Visualization of 3D Property Data and Assessment of the Impact of Rendering Attributes

Visualizations of 3D cadastral information incorporating both intrinsically spatial and non-spatial information are examined here. The design of a visualization prototype is linked to real-case 3D property information. In an interview with domain experts, the functional and visual features of the prototype are assessed. The choice of rendering attributes was identified as an important aspect for further analysis. A computational approach to systematic assessment of the consequences of different graphical design choices is proposed. This approach incorporates a colour similarity metric, visual saliency maps, and k-nearest-neighbour (kNN) classification to estimate risks of confusing or overlooking relevant elements in a visualization. The results indicate that transparency is not an independent visual variable, as it affects the apparent colour of 3D objects and makes them inherently more difficult to distinguish. Transparency also influences visual saliency of objects in a scene. The proposed analytic approach was useful for visualization design and revealed that the conscious use of graphical attributes, like combinations of colour, transparency, and line styles, can improve saliency of objects in a 3D scene.

Biosorption of copper using nopal fibres: moolooite formation and magnesium role in the reactive crystallization mechanism

In this contribution, we present findings on biosorption of Cu (II) ions using novel alkali-treated nopal fibres. The biosorption data at equilibrium were fitted to several isotherm models and the biosorbent was characterized by XRD and SEM–EDX. The biosorption mechanism was investigated using a holistic approach of pH shifts, apparent colour variations and changes in the concentration of Cu(II) and dissolved hard ions (calcium and magnesium) in the Cu(II) solution. The correlation between the colour, XRD analysis, pH shifts and hard cations released from the biosorbent into the solution suggested the existence of two crystal formations, malachite and moolooite, in what appears to be a microprecipitation mechanism via reactive crystallization. The role of magnesium during the transformation of malachite into moolooite during the copper binding mechanism is analysed. Magnesium cations were released into the solution during malachite growth but were taken up from the solution during the moolooite crystal growth phase. The shift of the molar ratio Mg/Ca was located between the two inflexion points of the crystal growth transition. This specific location at the sorption isotherm was correlated with the colour evolution by a linear discriminant model confirming its association with the polymorphs. Graphic abstract

Use of Natural Coagulants/Flocculants in the Treatment of Hospital Laundry Effluents

<p>Water is a fundamental substance for the existence of life on earth. However, globally there is a freshwater crisis. Hospitals generate exorbitant volumes of effluents (5 to 15 times more toxic than urban ones). Hospital laundry is known for demanding the highest volumes of water, generating a proportional amount of complex effluents with high toxicity and recalcitrance. Adequate treatment for hospital wastewater is always an essential solution. Among all treatment methods, coagulation/flocculation emerges as one of the best alternatives. However, the use of traditional compounds such as aluminium sulfate has caused secondary pollution; its residues are harmful to public and environmental health. In this sense, the present study used natural compounds that do not cause adverse effects, such as chitosan/hydroxyapatite, to clarify the laundry effluents of the largest hospital from the Tocantins. The results showed that the hydroxyapatite associated with chitosan, at pH 6 and dosage of 50 mg/L, reduced the turbidity and apparent colour of these wastewaters by up to 67 and 55%, respectively. With lower performance and higher dosage (60 mg/L), the chitosan gel used (pH 6) promoted a maximum reduction of 35% of the apparent colour and 40% of turbidity.<br></p>

Use of Natural Coagulants/Flocculants in the Treatment of Hospital Laundry Effluents

<p>Water is a fundamental substance for the existence of life on earth. However, globally there is a freshwater crisis. Hospitals generate exorbitant volumes of effluents (5 to 15 times more toxic than urban ones). Hospital laundry is known for demanding the highest volumes of water, generating a proportional amount of complex effluents with high toxicity and recalcitrance. Adequate treatment for hospital wastewater is always an essential solution. Among all treatment methods, coagulation/flocculation emerges as one of the best alternatives. However, the use of traditional compounds such as aluminium sulfate has caused secondary pollution; its residues are harmful to public and environmental health. In this sense, the present study used natural compounds that do not cause adverse effects, such as chitosan/hydroxyapatite, to clarify the laundry effluents of the largest hospital from the Tocantins. The results showed that the hydroxyapatite associated with chitosan, at pH 6 and dosage of 50 mg/L, reduced the turbidity and apparent colour of these wastewaters by up to 67 and 55%, respectively. With lower performance and higher dosage (60 mg/L), the chitosan gel used (pH 6) promoted a maximum reduction of 35% of the apparent colour and 40% of turbidity.<br></p>

Use of Natural Coagulants/Flocculants in the Treatment of Hospital Laundry Effluents

<p>Water is a fundamental substance for the existence of life on earth. However, globally there is a freshwater crisis. Hospitals generate exorbitant volumes of effluents (5 to 15 times more toxic than urban ones). Hospital laundry is known for demanding the highest volumes of water, generating a proportional amount of complex effluents with high toxicity and recalcitrance. Adequate treatment for hospital wastewater is always an essential solution. Among all treatment methods, coagulation/flocculation emerges as one of the best alternatives. However, the use of traditional compounds such as aluminium sulfate has caused secondary pollution; its residues are harmful to public and environmental health. In this sense, the present study used natural compounds that do not cause adverse effects, such as chitosan/hydroxyapatite, to clarify the laundry effluents of the largest hospital from the Tocantins. The results showed that the hydroxyapatite associated with chitosan, at pH 6 and dosage of 50 mg/L, reduced the turbidity and apparent colour of these wastewaters by up to 67 and 55%, respectively. With lower performance and higher dosage (60 mg/L), the chitosan gel used (pH 6) promoted a maximum reduction of 35% of the apparent colour and 40% of turbidity.<br></p>

Use of Natural Coagulants/Flocculants in the Treatment of Hospital Laundry Effluents

<p>Water is a fundamental substance for the existence of life on earth. However, globally there is a freshwater crisis. Hospitals generate exorbitant volumes of effluents (5 to 15 times more toxic than urban ones). Hospital laundry is known for demanding the highest volumes of water, generating a proportional amount of complex effluents with high toxicity and recalcitrance. Adequate treatment for hospital wastewater is always an essential solution. Among all treatment methods, coagulation/flocculation emerges as one of the best alternatives. However, the use of traditional compounds such as aluminium sulfate has caused secondary pollution; its residues are harmful to public and environmental health. In this sense, the present study used natural compounds that do not cause adverse effects, such as chitosan/hydroxyapatite, to clarify the laundry effluents of the largest hospital from the Tocantins. The results showed that the hydroxyapatite associated with chitosan, at pH 6 and dosage of 50 mg/L, reduced the turbidity and apparent colour of these wastewaters by up to 67 and 55%, respectively. With lower performance and higher dosage (60 mg/L), the chitosan gel used (pH 6) promoted a maximum reduction of 35% of the apparent colour and 40% of turbidity.<br></p>

Nanomaterials for Combined Stabilisation and Deacidification of Cellulosic Materials—The Case of Iron-Tannate Dyed Cotton

The conservation of textiles is a challenge due to the often fast degradation that results from the acidity combined with a complex structure that requires remediation actions to be conducted at several length scales. Nanomaterials have lately been used for various purposes in the conservation of cultural heritage. The advantage with these materials is their high efficiency combined with a great control. Here, we provide an overview of the latest developments in terms of nanomaterials-based alternatives, namely inorganic nanoparticles and nanocellulose, to conventional methods for the strengthening and deacidification of cellulose-based materials. Then, using the case of iron-tannate dyed cotton, we show that conservation can only be addressed if the mechanical strengthening is preceded by a deacidification step. We used CaCO3 nanoparticles to neutralize the acidity, while the stabilisation was addressed by a combination of nanocellulose, and silica nanoparticles, to truly tackle the complexity of the hierarchical nature of cotton textiles. Silica nanoparticles enabled strengthening at the fibre scale by covering the fibre surface, while the nanocellulose acted at bigger length scales. The evaluation of the applied treatments, before and after an accelerated ageing, was assessed by tensile testing, the fibre structure by SEM and the apparent colour changes by colourimetric measurements.

Smart algorithms for monitoring plastic litter

&lt;p&gt;Plastic Litter (PL) has become more ubiquitous in the last decades posing socio-economic as well as health problems for the blue and green economy. However, to date PL monitoring strategies have been based on field sampling by citizens and scientists during recreational, sporting, scientific and clean-up campaigns. To this end, remote sensing technologies combined with artificial intelligence (AI) have gained rising interest as a potential source of complementary scientific evidence-based information with the capabilities to (i) detect, (ii) track, (iii) characterise and (iv) quantify PL. Within the smart algorithms, convoluted and recurrent neural networks ingest vast multi to hyperspectral images from smartphones, unmanned aerial systems, fixed observatories, high-altitude pseudo-satellites and space stations. Detection would involve the application of object recognition algorithms to true colour Red-Green-Blue (RGB) composite images. Typical essential descriptors that are derived from RGB images include apparent colour, shape, type and dimensions of PL. In addition to object recognition algorithms supported by visual inspection, AI is also used to classify and estimate counts of PL in captured imagery. Quantification assisted by smart systems have the advantage of uncertainties associated with predictions, a cruial aspect in determing budgets of PL in the natural environment. Hyperspectral data is then utilized to further characterise the polymer composition of PL based on spectral reference libraries of known polymers. Fixed observatories and repeated image capture at regions-of-interest have prospective applications in tracking of PL. Here we present plausible applications of remote detection, tracking and quantification of PL assisted by smart AI algorithms. Smart remote sensing of PL will be integrated in future operational smart observing system with near real-time capabilities to generate user (citizens, stakeholders, policymakers) defined end-products relevant to plastic litter. These tailor-made descriptors will thus contribute towards scientific evidence-based knowledge important in assisting legislature in policy making, awareness campaigns as well as evaluating the efficacy of mitigation strategies for plastic litter. Essential descriptors proposed need to include geolocations, quantities, size distributions, shape/form, apparent colour and polymer composition of PL.&lt;/p&gt;

Deficit of luminous and normal red galaxies in cosmic voids

ABSTRACT We construct a sample of 10 680 wall galaxies and 3064 void galaxies with MR ≲ −20 by cross-referencing a void catalogue from literature with Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS) CMASS and WiggleZ galaxies, where the CMASS survey targets redder galaxies and the WiggleZ survey targets bluer galaxies. Comparing the density profiles of the red and blue galaxies as a function of the void radius, we find that the number ratio of red-to-blue galaxies increases with distances from the void centres, suggesting a deficit of luminous and normal red galaxies in voids. We find a mean (g – r) magnitude colour of 1.298 and 1.210 for the wall and void galaxies, respectively, when considering the combined red and blue samples, which is found to be a significant difference. However, when considering the blue and red samples separately, we find no significant colour difference. We conclude that the constituents galaxies of each population, rather than intrinsic colour difference, is the main driver in the apparent average colour difference of galaxies in voids and walls, indicating a deficit of luminous and normal red galaxies in voids. Our analysis suggests that the primary environmental-dependence effect on galaxy evolution for normal and luminous galaxies between void and wall regions is manifested in the number of red galaxies, which depends on the environmental-dependent merger history. Using a semi-analytic simulation model, we can successfully reproduce the apparent colour difference between the void and wall galaxies.