soil shrinkage from linear measurements on a bar mould with disturbed soil that passing 0.425mm sieve. However, this method was modified by using undisturbed sample to compare the result with bar linear shrinkage method and the measurement was obtained by the reduction of its diameter at four points of the sample. Linear shrinkage values obtained from Parit Nipah and Pontian by following British Standard method are 34.77% and 33.09% respectively while modified linear method gives the value of 35.25% for Parit Nipah and 32.85% for Pontian. Modified method shows that peat soil from both locations shrinks in irregular shape due to Point C of Parit Nipah and Pontian peat sample has the smallest diameter compared to other points within 24 hours oven-dried. It also shows that Parit Nipah peat soil has a higher percentage of linear shrinkage for both method instead of Pontian peat soil. The linear shrinkage values that obtained from bar linear shrinkage and modified linear shrinkage gives smaller different values which is nearly same for both method.

A fossil trace of the interglacial flora from Katowice in Silesia

The age of an interglacial peat sample on the basis of the results of palaeobotanical studies, radiocarbon dating and the presence of <i>Caricoidea globosa</i> (C. et. E.M. Reid) Mai fruits was determined.

Influence of Media Components on Efficacy of Paclobutrazol in Inhibiting Growth of Broccoli and Petunia

Three experiments were conducted to evaluate media component effects on paclobutrazol activity. In Expts. 1 and 2, a broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis L.) seedling bioassay was used to compare the activity of paclobutrazol at six concentrations (0-0.32 mg·L-1). Results from Expt. 1 indicated that an average of 4-, 5-, and 10-fold higher concentrations were required in old composted pine bark, fresh pine bark, and composted pine bark samples, respectively, to achieve the same activity observed in sphagnum peatmoss (peat) samples. Activity in coir was similar to that in peat while activity in vermiculite and perlite was greater than that in peat. Activity in a fibrous peat sample was greater than in two less-fibrous peat samples. Results from Expt. 2 indicated that paclobutrazol activity was reduced more in the fine (<2 mm) fraction of fresh and composted bark samples than in medium (2-4 mm) or coarse (>4 mm) fractions. In Expt. 3, petunia {Petunia hybrida Vilm. `Madness Red') was grown in a mixture of either 60% composted pine bark: 0% peat or 0% composted bark: 60% peat. The paclobutrazol concentration required to achieve the same size control was 14 times higher in the former mixture than in the latter. Thus, media components differ greatly in their influence on paclobutrazol activity and the bioassay procedure may serve as a useful tool for predicting media-paclobutrazol interactions. Chemical name used: (±)-(R*,R*)-β-[(4-chlorophenyl)methyl]-α-(l,l-dimethyl)-lH-l,2,4-triazole-l-ethanol (paclobutrazol).