Radial Water Barrier in Submarine Cables, Current Solutions and Innovative Development Directions

With wind turbines increasing in size, installed at greater distances from the mainland, and greater depths, submarine cables are facing new challenges. Materials and technologies used so far for the production of submarine cables with lead, aluminium, or copper sheaths make them unsuitable or even obsolete for modern solutions such as floating wind farms. The article discusses types of submarine cables, their construction, working conditions, and operational factors, with emphasis placed on the role of the radial water barrier. The focus has been placed on dry and semi-dry designs. The article is also devoted to a discussion regarding directions of further development, possible materials, and constructions that may appear in the future. Current research and results regarding the use of multi-layer coatings with the use of thermoplastic block copolymers for the layer with high moisture absorption are also presented.

Environmental and biological monitoring in the workplace: A 10-year South African retrospective analysis

This report is an overview of requests for biological and environmental monitoring of hazardous chemicals, submitted to the National Institute for Occupational Health, Analytical Services Laboratory for testing from the years 2005 to 2015. The report discusses the nature of tests requested and implications for workers’ health and environment, as well as potential impact of the uncertainties associated with monitoring of hazardous chemicals. This is a retrospective, descriptive, qualitative and quantitative audit of all samples received and tests performed retrieved from records of analysis by the laboratory. The study sample consisted of 44,221 samples. The report indicates that throughout the interrogation period the demand for biological monitoring was higher than that for environmental monitoring, with more requests for toxic metals than organic pollutants. Toxic metal testing was highest for mercury, followed by manganese, lead, aluminium and arsenic. The highest number of tests for organic pollutants was conducted for pesticides followed by toluene and xylene. The study has also revealed that the scope of tests requested is rather narrow and does not reflect the broad spectrum of South Africa’s industrial diversity. Having identified possible reasons for underutilization, a number of reforms that could enhance the laboratory’s performance have been addressed.

W sprawie wytwórczości szklarskiej w celtyckim oppidum w Starym Hradisku na Morawach

Discussion presented in the article is based upon analysis of glass fragments from the late La Tene oppidum. Existence of the jewellery manufacture workshop in Stare Hradisko, producing bracelets and possibly also beads of dark-blue, dark-yellow and green glass of external origin, is speculated based upon chemical composition of 5 fragments as well as morphological analysis. Further complex studies are postulated, which will facilitate unequivocal testing of the speculation about existence of glass works in StareHradisko. Analysed samples revealed presence of the soda-calcium-aluminium-silicon as well as the soda-calcium-lead-aluminium-silicon glass.

Environmental and biological monitoring in the workplace: A 10-year South African retrospective analysis

This report is an overview of requests for biological and environmental monitoring of hazardous chemicals, submitted to the National Institute for Occupational Health, Analytical Services Laboratory for testing from the years 2005 to 2015. The report discusses the nature of tests requested and implications for workers’ health and environment, as well as potential impact of the uncertainties associated with monitoring of hazardous chemicals. This is a retrospective, descriptive, qualitative and quantitative audit of all samples received and tests performed retrieved from records of analysis by the laboratory. The study sample consisted of 44,221 samples. The report indicates that throughout the interrogation period the demand for biological monitoring was higher than that for environmental monitoring, with more requests for toxic metals than organic pollutants. Toxic metal testing was highest for mercury, followed by manganese, lead, aluminium and arsenic. The highest number of tests for organic pollutants was conducted for pesticides followed by toluene and xylene. The study has also revealed that the scope of tests requested is rather narrow and does not reflect the broad spectrum of South Africa’s industrial diversity. Having identified possible reasons for underutilization, a number of reforms that could enhance the laboratory’s performance have been addressed.

Communications from the Oxford Mineralogical Laboratory. On the constitution of the natural Arsenates and Phosphates. Part III. Plumbogummite and Hitchcockite

The present paper deals with the somewhat obscure lead aluminium phosphates, of which the following varieties have hitherto been described :—(i)The original plumbogummite, a mineral found at Huelgoat in Brittany, and at Nuissière, Dept. Rhône.(ii)Some varieties of pyromorphite, containing alumina and water as constituents. These pyromorphites occur also at Huelgoat, and are usually quoted in books on Mineralogy as plumbogummite, although Damour, in his original paper on the subject, clearly distinguishes between the true plumbogummite and the aluminous pyromorphites.(iii)The American mineral, bitehcockite, occurring in the Canton Mines, Georgia.(iv)A Cumberland mineral, which for some time was mistaken for zinc silicate, but has recently been shown to be a phosphate of lead and aluminium (Miers, Min. Mag. 1896, XI, 272).